isted him in that battle in the very sight, O Bharata, of Bhimasena
and Satwata. The mighty-armed Partha, in the very sight of all the
troops, pierced the Suta's son, in return, with ten arrows, on the field
of battle. Then Satwata, O sire, pierced Karna with three arrows. And
Bhimasena pierced him with three arrows, and Partha himself, once more,
with seven. The mighty car-warrior, Karna, then pierced each of those
three warriors with sixty arrows. And thus, O king, raged that battle
between Karna alone (on one side) and the many (on the other). The
prowess, O sire, that we then beheld of the Suta's son was wonderful in
the extreme, since, excited with wrath in battle, he singly resisted
those three great car-warriors. Then the mighty-armed Phalguna, in that
battle, pierced Karna, the son of Vikartana, in all his limbs with a
hundred arrows. All his limbs bathed in blood, the Suta's son of great
prowess and bravery, pierced Phalguna in return with fifty arrows.
Beholding that lightness of hand displayed by him in battle, Arjuna
brooked it not. Cutting off his bow, that hero, viz., Dhananjaya, the son
of Pritha, quickly pierced Karna in the centre of the chest with nine
arrows. Then Dhananjaya, with great speed at a time, when speed was
necessary shot in that battle a shaft of solar effulgence for the
destruction of Karna. Drona's son, however, with a crescent-shaped arrow,
cut off that shaft as it coursed impetuously (towards Karna). Thus cut
off by Aswatthaman, that shaft fell down on the earth. Endued with great
prowess, the Suta's son, then, O king, took up another bow, and covered
the son of Pandu with several thousands of arrows. Partha, however, like
the wind dispersing flight of locusts, dispelled with his own arrows that
extraordinary shower of arrows issuing out of Karna's bow. Then Arjuna,
displaying his lightness of hands, covered Karna, in that battle, with
his arrows, in the very sight of all thy troops. Karna also, that slayer
of hosts, desirous of counteracting Arjuna's feat, covered Arjuna with
several thousands of arrows. Roaring at each other like two bulls, those
lions among men, those mighty car-warriors, shrouded the welkin with
clouds of straight shafts. Each rendered invisible by the other's arrowy
showers, they continued to strike each other. And they roared at each
other and pierced each other with their wordy darts, saying, "I am
Partha, wait"--or, "I am Karna, wait, O Phalguna!" Indeed these two