forms huge as hills, stationed in the welkin, with darts
in grasp looked like clouds pouring torrents of rain. Struck and crushed
with those fierce shafts and darts and lances and maces and spiked clubs
of blazing splendour, and thunder-bolts and Pinakas and Asanis and discs
and Sataghnis, the (Kaurava) troops began to fall down. The Rakshasas
began to pour upon the warriors of thy son long darts, and treacle and
Sataghnis, and Sthunas made of black iron and twined with strings of
jute. Then all the combatants became stunned. Brave warriors, with
weapons broken or loosened from their grasp, or deprived of heads, or
with fractured limbs began to fall down on the field. And in consequence
of the falling rocks, steeds and elephants and cars began to be crushed.
Those Yatudhanas of terrible forms created by Ghatotkacha with the aid of
his powers of illusion pouring that thick shower of mighty weapons spared
neither those that were terrified nor those that begged for quarter.
During that cruel carnage of Kuru heroes, brought on by Death himself,
during that extermination of Kshatriyas the Kaurava warriors suddenly
broke and fled with speed, crying aloud, "Fly, ye Kauravas! All is lost!
The gods Indra at their head are slaying us for the sake of the
Pandavas!" At that time there was none that could rescue the sinking
Bharata troops. During that fierce uproar and rout and extermination of
the Kauravas, the camps losing their distinctive features, the parties
could not be distinguished from each other. Indeed, during that terrible
rout in which the soldiers showed no regard for one another, every side
of the field, when looked at, seemed to be empty. Only Karna, O king,
could be seen there, drowned in that shower of weapons. Then Karna
covered the welkin with his shafts, contending with that celestial
illusion of the Rakshasa. The Suta's son, endued with modesty and
achieving the most difficult and noble feats, did not lose his senses in
that battle. Then, O king, all the Saindhavas and Valhikas affrightedly
looked at Karna who kept his senses in that fight. And they all
worshipped him, while they looked at the triumph of the Rakshasa. Then a
Sataghni equipped with wheels, hurled by Ghatotkacha, slew the four
steeds of Karna simultaneously. These dropped down on the ground, on
their knees, deprived of life, teeth, eyes, and tongues. Then jumping
down from his steedless car and seeing the Kauravas flying away, and
beholding his ow