08.060
Core and Pancharatra: Karna loses his son, killed by Satyaki. Panchala army under attack by Karna is rescued by Draupadi's sons and Satyaki. Bhima is covering the rear of Arjuna. The intense battle between Bhima and Dushasana begins.
Sanjaya said:
Then, O King, Karna, the son of a charioteer, amidst the fleeing Kauravas, attacked the sons of Panchala with his chariot drawn by white horses, scattering them with his mighty arrows like the wind scatters clouds.
The charioteer was knocked down from the chariot with a handful of arrows, and the horses of Janamejaya were slain. Śatānīka and Sutasoma were showered with sharp arrows, and their bows were cut off as well.
Dhṛṣṭadyumna pierced with six arrows and killed the right horse of his opponent in battle. After killing Satyaki's horses, the son of a charioteer killed the son of Kaikeyi without any sorrow.
The Kaikeya general, a fierce bowman, ran towards the slain prince; with arrows of great speed, he greatly pierced and struck Karna's son, Sushena.
Karṇa, with three crescent-shaped arrows, forcibly severed his arms and head. He fell lifeless from the chariot to the ground, resembling a tree felled by axes.
Suṣeṇa, with his swift speed and after his horses were killed, covered the hero of the Śini clan with sharp arrows. As if dancing, the son of Sūta, struck by Śaineya's arrows, fell down.
With his son slain, Karna, overwhelmed with rage, sought to kill the leader of the Shinis, and declared, "You are slain, O Shainya," as he launched his deadly arrow.
Shikhandi cut off his arrow and pierced Karna with six arrows. He then cut off Shikhandi's bow and flag and struck Sujaata with two arrows.
The fierce warrior struck Shikhandin with six arrows, and Danta severed Dhrishtadyumna's head. Then, the noble Adhirathi pierced Sutasoma with a sharp arrow.
In the midst of the fierce battle, as Dhṛṣṭadyumna was slain, Kṛṣṇa addressed the son of Pāñcāla, urging him, "Proceed, O Arjuna, and defeat Karṇa," declared the kingly lion.
Then, with a quick smile, the hero among men mounted the chariot of the great charioteer. In their fear, seeking protection, Subahu, who had been struck by Rabhyā, was accompanied by the leader of the chariots.
Arjuna, stretching the Gandiva bow with a thunderous sound, drew the bowstring with great force, and suddenly created a darkness with his arrows, striking down elephants, horses, chariots, and men.
Bhimasena followed him in a chariot, guarding the lone hero Pandava from behind. The two princes quickly proceeded by chariots towards Karna, having been freed by their foes.
Meanwhile, the great son of a charioteer engaged in battle, crushing the Somakas. He destroyed the troops of chariots, horses, and elephants, and covered all directions with his arrows.
Janamejaya, endowed with great energy, along with the furious Yudhāmanyu and Śikhaṇḍin, attacked Karna with arrows, while they were engaged in a fierce struggle with the son of Prishata.
The five chariots of the Panchalas, with their beautiful appearance, charged at Vaikartana Karna. However, they could not dislodge him from his chariot, as he was as steadfast as one with self-controlled senses.
Karna, after cutting down their bows, flags, horses, charioteers, poles, and banners with arrows, killed them with five sharp arrows and then roared like a lion.
As he released and struck them, the sound of the bow in his hand, with its bowstring and arrow, made the people think that the earth with its mountains and trees would be shattered; thus, they became despondent.
He, the great charioteer, wielding a bow like Indra's, swiftly released arrows and shone in the battle like the sun with a halo of blazing rays.
Shikhandin was struck with twelve arrows, Uttamaujas with six, Yudhāmanyu with three swift arrows, and the sons of Somaka and Parshata with three arrows each.
O respected one, the five great warriors were defeated in the great battle by the son of a charioteer. The destroyers of enemies stood inactive, as if defeated by one who has control over his senses.
The sons of Draupadi, like merchants with broken ships drowning in the ocean of Karna, rescued their maternal uncles using well-equipped chariots, akin to ships in the ocean.
Then the leader of the Shinis, using sharp arrows, cut off the many arrows sent by Karna, pierced Karna with sharp iron, and struck your eldest son with eight arrows.
Then Kṛpa, Bhoja, your son, and Karṇa himself struck with sharp arrows. Yaduttama fought with the four of them, just as the lord of demons would fight with the lords of the directions.
Satyaki, with his bow resounding intensely and an unending shower of arrows, became more invincible, like the sun shining in the autumn sky.
Once more, the well-armed warriors, having reached the chariots, protected the hero of the Shini lineage. The Panchala chariots gathered in the great battle, resembling the Marut hosts in their effort to subdue Indra's enemies.
Then there was a fierce battle between your enemies and your soldiers, leading to the destruction of chariots, horses, and elephants, similar to the ancient battles between gods and demons.
Chariots, elephants, horses, and foot soldiers, all armed with various weapons, wandered around. Struck by each other, they stumbled, cried out in pain, and fell lifelessly.
When Bhima had departed, your fearless son, the prince, advanced, showering arrows. Vrikodara, with the swiftness of a lion, approached him with a mighty roar.
Then, a battle beyond human comprehension took place between the two blazing warriors, filled with life and fury, just like the legendary conflict between Śambara and Śakra.
With well-aimed arrows that could end life, they fiercely attacked each other, like two great elephants, whose minds were absorbed in love, pierced once while trumpeting in between.
Then Vrikodara, in his haste, severed the flag from your son's bow with razor-sharp arrows. He also pierced the charioteer's forehead with an arrow and decapitated him.
The prince, after acquiring another bow, struck Bhima (Vrikodara) with twelve arrows. While controlling the horses himself with straight-moving arrows, he once again showered Bhima with arrows.
