Sanjaya said Seeing his maternal uncle thus insulted by the charioteer's son, the son of Drona brandishing his scimitar ran furiously towards him.

Then, excited with a great rage, the son of Drona, like a lion (rushing at) an infuriate elephant, rushed against Karna, even in the Very presence of the Kuru king. are of very very wicked

Ashvatthama said O basest of men, in spite of his speaking of the qualities that Arjuna is really endowed with, you, that understanding, have insulted my heroic maternal uncle through (sheer) malice.

Without reckoning any of the words of bowmen in battle, puffed up with pride as you are, you are boasting today of your manliness.

Where was your prowess and where your weapons, when defeating you in battle, the wielder of Gandiva killed Jayadratha in your very presence?

O wretch of a charioteer, you are in vain hoping in your mind to conquer him, who formerly fought with the very Mahadeva himself.

Since the combined celestials and the Asuras headed by Indra are incapable of defeating that foremost of the wielders of weapons, having Krishna for his ally.

How can you, O Suta, backed up by these earthly kings, indulge in hopes of vanquishing in battle, the unconquerable Arjuna, the foremost of all the heroes in the world?

Look, O Karna of wicked understanding, O vilest of men stay here now. I will presently cut-off your head from your body.

Sanjaya said The highly-energetic king Duryodhana himself and that best of men, Kripa, prevented him (i.e., Ashvatthama) who was rushing furiously (at Karna).

Karna said Let this basest of Brahmanas, who (thinks that he) is a hero, boasts of his prowess in battle and is of wicked understanding, taste of my prowess. Do leave him, O best of the Kurus.

Ashvatthama said 0 charioteer's of wicked understanding, we forgive you of this (fault). Phalguna will destroy this swelling pride of yours.

Duryodhana said O Ashvatthama, O bestower of honours, be gratified; do forgive (him). O siniess one, you should not be angry with the charioteer's son.

To you and Karna and Kripa and Drona and the king of Madra and to the son of Subala, a heavy task is entrusted. O best of the twiceborn ones, be gratified.

O Brahmana, all the Pandavas, desiring to fight with and shouting to the son of Radha (to give battle) are coming (against him) from all sides.

Sanjaya said Thus appeased by the king, the highminded son of Drona, O great king, who was filled with a furious rage subdued his anger.

Then the large-heated preceptor, whose mild disposition soon returned (to him) an account of his being (naturally) of a peaceful

Kripa said 0 Charioteer's of very wicked understanding, you are pardoned by us of this (fault). But Phalguna will (soon) destroy your swelling pride. son

Sanjaya said Then, O king, the Pandavas and the renowned Panchalas, united together and sending forth thundering roars, poured in by thousands.

The puissant and energetic Karna too taking up his bow and surrounding by the foremost of the Kauravas, like Shakra by the celestials, awaited (their charge) relying on the strength of his own arms. The battle, that then took place between Karna (on one side) and the Pandavas (on the other).

Was hot and furious and ruining with thundering shouts, O great monarch. Then, O king, the Pandavas and and the renowned Panchalas.

Seeing Karna, possessed of mighty arms, sent forth loud shouts. (And the said)-"This is Karna! where is Karna! O Karna, stay in this great battle.

O wicked-souled one, O vilest of men, give us battle. Others, with eyes burning in ire on beholding Karna, said.

This arrogant son of charioteer having but a little sense should be killed by all these foremost of kings. He has no need of life.

This sinful person is always an inveterate enemy to the sons of Pritha, abides by the advice of Duryodhana and is the root of all these evils.

"Slay him!” Thus saying, mighty Kshatriya car-warriors, at the command of the son of Pandu, rushed to slay the charioteer's son, enveloping (all the points) with a heavy downpour of arrows. Seeing all those highly powerful sons of Pandu (rush towards him).

The charioteer's son was neither pained nor struck with terror. Beholding that wonderful army, vast as a sea and looking like Death itself.

That puissant, light-handed and highly powerful one, devoted to the good of your sons and never vanquished in battle, by means of showers of arrows.

Began to check (the career of) that army on all sides, O most exalted of the Bharatas. Then the Pandavas also, discharging downpours of shafts checked, (him).

Shaking hundreds and thousands of bows, they battled with the son of Radha as the Daityas (fought with) Shakra in days of yore.

That downpour, of shafts discharged by the kings on all sides, was destroyed by the puissant Karna with a heavy shower of arrows.

Then a marvellous battle, in which each party was desirous of warding off the blows of the other and which resembled the fight between Shakra and the Danavas in the war between the gods and the Asuras, took place between them. arrows

There we beheld of wonderful lighthandness of the charioteer's son : for, all the hostile forces, exerting their utmost, could not subdue him in that battle.

That mighty car-warrior, the son of Radha, checking those downpours of discharged by the (hostile) kings, shot at their yokes, umbrellas, cars and steeds, dreadful arrows, marked with his own name. Then, afflicted by Karna and not knowing what to do, those (hostile) kings.

Wandered about there on the field of battle) like cows pained with cold. Innumerable horses, elephants and car-warriors afflicted by Karna were seen to drop dead there. The entire field was strewn on all sides with the fallen heads and arms of the unretreating warriors, O king, with the dead and the dying and the waiting (combatants) lying on all sides.

The field of battle looked like the region of the son of Vivasvata, O king. Then, 0 monarch, beholding the feats of Karna, Duryodhana.

Approached Ashvatthama and then said these words-"Yonder Karna, with his armour on, is seen (fighting) with all the (hostile) kings.

Behold, the (enemy's) army, oppressed with the arrows of Karna, is, like the Asura force afflicted by Kartikeya, running away in all the directions).

Witnessing the defeat of his army by the intelligent Karna, Vibhatsu, in order to slay the charioteer's son, is advancing (against him).

Adopt such measures that the son of Pandu may not kill that mighty car-warrior, i.e., the charioteer's son in battle in our very sight."

(Hearing these words of the king), the son of Drona and Kripa and Shalya and that mighty car-warrior, the son of Hridika, advanced against Partha in order to protect the charioteer's son.

Seeing that the son of Kunti was coming against them like Shakra against the Daitya force. Then, O king of kings Vibhatsu also surrounded by the Panchalas marched against Karna like Purandara (marching against) Vritra.

Dhritarashtra said Seeing the wrathful Phalguna looking like Yama, the destroyer of time, what measures, O charioteer, did Karna, the son of Vikartana, adopt?

That mighty car-warrior (i.e. Karna) always challenged Partha and hoped that he has powerful enough to vanquish Vibhatsu.

Thus meeting all on a sudden his inveterate enemy, what measures, O charioteer, did Karna, the son of Vikartana adopt?

Sanjaya said Seeing the son of Pandu (advance against) his rival elephant, Karna dauntlessly fell upon Dhananjaya.

Partha then enveloped Karna who was thus furiously advancing against him, with straightcoursing arrows furnished with golden wings.

(And) the son of Pandu covered Karna with a dense shower of arrows. Then Karna greatly excited with rage pierced him with three darts,

The mighty car-warrior (Partha) witnessing this nimbleness on his part could not endure it. That scorcher of foes, then, shot thirty arrows sharpened on stone, having flaming points and coursing straight, at the charioteer's son. That puissant and mighty one, then, as if with a smile, pierced him angrily with another long arrow in the end of his left arms. From that hand of his which was (thus) pierced with (great) force, his bow fell down.

Taking up that bow within half the time of the twinking of an eye, that highly powerful one, with great nibleness of hand, covered Phalguna with downpours of arrows.

The arrowy shower, sent forth by the charioteer's son, was baffled by Dhananjaya with discharges of arrows, as if with a smile, O Bharata.

Those two mighty wielders of bow desiring to baffle each other and coming up to catch each other enveloped each other with a (perfect) deluge of arrows.

Then a marvellous encounter took place between Karna and the of Pandu resembling that between two wild elephants for the sake of a she-elephant in the time of her passion.

Then that mighty bowman Partha, witnessing the prowess of Karna, speedily cutoff that part of his bow at which it is grasped.

(And) that scorcher of (his) foes (i.e. Dhananjaya) sent his horses to the abode of Yama with broad headed shafts and severed the head of his charioteer from the body. son

Then Partha, the son of Pandu pierced that one (i.e., Karna) deprived on his steeds and driver and whose bow was cut-off with four arrows.

Afflicted with arrows of Kripa that foremost of men jumped down from the car of which the steeds were slain, quickly got up to another car.

Afflicted with (Arjuna's) darts, that most exalted of men hastily jumped down from his steedless car and got up to the car of Kripa.

0 best of the Bharatas, witnessing the defeat of the son of Radha, your Partisans, (already) mangled by the shafts of Dhananjaya ran away in ten directions.

Beholding that they were running away King Duryodhana himself rallied them and spoke these words.

Heroes, do not take to flight! O best of the Kshatriyas, stay! I am myself going against Partha in order to slay him in battle.

I will myself destroy Partha together with the Panchalas assembled (under his banners). In the battle that I will today fight with the wielder of Gandiva.

The son of Pritha will behold my prowess resembling that of the destroyer at the end of a Yuga. Today the arrowy showers that I will discharge by thousands.

in battle, will be seen by the sons of Pritha to resemble (thick) flights of locusts. Today, when wielding my bow, I will continue to rain down arrows.

My soldiers will behold me like a cloud discharging torrents of rain at the end of the summer. Today I will, by means of straight arrows, conquer the sons of Pritha.

Brave warriors, stay in battle. Shake off your fear of Phalguni. Encountering my prowess, Phalguni will not be able to stand it.

As the ocean, the abode of the Makaras reaching the point between the high and the low tide-marks, is unable to get beyond it. Saying this, the king, surrounded by a mighty army, marched.

Furiously with his eyes reddened in wrath, against Phalguni. Seeing that mighty-armed one advance (against Arjuna), the son of Saradvatta (i.e. Kripa).

Approaching Ashvatthama said these words-"This mighty-armed king, under the influence of rage and insensible with ire.

Resorting to the practices of the insects, (which heedless of danger rush into fire) is desiring to fight with Arjuna (heedless of his life). Prevent the Kaurava king (from doing this) before he sacrifices his life in our very sight by encountering Partha in battle. So long as he does not present himself within the range। of Kirit's shafts.

The heroic Kaurava king can only remain alive in battle. Prevent the king (from taking this rash step) before he is burnt to ashes by the dreadful arrows of Partha looking like snakes that have just cast off their sloughs. It looks very improper, O giver of hunours, that when we are here.

The king will go in person to fight in battle like one having no support. I think it will be (as) greatly difficult for Kaurava king to escape with life while fighting with Kiriti in battle, as it is in the case of an elephant (fighting with) a tiger. Thus addressed by his maternal uncle, the son of Drona, who was the foremost of those that could wield weapons.

Quickly approaching Duryodhana, said these words-"O son of Gandhari so long as I am alive, it is not proper for you to fight.

Disregarding me who am always devoted to your welfare. O Kaurava king, you need at all be anxious for vanquishing Partha. I will myself check Partha. Stay (here), 0 Suyodhona.

Duryodhana said The protector protects the sons of Pandu as if they were his own children. You also never manage in right earnest with my enemies.

It is either owing to my ill luck or owing to your desire to do good to the Dharmaraj ihat your prowess diminishes in battle, though I do not know what is the true cause.

Fie on my avaricious self on whose account all the friends, solicitous of my welfare, are, being vanquished (in battle), now experiencing great misery.

What person is there, O son of Goutama's daughter, who though capable yet would not destroy my enemies, besides you that are the foremost of those that wield weapons and are equal to Maheshvara himself in battle.

O Ashvatthama, be gratified. Destroy my enemies. Neither the celestials nor thc Danavas are capable of staying within the range of your weapons.

O Drona's son, destroy the Panchalas as well as the Somakas together with all their followers. Protected by you we shall slay the rest.

Look, O Brahmana, the Somakas and the renowned Panchalas are ranging furiously amidst my troops like a forest fire.

O mighty-armed and most excellent of men, check the career of these and also of the Kaikayas, before, they, backed up as they are by Kiriti, destroy (all our forces).

Ashvatthama, O chastiser of foes march (against them) speedily. Earlier or latter this take should be accomplished by you, O Brahmana.

As, O mighty-armed one, you have sprung into existence in order to slay the Panchalas, you will surely, exerting your utmost, make the earth devoid of the Panchalas.

It will surely come to pass as the worshipful sages who have attained (ascetic) success have said this. Therefore O most valiant of men, destroy the Panchalas together with their followers.

Not to speak of the sons of Pritha together with the Panchalas, even the very celestials together with their allies cannot stand within the range of your weapon. I speak this truly.

I will tell you truth, O hero, that the Pandavas together with the Somakas, are incapable of fighting with you, even though they put forth their (utmost energy).

O mighty-armed one, go, go. Do not waste time. Your forces, afflicted with Parthas' shafts, are taking to flight.

0 mighty-armed one, O bestower of honours, you are (No doubt) capable, by virtue of your own celestial energy, of chastising the sons of Pandavas as well as the Panchalas.