08.044
Core and Pancharatra: The description of the battle involving various prominent warriors on both sides.
Dhritarashtra spoke:
Bhimasena, Pandava, and Yudhishthira had withdrawn. My forces were being slain by the Pandavas and Srinjayas.
In the midst of the flowing forces and amidst the relentless cries, what actions did the Kauravas take? Please narrate that to me, Sanjaya.
Sanjaya said:
Seeing the mighty-armed Bhima, the valiant son of a charioteer, with eyes inflamed with anger, attacked Bhimasena, O king.
O king, having witnessed your forces being repelled by Bhimasena, the mighty one reorganized them with great effort.
The mighty-armed Karna, having arranged your son's army, advanced against the Pandavas, who were known for their arrogance in battle.
The great warriors of the Pandavas, equipped with bows, moved forward to confront Karna in the battle, launching arrows.
Bhimasena, the grandson of Shini, along with Shikhandi, Janamejaya, Dhrishtadyumna, and the strong Prabhadrakas, were all present.
The Panchalas, fierce as tigers, launched an angry assault on your army from all directions in the battle, being the victorious ones.
In the same way, O king, your great warriors attacked the Pandavas' army with haste, eager to kill.
The army, crowded with chariots, elephants, horses, infantry, and flags, appeared as a wonderful spectacle to the heroic warriors.
Shikhandi approached Karna, while Dhrishtadyumna went towards your son. Meanwhile, Duhshasana, O great king, was encircled by a vast army.
Nakul, Vṛṣasena, and Citrasena were approached by Yudhishthira. In the battle, O king, Sahadeva approached Uluka.
Satyaki, Shakuni, Bhimasena, and the Kauravas were engaged in battle, along with Arjuna and Drona's son, the great warrior.
In the battle, Gautama attacked the great archer Yudhāmanyu, while the strong Kṛtavarmā charged towards Uttamaujas.
Bhimasena, mighty-armed and alone, indeed stopped all the Kurus and your sons, O lord, with their armies.
Shikhandi, the slayer of Bhishma, then restrained the fearless Karna with arrows, O great king.
Then Karṇa, his lip trembling with anger, struck Shikhandin with three arrows right between the eyebrows.
Śikhaṇḍī, holding those arrows, shone brightly like a silver mountain with three peaks.
He, the great archer, though deeply pierced by the son of a charioteer in battle, retaliated by piercing Karna in the war with ninety sharp arrows.
Karṇa, the great chariot warrior, killed his opponent's horses and charioteer with three arrows and then cut off his banner with a razor-edged arrow.
The great warrior, with his horses slain, leapt down from his chariot and, in anger, hurled a spear at Karna, the tormentor of foes.
Karna, having severed her in the battle with three arrows, O Bharata, then struck Shikhandi with nine sharp arrows.
Shikhandi, the best among the victorious, quickly retreated, avoiding the arrows released from Karna's bow. He was the best of men.
Then Karna, O great king, attacked the Pandava armies with the swiftness of the wind approaching a heap of cotton.
Dhṛṣṭadyumna, O great king, was afflicted by your son and in retaliation, he pierced Duḥśāsana in the chest with three arrows.
Duḥśāsana pierced his left arm with a sharp arrow that had golden feathers and a bent joint, O lord.
Dhṛṣṭadyumna, though pierced by a terrible arrow, in his anger, sent it towards Duḥśāsana, O Bhārata.
Your son, O lord of men, swiftly intercepted the oncoming force driven by Dhrishtadyumna, using just three arrows.
Then, seventeen golden-adorned arrows shot by others struck Dhṛṣṭadyumna in the arms and chest.
Then, in anger, Pārṣata cut the bow with a very sharp arrow, O Māriṣa, and the people cried out in response.
Then, your son, O best of the Bharatas, took another bow and surrounded Dhṛṣṭadyumna with volleys of arrows from all directions.
Upon witnessing the valor of your son, the great soul, the warriors in the battle laughed, as did the groups of perfected beings and celestial nymphs.
Then the battle began between your forces and the enemies, a dreadful and terrifying event for all living beings, O subduer of enemies.
Vrishasena shot Nakul with five iron arrows and then struck him again with three more while Nakul was standing by his father.
Nakul, though appearing to smile, was actually angry and pierced Vṛṣasena firmly in the heart with a sharp arrow.
The destroyer of enemies, though deeply pierced by the strong enemy, retaliated by piercing the enemy with twenty arrows, and then struck him with five more arrows.
Then, with thousands of arrows, those two warriors, like bulls among men, covered each other, and then the army was shattered.
Upon seeing the fleeing army of Dhritarashtra's son, the son of a charioteer forcefully restrained them, following them, O lord of the people. After Karna returned, Nakul went towards the Kauravas.
The son of Karna, in the battle, left Nakul aside and swiftly protected Karna's chariot wheel, O great one.
In the battle, Uluka, filled with rage, was stopped by Sahadeva. After slaying his four horses, the brave Sahadeva dispatched the charioteer to the abode of Yama.
Uluka then descended from the vehicle and went to the full army of the Trigartas, O lord of men, O son of the father.
Satyaki, with a smile, pierced Shakuni with twenty sharp arrows and then cut off Saubala's flag with a precise shot.
Saubala, filled with rage in the battle, O king, displayed his might by piercing through the armor and once again severing the golden banner.
Then Satyaki pierced him with sharp arrows and struck the charioteer with three arrows, O great king. Then he quickly sent his horses to the abode of Yama with arrows.
Shakuni, swiftly leaping up, mounted Uluka's chariot, the great warrior, and quickly drove away from the battlefield, leaving Satyaki behind.
Satyaki, in the battle, charged swiftly at the formation of your army, O king, and then broke through it.
Pierced by Śaineya's arrow, the army then fled swiftly in all directions and fell as if lifeless, O lord of men.
Your son confronted Bhimasena in battle, but Bhima quickly disarmed him, leaving him without horses, charioteer, chariot, and banner. The bards were pleased by Bhima, the lord of the world.
Then the king left the area near Bhimasena. Subsequently, the entire Kuru army attacked Bhimasena. There was a loud noise from those who wanted to kill Bhima.
Yudhāmanyu pierced Kṛpa and swiftly cut off his bow. Then Kṛpa, being the best among warriors, took another bow.
Yudhāmanyu's flag, charioteer, and umbrella were knocked down to the ground. Then, the great warrior Yudhāmanyu left the battlefield in his chariot.
Uttamaujas suddenly covered Hārdikya, who was of mighty valor, with arrows, just as a cloud covers a mountain with rain.
O lord of men, that battle was immense and terrifying, unlike any I have seen before, O scorcher of foes.
Then Kritavarma, O king, struck Uttamaujas in the heart during the battle, and he sat down on the chariot seat.
The charioteer, the best among charioteers, carried him away by chariot. Then, O king, he swiftly attacked the Pandava army.
