tiger of men, in their
distressful plight, when at last they reach an island. They then, once
more, making death itself their goal, proceeded against their foes for
battle.'"

78

"Dhritarashtra said, 'When our troops were broken in battle by Bhimasena,
what, O Sanjaya, did Duryodhana and Subala's son say? Or, what did Karna,
that foremost of victors, or the warriors of my army in that battle, or
Kripa, or Kritavarma, or Drona's son Duhshasana, say? Exceedingly
wonderful, I think, is the prowess of Pandu's son, since, single-handed,
he fought in battle with all the warriors of my army. Did the son of
Radha act towards the (hostile) troops according to his vow? That slayer
of foes, Karna, O Sanjaya, is the prosperity, the armour, the fame, and
the very hope of life, of the Kurus. Beholding the army broken by Kunti's
son of immeasurable energy, what did Karna, the son of Adhiratha and
Radha, do in that battle? What also did my sons, difficult of defeat in
battle, do, or the other kings and mighty car-warriors of our army? Tell
me all this, O Sanjaya, for thou art skilled in narration!'

"Sanjaya said, 'In that afternoon, O monarch, the Suta's son of great
valour began to smite all the Somakas in the very sight of Bhimasena.
Bhima also of great strength began to destroy the Dhartarashtra troops.
Then Karna, addressing (his driver) Shalya, said unto him, "Bear me to
the Pancalas." Indeed, beholding his army in course of being routed by
Bhimasena of great intelligence, Karna once more addressed his driver,
saying, "Bear me to the Pancalas only." Thus urged, Shalya, the ruler of
the Madras, endued with great might, urged those white steeds that were
fleet as thought, towards the Cedis, the Pancalas and the Karushas.
Penetrating then into that mighty host, Shalya, that grinder of hostile
troops, cheerfully conducted those steeds into every spot that Karna,
that foremost of warriors, desired to go to. Beholding that car cased in
tiger skins and looking like a cloud, the Pandus and the Pancalas, O
monarch, became terrified. The rattle then of that car, like unto the
peal of thunder or the sound of a mountain splitting into fragments,
became audible in that dreadful battle. With hundreds upon hundreds of
keen arrows sped from the bow-string drawn to his ear, Karna then smote
hundreds and thousands of warriors belonging to the Pandava army. While
the unvanquished Karna was employed in achieving those feats, many mighty
bow