howers of arrows of diverse
kinds. Thus afflicted by them, Bhima of great strength, O king, quickly
slew fifty foremost car-warriors with five hundred others, amongst those
sons of thine that advanced against him. Filled with rage, Bhimasena
then, O king, with a broad-headed arrow, struck off the head of Vivitsu
adorned with earrings and head-gear, and graced with a face resembling
the full moon. Thus cut off, that prince fell down on the Earth.
Beholding that heroic brother of theirs slain, the (other) brothers
there, O lord, rushed in that battle, from every side, upon Bhima of
terrible prowess. With two other broad-headed arrows then, Bhima of
terrible prowess took the lives of two other sons of thine in that
dreadful battle. Those two, Vikata and Saha, looking like a couple of
celestial youths, O king, thereupon fell down on the Earth like a couple
of trees uprooted by the tempest. Then Bhima, without losing a moment,
despatched Kratha to the abode of Yama, with a long arrow of keen point.
Deprived of life, that prince fell down on the Earth. Loud cries of woe
then, O ruler of men, arose there when those heroic sons of thine, all
great bowmen, were being thus slaughtered. When those troops were once
more agitated, the mighty Bhima, O monarch, then despatched Nanda and
Upananda in that battle to Yama's abode. Thereupon thy sons, exceedingly
agitated and inspired with fear, fled away, seeing that Bhimasena in that
battle behaved like the Destroyer himself at the end of the Yuga.
Beholding those sons of thine slain, the Suta's son with a cheerless
heart once more urged his steeds of the hue of swans to that place where
the son of Pandu was. Those steeds, O king, urged on by the ruler of
Madras, approached with great speed the car of Bhimasena and mingled in
battle. The collision, O monarch, that once more took place between Karna
and the son of Pandu in battle, became, O king, exceedingly fierce and
awful and fraught with a loud din. Beholding, O king, those two mighty
car-warriors close with each other, I became very curious to observe the
course of the battle. Then Bhima, boasting of his prowess in battle,
covered Karna in that encounter, O king, with showers of winged shafts in
the very sight of thy sons. Then Karna, that warrior acquainted with the
highest of weapons, filled with wrath, pierced Bhima with nine
broad-headed and straight arrows made entirely of iron. Thereupon the
mighty-armed Bhima of terrible prowess