men and great car-warriors among the Pandavas encompassed him on all
sides. Indeed, Shikhandi, and Bhima, and Dhrishtadyumna, the son of
Prishata, and Nakula, and Sahadeva, and the (five) sons of Draupadi, and
Satyaki, surrounded the son of Radha, pouring showers of arrows upon him,
from desire of despatching him to the other world. The heroic Satyaki,
that best of men, struck Karna in that engagement with twenty keen shafts
in the shoulder-joint. Shikhandi struck him with five and twenty shafts,
and Dhrishtadyumna struck him with seven, and the sons of Draupadi with
four and sixty, and Sahadeva with seven, and Nakula with a hundred, in
that battle. The mighty Bhimasena, in that encounter, filled with rage,
struck the son of Radha in the shoulder-joint with ninety straight
shafts. The son of Adhiratha, then, of great might laughing in scorn, and
drawing his excellent bow let off many keen shafts, afflicting his foes.
The son of Radha pierced each of them in return with five arrows. Cutting
off the bow of Satyaki, as also his standard, O bull of Bharata's race,
Karna pierced Satyaki himself with nine shafts in the centre of the
chest. Filled with wrath, he then pierced Bhimasena with thirty shafts.
With a broad-headed arrow, O sire, he next cut off the standard of
Sahadeva, and with three other arrows, that chastiser of foes afflicted
Sahadeva's driver. Within the twinkling of an eye he then deprived the
(five) sons of Draupadi of their cars, O bull of Bharata's race, which
seemed exceedingly wonderful. Indeed, with his straight shafts causing
those heroes to turn back from the fight, the heroic Karna began to slay
the Pancalas and many mighty car-warriors among the Cedis. Thus struck in
that battle, O monarch, the Cedis and the Matsyas, rushing against Karna
alone, poured upon him showers of shafts. The Suta's son, however, that
mighty car-warrior, began to smite them with his keen shafts. I beheld
this exceedingly wonderful feat, O Bharata, viz., that the Suta's son of
great prowess, alone and unsupported in that battle, fought with all
those bowmen who contended with him to the utmost of their prowess, and
checked all those Pandava warriors, O monarch, with his shafts. With the
lightness of hand, O Bharata, of the high-souled Karna on that occasion,
all the gods as also the Siddhas and the Charanas were gratified. All the
great bowmen among the Dhartarashtras also, O best of men, applauded
Karna, that foremost of great c