arriors of thy army, proceeded towards the king surrounded by foes.
Karna, otherwise called Vaikartana, O king, shooting dense showers of
arrows, checked, single-handed, all those mighty bowmen thus advancing
(to the rescue). Though they shot dense showers of arrows and hurled
innumerable lances, fighting with determination, yet they were unable
even to look at the son of Radha. Indeed, the son of Radha, that master
of all weapons offensive and defensive, by shooting dense showers of
shafts checked all those great bowmen. The high-souled Sahadeva, however,
quickly approaching (the spot where Duryodhana was), and invoking without
loss of time a (celestial) weapon, pierced Duryodhana with twenty arrows.
Thus pierced by Sahadeva, the Kuru king, covered with blood, looked
beautiful, like a huge elephant of split temples. Beholding thy son
deeply pierced with many arrows of great energy, that foremost of
car-warriors, viz., the son of Radha, filled with rage, rushed to that
spot. Seeing Duryodhana reduced to that plight, Karna, invoking his
weapons quickly, began to slaughter the troops of Yudhishthira and
Prishata's son. Thus slaughtered by the high-souled Karna, Yudhishthira's
troops, O king, afflicted with the arrows of the Suta's son, soon fled
away. Showers of shafts fell together. Indeed, those sped subsequently
from the bow of the Suta's son touched with their heads the wings of
those sped before. In consequence of those falling showers, of shafts, O
monarch, colliding with one another, a conflagration seemed to blaze
forth in the welkin. Soon Karna shrouded the ten points of the compass, O
king, with arrows capable of piercing the bodies of foes, as if with
advancing flights of locusts. Displaying the highest weapons, Karna began
to wave with great force his two arms smeared with red sandal-paste and
adorned with jewels and gold. Then stupefying all sides, O king, with his
shafts, Karna deeply afflicted Yudhishthira the just. Filled with rage at
this, Dharma's son Yudhishthira struck Karna with fifty keen shafts. In
consequence then of the darkness caused by those showers of arrows, the
battle became awful to look at. Loud cries of woe arose from among thy
troops, O monarch, whilst they were being slaughtered by Dharma's son, O
sire, with diverse kinds of keen shafts equipped with Kanka feathers and
whetted on stone, with numerous broad-headed arrows, and with diverse
kinds of darts and swords and clubs. Thither where P