08.040
Pancharatra and Core: General destruction of the army by Arjua, Bhima and Karna; Nakula and Sahadeva fighting Duryodhana face defeat, but are ably supported by Dhṛṣṭadyumna in time, who makes the Kuru king retreat; Karna takes on Dhṛṣṭadyumna as day reaches its midpoint causing great destruction of Panchala forces; Seeing the destruction caused by Karna, Arjuna asks Krishna to take him there; Ashvatthama stops Arjuna and overpowers him, resulting in Krishna's rebuke. What follows is the complete slaughter of the Kaurava forces by Arjuna.
Sanjaya said:
Karna, by his own prowess, halted Bhimasena and his allies, the Panchalas, Chedis, and Kekayas, using his arrows.
Then, in the presence of Bhimasena, the angry Karna killed the great warriors of the Cedis, Karushas, and Srinjayas.
Then Bhimasena, leaving Karna behind, advanced towards the Kaurava army, blazing like a fire consuming a forest.
The son of a charioteer, in the battle, killed thousands of great archers, including the Panchalas, Kekayas, and Srinjayas.
Arjuna fought fiercely among the Saṁśaptakas, Bhima among the Kauravas, and Karna among the Panchalas, all causing great destruction.
The warriors, scorched by the three who were like fire, met their end in battle, O king, because of your poor strategy.
Then, in his anger, Duryodhana shot nine arrows at Nakula, O best of the Bharatas, and also struck four of his horses.
Then once more, your son, the immeasurable soul and king, severed the golden flag of Sahadeva with his sword.
Nakula, in his anger, then killed your son with twenty-one arrows in the battle, O king, while Sahadeva killed with five arrows.
The two best among the Bharatas, renowned as the finest archers, angrily struck the chest with five arrows each.
Then, with two other arrows, he cut off the bows of Yama's sons. Smiling, O king, he pierced them with seven arrows.
Those two other heroes, holding their excellent and auspicious bows that resembled Indra's bow, shone like the sons of gods in the battle.
Then those two fierce brothers, O king, attacked their brother with a barrage of terrible arrows, resembling great clouds pouring down on a mountain.
Then, O great king, your son, the mighty warrior, halted the Pandava brothers, who were great archers, using his arrows.
In the battle, O Bhārata, his bow's circle is clearly visible, and the arrows are seen flying all around.
The Pandavas, covered by his arrows, appeared like the moon and sun in the sky, obscured by clouds, their brilliance dimmed.
At that time, O great king, those arrows with golden feathers and sharpened with stones covered all directions, resembling the rays of the sun.
Then, in the sky covered by arrows, Yama saw a form resembling the end-time Yama.
The great warriors, upon witnessing the valor of your son, believed that the sons of Mādrī were indeed on the brink of death.
Then the commander of the Pandavas, the noble son of Prishata, went to the place where King Suyodhana was.
Then the heroic sons of Madri, having surpassed the great charioteers, Dhrishtadyumna struck your son with arrows.
Your son, possessing an immeasurable soul and extreme anger, smilingly pierced the son of Panchala with twenty-five arrows, O bull among men.
Then again, your son, the one with an immeasurable soul, O lord of the earth, pierced and roared at the Panchala prince with sixty-five arrows.
Then, O honorable one, the king severed his bow and grip with a very sharp razor-sharp arrow during the battle.
The son of Panchala, known for tormenting enemies, discarded his broken bow and swiftly took up another new bow capable of bearing weight.
Dhṛṣṭadyumna, the great archer, appeared fierce and wounded, his eyes bloodshot with anger, blazing as if with speed.
Dhṛṣṭadyumna, desiring to kill, released fifteen arrows that hissed like serpents, O best of the Bharatas.
They pierced the golden armor adorned with gems of the king and swiftly entered the earth, dressed in peacock feathers.
O great king, your son, though deeply pierced, shone brightly like a Kimshuka tree in full bloom during spring.
He, with his armor shattered and appearance battered by arrows and attacks, angrily severed Dhrishtadyumna's bow with an arrow.
Then the king, in his haste, struck the one with the broken bow with ten arrows right between the eyebrows, O king.
His face was beautifully adorned, polished like the work of an artisan, just as bees seeking honey adorn a blooming champaka flower.
Dhrishtadyumna, with great resolve, discarded his broken bow and quickly picked up another bow along with sixteen arrows.
Then, he killed Duryodhana's horses and charioteer with five arrows and cut the gold-adorned bow with an arrow.
Your son, Pārṣata, cut the chariot with its equipment, umbrella, spear, sword, mace, and banner using nine arrows.
All the kings saw the broken, bejeweled, auspicious flag of the Kuru lord, adorned with a golden armlet and a bright serpent.
Duryodhana, left without a chariot and all his weapons in the battle, was shielded by his brothers, O best of the Bharatas.
The wielder of the staff, having placed the lord of people on the chariot, carried him away hurriedly while Dhṛṣṭadyumna watched.
Karna, after defeating Satyaki, driven by the desire for kingship and being mighty, approached the fierce warrior who had slain Drona, facing him in battle.
The son of Śini swiftly approached from behind and attacked with arrows, resembling an elephant striking with its tusks at the rear of another elephant.
O Bharata, there was a great battle among the warriors of noble souls, right in the midst of your people, between Karna and Parshata.
No warrior from either the Pandavas or our side was seen retreating as Karna swiftly advanced towards the Panchalas.
At that moment, O best of men, elephants, horses, and chariots appeared on both sides as the day reached its midpoint, O king.
The Panchalas, eager for victory, swiftly surrounded Karna from all directions, much like birds flocking to a tree, O great king.
The chief of the charioteers, in his anger, attacked the spirited warriors who were striving, by searching them out with the tips of his arrows in front.
Vyaghra-ketu, Susharman, Shanku, Ugra, Dhananjaya, Shukla, Rochamana, Simhasena, and Durjaya were present.
The heroes, with the speed of their chariots, surrounded the best of men, Karna, who was angrily releasing arrows and shining in the battle.
The mighty Radheya, son of Radha, skillfully defeated the brave warriors with his sharp arrows, demonstrating his prowess in battle.
Then, O great king, the mighty son of a charioteer, skilled in battle, slew many thousands of warriors.
Vishnu, along with his deeds, Devapi, and the auspicious, punishment, and in battle, the king with a bright weapon, Hari, are all described as wonderful.
In his fury, he slew Siṃhaketu, the radiant Śalabha, and the great chariot-warrior, along with the mighty warriors of the Cedi kingdom.
Adhiratha, in his act of taking lives, appeared as formidable and mighty as Rudra, with his body smeared in blood.
In that place, O Bharata, the elephants, struck by Karna's arrows, fled in all directions, terrified and causing great chaos.
In the battle, they fell to the ground, struck by Karna's arrows, making various sounds like mountains hit by a thunderbolt.
The earth was covered everywhere with fallen elephants, horses, men, and chariots on the path.
Neither Bhishma nor Drona nor any of your warriors performed such a feat as was accomplished in the battle.
A great slaughter was indeed carried out by the son of a charioteer among elephants, chariots, horses, and men, O tiger among men.
"Just as a lion roams fearlessly among animals, Karna moved fearlessly among the Panchalas."
In the same way that a lion scatters frightened herds of deer in all directions, Karṇa disperses the groups of chariots belonging to the Pāñcālas.
"Just as deer cannot survive once they reach the mouth of a lion, similarly, great warriors do not survive after confronting Karna."
"O Bharata, just as people are consumed by a blazing fire upon reaching it, so were the Srinjayas consumed by Karna's fire in the battle."
O Bharata, many warriors, approved by heroes, were killed by Karna and one of the Edishas among the Panchalas after their names were proclaimed.
O king of men, upon witnessing Karna's prowess, not a single warrior from the Panchalas will survive the battle.
The mighty son of a charioteer, filled with anger, scattered the Panchalas in battle and charged towards Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma.
Dhṛṣṭadyumna and the sons of Draupadī, O lord, along with hundreds of other people, surrounded the king who was a slayer of foes.
Shikhandi, Sahadeva, Nakula, and his son, along with Janamejaya, the grandson of Shini, and many Prabhadrakas were present.
These leaders, having aligned with Dhṛṣṭadyumna in the battle, surrounded Karna, attacking him with arrows, displaying their immense energy.
In the battle, the great charioteer charged alone against the Cedis, Panchalas, and Pandavas, just as Garuda would swoop down upon numerous serpents.
Bhimasena, in his anger, stood out as a great archer, fighting alone against the Kurus, Madras, and Kekayas in the battle, and shone brightly among them.
There, the elephants, struck by Bhima's arrows in their vital parts, fell with their riders slain, shaking the earth.
Horses with their slain riders and foot soldiers who have lost their lives lie on the battlefield, pierced and vomiting a lot of blood.
Thousands of charioteers lay fallen with their weapons, appearing unharmed but lifeless, terrified by Bhima.
The earth was strewn with the bodies of charioteers, horses, foot soldiers, and elephants, all felled by Bhimasena's arrows.
The army of Duryodhana, overwhelmed by Bhimasena's might, appeared paralyzed, O king, and was left dispirited and wounded.
In the midst of the great battle, it appeared motionless and miserable, just as the ocean would be clear in time, O king.
Your son's army, endowed with anger, strength, and power, was forcibly surrounded and then became drenched in a flood of blood.
The son of a charioteer, enraged in battle, attacked the Pandava army. Bhimasena, too, drove away the Kauravas and stood out prominently.
In the current fierce and wondrous battle, many groups of warriors sworn to die were slain in the midst of the army.
Arjuna, the greatest among the victorious, addressed Vāsudeva, saying that the army was indeed shattered and engaged in battle, O Janardana.
The great charioteers of the Saṃśaptakas, unable to withstand my arrows and the lion's roars, flee in groups like deer.
The great army of the Sṛñjayas spreads in the great battle. Hastikakṣya, the wise Karṇa with the Kṛṣṇa-banner, is constantly seen moving in the midst of the royal army.
Other great warriors are not capable of defeating Karna in battle. Indeed, you know Karna to be valiant and powerful in his prowess.
"Go there where Karna is driving away our forces. Avoid the son of a charioteer, the great warrior, in battle. Do not let fatigue trouble you, Krishna, as you please."
Upon hearing this, King Govinda, with a smile, said to Arjuna, "Quickly defeat the Kauravas, O Pandava."
Then, inspired by Govinda, the swan-colored horses of your great army entered, carrying Krishna and the Pandavas.
The white horses, sent by Keshava and adorned with golden ornaments, entered and pierced your army from all directions.
Keshava and Arjuna, with eyes red with fury, pierced through the great army and entered, shining with great splendor in their anger.
The two war experts, summoned by their enemies, entered the battlefield as if they were gods, like the Aśvins invited by priests to a sacrifice.
The two warriors, fierce as tigers, became swift in their anger. They were provoked by the sound of the palm, like serpents in a great battle.
Arjuna, entering the chariot army and groups of horses, moved through the midst of the army like death itself, holding a noose in hand.
Upon witnessing his valor in battle, your son once more urged the Saṁśaptaka warriors within your army, O Bharata.
Then, in the great battle, there were a thousand chariots, three hundred elephants, and fourteen thousand horses.
Two heroes, known and famed among hundreds of thousands of foot soldiers and archers, advanced all around, covering the great charioteers.
Arjuna, covered in arrows in the battle and appearing fierce like Death with a noose, became more splendid as he slew the Samsaptakas.
Then, the crowned warrior continuously pierced the sky with his arrows, which shone with the brightness of lightning and were adorned with gold.
The crowned one's arms released great arrows that fell and covered everything, shining like the sons of Kadrava, O lord.
The Pandava, possessing an immeasurable soul, displayed his golden-feathered arrows with bright tips and bent joints, visible in all directions.
After slaying ten thousand kings, the great warrior Arjuna, son of Kunti, swiftly advanced towards the enemy forces of the Trigartas.
Arjuna, upon reaching the enemy side protected by the Kambojas, forcefully crushed them with his arrows, just as Indra did to the demons.
He swiftly severed the arms and heads of the armed enemies and aggressors with arrows.
The warriors, with their limbs and parts severed, fell to the ground, scattered by the wind in all directions, like trees with many branches.
The younger brother of Sudakshina attacked Arjuna, who was destroying the groups of elephants, horses, chariots, and foot soldiers, with a rain of arrows.
He struck with two crescent-shaped weapons from his mouth, his arms resembling iron bars, and his face like a full moon, using a razor, at the head.
He fell from the vehicle, bleeding profusely, as if struck by a thunderbolt, resembling the peak of a cinnabar mountain being shattered.
They saw the younger brother of Sudakshina, Kamboja, who was tall, lotus-eyed, and extremely handsome, lying slain. He appeared like a golden pillar, shattered like a golden mountain.
Then once again, a fierce and astonishing battle took place. The warriors engaged in combat were in various states and conditions.
O lord of men, at that time, all was red with the blood of the gathered horses, Kambojas, Yavanas, and Shakas.
O great king, a terrible destruction of people was caused by chariots, horses, elephants, and their riders, as they fought against each other.
In the midst of the battle, as the great soul was being slain, Drona's son swiftly arrived, recognizing Arjuna as the best among the victorious.
He wielded a great bow adorned with gold and took terrible arrows, resembling the rays of the sun.
O great king, both Krishna and Arjuna, standing on their chariot, were completely covered by the missiles released by Drona's son from all directions.
Then, the valiant Bharadvaja rendered both Madhava and Pandava motionless in the battle with hundreds of sharp arrows.
Upon seeing the protectors of all moving and non-moving beings covered with arrows, everything, both moving and non-moving, began to wail loudly.
The groups of Siddhas and Charanas gathered from all directions, contemplating whether there would be welfare for the worlds today, and thus they spoke.
O king, I have never witnessed such valor before as was displayed by Drona's son when he confronted Krishna and Arjuna.
O king, I often heard in battle the dreadful sound of the bow of Drona's son, akin to the roaring of a lion.
As he moved in battle, his bowstring released arrows left and right, resembling lightning in the middle of a cloud, shining brightly.
The quick-acting and firm-handed Pāṇḍava, in a state of great confusion, then saw the son of Droṇa.
He thought that his valor had been taken by the great soul. Thus, O king, his form in the battle became very difficult to perceive.
In the great battle that was ongoing between Aśvatthāmā and the Pāṇḍavas, as the strength of Droṇa's son increased and the son of Kuntī weakened, anger arose in Kṛṣṇa.
In his anger, he breathed heavily, O king, and with eyes that seemed to burn, he kept seeing Drona's son and Arjuna again and again in the battle.
Then, in anger, Krishna affectionately said to Arjuna: "O Arjuna, I witness this extraordinary event in the battle. Indeed, today the son of Drona surpasses you, O descendant of Bharata."
O Arjuna, do you still hold your Gandiva bow in your hand while standing on the chariot? Are your arms well and does your strength remain the same?
Upon being addressed by Krishna, he swiftly shot fourteen arrows, cutting off the bow of Drona's son from his chariot, along with the flag, umbrella, banner, chariot, spear, and mace.
In the region of the neck, he struck violently with calf teeth. He then fell into a deep unconsciousness and leaned against the flagstaff.
The charioteer, fearing Arjuna, carried away the unconscious great king from the battlefield, ensuring his protection.
At that moment, Vijaya, the destroyer of foes, slaughtered your troops in hundreds and thousands as your brave son looked on, O Bharata.
Thus, O king, this terrible destruction of your people occurred due to your ill advice, in conjunction with the enemies.
Arjuna, the son of Kunti, scattered the Trigartas and the Kauravas in battle; Bhima scattered Karna; and the Panchala prince, Dhrishtadyumna, scattered them entirely.
