hirty
broad-headed shafts of keen points and fierce energy. Karna, however,
with the greatest indifference, covered, in return, with his arrows, the
mighty-armed Bhimasena who was desirous of Jayadratha's slaughter.
Indeed, the son of Radha, in that encounter, fought mildly with Bhima,
while Bhima, remembering his former wrongs, fought with him furiously.
The wrathful Bhimasena could not brook that disregard by Karna. Indeed,
that slayer of foes quickly shot showers of arrows at Radha's son. Those
arrows, sped in that encounter by Bhimasena, fell on every limb of Karna
like cooing birds. Those arrows equipped with golden wings and keen
points, shot from Bhimasena's bow, covered the son of Radha like a flight
of insects covering a blazing fire. Karna, however, O king, shot showers
of fierce shafts in return, O Bharata. Then Vrikodara cut off, with many
broad-headed arrows, those shafts resembling thunderbolts, shot by that
ornament of battle, before they could come at him. That chastiser of
foes, viz., Karna, the son of Vikartana, once more, O Bharata, covered
Bhimasena with his arrowy showers. We then, O Bharata, beheld Bhima so
pierced in that encounter with arrows as to resemble a porcupine with its
quills erect on its body.[155] Like the sun holding his own rays, the
heroic Bhima held in that battle all those shafts, whetted on stone and
equipped with wings of gold, that were shot from Karna's bow. All his
limbs bathed in blood, Bhimasena looked resplendent like an Asoka tree in
spring adorned with its flowery burthen. The mighty-armed Bhima could not
brook that conduct, in battle, of the mighty-armed Karna. Rolling his
eyes in wrath, he pierced Karna with five and twenty long shafts.
Thereupon, Karna looked like a white mountain with many snakes of
virulent poison (hanging from its sides). And once more, Bhimasena,
endued with the prowess of a celestial, pierced the Suta's son who was
prepared to lay down his life in battle, with six and then with eight
arrows. And, again, with another arrow, the valiant Bhimasena quickly cut
off Karna's bow, smiling the while. And he slew also with his shafts the
four steeds of Karna and then his charioteer, and then pierced Karna
himself in the chest with a number of long shafts endued with the
effulgence of the sun. Those winged shafts, piercing through Karna's
body, entered the earth, like the rays of the sun piercing through the
clouds. Afflicted with arrows and his bow cut off,