auded that attempt of Bhima of snatching Karna away from his car,
like Garuda snatching away a snake. His bow cut off, himself deprived of
his car, Bhima, observant of the duties of his order, stood still for
battle, keeping his (broken) car behind him. The son of Radha, then, from
rage, in that encounter, proceeded against the son of Pandu who was
waiting for battle. Then those two mighty warriors, O king, challenging
as they approached each other, those two bulls among men, roared at each
other, like clouds at the close of summer. And the passage-at-arms that
then took place between those two enraged lions among men that could not
brook each other in battle resembled that of old between the gods and the
Danavas. The son of Kunti, however, whose stock of weapons was exhausted,
was (obliged to turn back) pursued by Karna. Beholding the elephants,
huge as hills that had been slain by Arjuna, lying (near), unarmed
Bhimasena entered into their midst, for impeding the progress of Karna's
car. Approaching that multitude of elephants and getting into the midst
of that fastness which was inaccessible to a car, the son of Pandu,
desirous of saving his life, refrained from striking the son of Radha.
Desirous of shelter, that subjugator of hostile cities viz., the son of
Pritha, uplifting an elephant that had been slain by Dhananjaya with his
shafts, waited there, like Hanumat uplifting the peak of
Gandhamadana.[165] Karna, however, with his shafts, cut off that elephant
held by Bhima. The son of Pandu, thereupon, hurled at Karna the fragments
of that elephant's body as also car-wheels and steeds. In fact, all
objects that he saw lying there on the field, the son of Pandu, excited
with rage, took up and hurled at Karna. Karna, however, with his sharp
arrows, cut off every one of those objects thus thrown at him. Bhima
also, raising his fierce fists that were endued with the force of the
thunder, desired to slay the Suta's son. Soon, however, he recollected
Arjuna's vow. The son of Pandu, therefore, though competent, spared the
life of Karna, from desire of not falsifying the vow that Savyasachin had
made. The Suta's son, however, with his sharp shafts, repeatedly caused
the distressed Bhima, to lose the sense. But Karna, recollecting the
words of Kunti, took not the life of the unarmed Bhima. Approaching
quickly Karna touched him with the horn of his bow. As soon, however, as
Bhimasena was touched with the bow, excited with rage and