08.055
Core and Pancharatra: Duryodhana's led attack on Bhima is a colossal failure. Initially, general destruction of the Duryodhana's army. Then Shakuni is forced to be rescued by Duryodhana himself. Then all his brothers flee and finally find refuge in Karna.
Sanjaya said:
Upon hearing the thunderous sound of the chariot and the lion's roar in the battlefield, Arjuna urged Govinda, "Drive the horses swiftly."
Upon hearing Arjuna's words, Govinda replied to him, "I will swiftly go to where Bhima is."
Indra, fierce in anger, came with snow-white horses adorned with gold, pearls, and jewels, holding his thunderbolt, intending to kill the demon Jambha for victory.
The chariots, horses, elephants, and foot-soldiers, accompanied by the sounds of arrows, wheels, and hooves, resounded through the earth and directions as the angry warriors advanced for victory.
For them and for Pārtha, that great battle was a righteous fight, destroying sin in bodies, just as it was for the sake of the three worlds by the demons, for the god Viṣṇu, the best among the victorious.
By them, a flood of various weapons descended; one wearing a crown cut off their heads and arms in many ways with sharp, half-moon shaped razor arrows.
The umbrellas, fans, banners, horses, chariots, infantry groups, and elephants fell to the ground in various disfigured forms, as if they were forests shattered by the wind.
The great elephants, adorned with golden nets and equipped with Vaijayanti flags and warriors, were filled with golden-feathered arrows and shone brightly like blazing mountains.
Piercing through the elephants, chariots, and horses with arrows as powerful as Indra's thunderbolt, he swiftly advanced with the intent to kill Karṇa, just as the wind god once moved to break through the forces.
Then the mighty-armed hero, known as the tiger among men and subduer of enemies, entered the charioteer's army just as a crocodile enters the ocean.
Upon seeing him, your forces, O king, with chariots, infantry, elephants, and horses, launched an attack on the Pandava.
There arose a tremendous roar from those charging towards Arjuna, akin to the sound of a turbulent ocean.
But they, the great warriors, charged at him, the tiger among men, in the battle, casting aside the fear for their lives.
As they attacked, releasing showers of arrows, Arjuna scattered the army like a great wind scatters clouds.
The great archers, having gathered together with their chariots, approached Arjuna and struck him with sharp arrows.
Then Arjuna dispatched thousands of chariots, elephants, and horses with arrows towards Yama's abode.
The great warriors, struck by Arjuna's arrows in battle, scatter in fear, disappearing here and there.
Arjuna, with his sharp arrows, sent four hundred of their striving great charioteer heroes to the abode of Yama.
"They, attacked in battle by various sharp arrows and signs, abandoned Arjuna and fled in all directions out of fear."
The sound of their army was immense as it advanced like a great flood, auspiciously reaching the mountain and bursting forth.
Arjuna, after severely piercing the army with his arrows, advanced towards the charioteers, O lord.
His sound was mighty as he faced the others, just like Garuda flying for the serpent's cause in ancient times.
Upon hearing that sound, the mighty Bhimasena was filled with great joy, longing to see Arjuna.
Upon hearing of Arjuna's approach, the mighty Bhimasena, disregarding his own life, fiercely attacked and crushed your army, O great king.
Bhima, the mighty son of Vayu, moved with a speed comparable to the wind, matching its swiftness.
O King, your army was tormented by him and became bewildered, like a ship broken in the ocean, O great king.
At that time, Bhima demonstrated his skill by fiercely cutting down the army with his arrows, aiming to send them to the eternal abode of Yama.
O Bharata, upon witnessing Bhima's extraordinary strength, the warriors in the battle were as frightened as if it were the end of an era.
Seeing the warriors of Bhima's strength afflicted by Bhimasena, King Duryodhana addressed these words, O Bharata.
He commanded all the soldiers, great archers, and warriors in the battle, saying, 'Bhima is killed,' O best of the Bharatas. With him being killed, I think the entire army is completely destroyed.
Upon receiving the command from your son, the kings surrounded Bhima and attacked him with a barrage of arrows from every direction.
Elephants, numerous men eager for victory, chariots, and horses surrounded Vrikodara, O king.
O best of the Bharatas, he, the hero, surrounded by those heroes, shone all around like the moon among the stars, O king.
He appeared splendid in the battlefield, looking handsome and distinguished as the best among men, without any distinction, O great king, just as Vijaya did.
There, all the kings, with eyes red from anger and fierce in their intent, released showers of arrows, desiring to kill Vrikodara (Bhima).
Bhima, having pierced the great army with his arrows, emerged from the battle like a fish escaping from a net in the water.
O Bhārata, having slain ten thousand elephants that do not retreat, and two hundred thousand men.
Bhima, having slain thousands of horses and a hundred chariots, caused a river to flow, muddy with blood.
The battlefield was a gruesome sight, with waters turned red with blood, chariots swirling like whirlpools, and filled with elephants and crocodiles. It was a chaotic scene with men, fish, horses, crocodiles, hair, seaweed, and grassy patches scattered all around.
The great serpent with severed arms, who steals many gems, is like a crocodile on the thigh, filled with marrow and mud, and its head is filled with stones.
The army, adorned with bows, quivers, and banners of maces and bars, carried groups of warriors into the battlefield, leading them to the abode of Yama.
In an instant, the hero initiated the flow of the river, resembling the formidable Vaitarani, which is hard to cross for those who are not self-disciplined.
Wherever the son of Pandu, the best among charioteers, went into action, he brought down hundreds and thousands of warriors.
Upon witnessing the deeds performed by Bhimasena in the battle, Duryodhana addressed Shakuni, saying, "O great king, here are my words."
"Victory to my uncle in battle, Bhimasena the mighty. In this victory, I believe the son of Pandu has proven his might."
Then, O great king, the powerful son of Subala, prepared for the great battle, departed, accompanied by his brothers.
He approached Bhima, who was of terrible prowess, in battle and restrained him like the shore restrains the sea, which is the abode of crocodiles. Bhima, being restrained by sharp arrows, turned back.
Shakuni, O king, sent stone-sharpened, golden-feathered arrows to the left side, between the breasts.
The arrows pierced through the golden armor of the great soul and sank, O great king, adorned with peacock feathers.
Bhima, deeply wounded in the battle, suddenly shot a gold-adorned arrow at Saubala, O Bharata.
Shakuni, known for tormenting his enemies, skillfully cut the terrible arrow approaching him into a hundred pieces, O king.
When he fell on the ground, Bhima, in anger, cut the bow of Saubala with an arrow, as if he was smiling, O lord of men.
The valiant son of Subala, having discarded the broken bow, swiftly took another bow and sixteen arrows.
O great king, they pierced his charioteer with four arrows having bent joints, and Bhima with five arrows.
The son of Subala cut down the flag with one arrow and the umbrella with two, O lord of men. He pierced four horses with four arrows.
Then the mighty King Bhimasena, filled with anger, hurled his spear with a golden shaft during the battle.
She, having been released from Bhima's embrace, fell swiftly onto the chariot of the noble Saubala, as restless as a serpent's tongue.
Then, in a fit of anger, he grabbed the golden-adorned spear and threw it at Bhimasena, O lord of men.
She pierced the left arm of the noble Pandava and then fell to the ground like a bolt of lightning from the sky.
Then, O great king, the sons of Dhritarashtra shouted all around, but Bhima could not tolerate the mighty lion's roar.
The great chariot-warrior, in his haste, took up his bow, strung it, and in a moment, O king, covered the army of Saubala with arrows in battle, abandoning himself in the process, showing his might.
The valiant warrior, in his haste, killed the four horses and the charioteer, and then cut down the banner with an arrow, O lord of men.
The best of men, having lost his horses, abandoned his chariot and stood there hastily, stretching his bow with eyes red in anger, breathing heavily. O king, he attacked Bhima with numerous arrows from all directions.
But having struck with speed, the powerful Bhimasena, in his rage, cut off the bow and pierced with sharp arrows.
The king, who was a destroyer of foes, was severely pierced by the mighty enemy and then fell to the ground, barely alive.
Then, realizing his distress, your son, O lord, took him away in a chariot during the battle as Bhimasena watched.
When Bhima, the tiger among men, was seated on the chariot, the sons of Dhritarashtra, overwhelmed by great fear, turned away and fled in all directions.
O king, when the Saubala was defeated by Bhimasena, your son Duryodhana, overwhelmed by great fear, fled swiftly on horses towards his uncle seeking refuge.
Upon seeing the king turn away, the armies, O Bharata, dispersed, leaving their duels behind everywhere.
Upon seeing all the great charioteers, the sons of Dhritarashtra, turning away, Bhima swiftly charged forward, scattering numerous arrows.
The sons of Dhritarashtra, being defeated by Bhima, turned away and gathered around Karna in the battle, O king. Karna, with his great heroism and immense strength, became their refuge.
"O king, just as broken boats find contentment upon reaching an island, so do the sailors, who are like tigers among men, find peace in due course of time."
Thus, having approached Karna, your men, O best of the Bharatas, stood reassured and delighted with each other. They gathered for battle, having resolved to face death as the outcome.
