andu's son of
virtuous soul cast his eyes with the desire of producing evil, thither
thy army broke, O bull of Bharata's race. Inflamed with great rage, Karna
also, of immeasurable soul, inspired with the desire of retaliating, his
face flushed in anger, rushed in that battle against Pandu's son, king
Yudhishthira the just, shooting cloth-yard shafts and crescent-shaped
arrows and those equipped with heads like the calf's tooth. Yudhishthira
also pierced him with many whetted arrows equipped with wings of gold. As
if smiling the while, Karna pierced the royal son of Pandu in the chest
with three broad-headed arrows, whetted on stone, and equipped with Kanka
feathers. Deeply afflicted therewith, king Yudhishthira the just, sitting
down on the terrace of his car, ordered his driver to retreat. Thereupon
all the Dhartarashtras, with their king, set up a loud shout, saying,
"Seize! Seize!" and all of them then pursued the (Pandava) king. Then
seventeen hundred Kekaya troops, skilled in smiting, united with a body
of the Pancala troops, O king, checked the Dhartarashtras. During the
progress of that fierce and terrible battle, Duryodhana and Bhima, those
two warriors endued with great might, encountered each other.'"

63

"Sanjaya said, 'Meanwhile Karna also began, with his arrowy showers, to
afflict the mighty car-warriors of the Kaikayas, viz., those great bowmen
that stood before him. Indeed, the son of Radha despatched to Yama's
abode full five hundred of those warriors that were employed in checking
him in that battle. Beholding the son of Radha to be irresistible in that
battle, those warriors, afflicted with the arrows of their assailant,
repaired to the presence of Bhimasena. Breaking that car-force into many
parts by means of his arrows, Karna, singly and riding on that same car
of his, pursued Yudhishthira, who then, exceedingly mangled with arrows
and almost insensible, was proceeding slowly for reaching the Pandava
encampment with Nakula and Sahadeva on his two sides. Having approached
the king, the Suta's son, from desire of doing good to Duryodhana,
pierced the son of Pandu with three formidable arrows. In return, the
king pierced Radha's son in the centre of the chest and then his driver
with three shafts. Then those two scorchers of foes, viz., the twin sons
of Madri, those two protectors of Yudhishthira's car-wheels, rushed
towards Karna so that the latter might not succeed in slaying the king.
Then Nak