, thus
afflicted Abhimanyu who was incapable of being defeated by foes. Though
afflicted in battle by Radha's son with showers of weapons, still
Subhadra's son who resembled a very celestial (for prowess) felt no pain.
With his shafts whetted on stone and furnished with sharp points, the son
of Arjuna, cutting off the bows of many heroic warriors, began to afflict
Karna in return. With shafts resembling snakes of virulent poison and
shot from his bow drawn to a circle, Abhimanyu quickly cut off the
umbrella, standard, the charioteer, and the steeds of Karna, smiling the
while. Karna then shot five straight arrows at Abhimanyu. The son of
Phalguna, however, received them fearlessly. Endued with great valour and
courage, the latter then, in a moment, with only a single arrow, cut off
Karna's bow and standard and caused them to drop down on the ground.
Beholding Karna in such distress, his younger brother, drawing the bow
with great force, speedily proceeded against the son of Subhadra. The
Parthas then, and their followers uttered loud shouts and beat their
musical instruments and applauded the son of Subhadra [for his heroism].'"

SECTION XXXIX

"Sanjaya said, 'Then the younger brother of Karna, uttering loud roars,
bow in hand, and repeatedly stretching the bow-string, quickly placed
himself between those two illustrious warriors. And Karna's brother, with
ten shafts, pierced invincible Abhimanyu and his umbrella and standard
and charioteer and steeds, smiling the while. Beholding Abhimanyu thus
afflicted with those arrows, although he had achieved those superhuman
feats in the manner of his sire and grandsire, the warriors of thy army
were filled with delight. Then Abhimanyu, forcibly bending the bow and
smiling the while, with one winged arrow cut off his antagonist's head.
That head, severed from the trunk, fell down on the earth. Beholding his
brother slain and overthrown, like a Karnikara tree shaken and thrown
down by the wind from the mountain top, Karna, O monarch, was filled with
pain. Meanwhile, the son of Subhadra, causing Karna by means of his
arrows to turn away from the field, quickly rushed against the other
great bowmen. Then Abhimanyu of fierce energy and great fame, filled with
wrath, broke that host of diverse forces abounding with elephants and
steeds and cars and infantry. As regards Karna, afflicted by Abhimanyu
with countless shafts, he fled away from the field borne by swift steeds.
The Kaur