Chapter 50

“Sanjaya said, ‘Beholding the Pandava heroes rushing impetuously towardsthy host, Duryodhana, O monarch, endeavoured to check the warriors of hisarmy on all sides, O bull of Bharata race. Although, however, thy soncried at the top of his voice, his flying troops, O king, still refusedto stop. Then one of the wings of the army and its further wing, andShakuni, the son of Subala, and the Kauravas well-armed turned againstBhimasena in that battle. Karna also, beholding the Dhartarashtra forcewith all its kings flying away, addressed the ruler of the Madras,saying, “Proceed towards the car of Bhima.” Thus addressed by Karna, theruler of the Madras began to urge those foremost of steeds, of the hue ofswans, towards the spot where Vrikodara was. Thus urged by Shalya, thatornament of battle, those steeds approaching the car of Bhimasena,mingled in battle. Meanwhile, Bhima, beholding Karna approach, becamefilled with rage, and set his heart on the destruction of Karna, O bullof Bharata’s race. Addressing the heroic Satyaki and Dhrishtadyumna, theson of Prishata, he said, “Go you to protect king Yudhishthira ofvirtuous soul. With difficulty he escaped from a situation of great perilbefore my very eyes. In my sight have the armour and robes of the kingbeen cut off and torn, for Duryodhana’s gratification, by Radha’s son ofwicked soul. I shall today reach the end of that woe, O son of Prishata.Today, either I shall slay Karna in battle, or he will slay me indreadful battle. I tell thee truly. Today I make over the king to you assacred pledge. With cheerful hearts exert ye today for protecting theking.” Having said these words, the mighty-armed Bhima proceeded towardsAdhiratha’s son, making all the points of the compass resound with a loudleonine shout. Beholding Bhima, that delighter in battle, advancingquickly, the puissant king of the Madras addressed the Suta’s son in thefollowing words:

“‘Shalya said, “Behold, O Karna, the mighty-armed son of Pandu, who isfilled with rage. Without doubt, he is desirous of vomiting upon theethat wrath which he has cherished for many years. Never before did I seehim assume such a form, not even when Abhimanyu was slain and theRakshasa Ghatotkaca. Filled with wrath, the form he hath now assumed,endued with the splendour of the all-destroying fire at the end of theYuga, is such that it seems he is capable of resisting the three worldsunited together.'”

“Sanjaya continued, ‘While the ruler of the Madras was saying these wordsunto the son of Radha, Vrikodara, excited with rage, came upon Karna.Beholding Bhima, that delighter in battle, approaching him in that way,the son of Radha laughingly said unto Shalya these words, “The words thatthou, O ruler of the Madras, hast today spoken to me regarding Bhima, Olord, are without doubt all true. This Vrikodara is brave and is a herofull of wrath. He is reckless in protecting his body, and in strength oflimbs he is superior to all. While leading a life of concealment in thecity of Virata, relying then on the might of his bare arms, for doingwhat was agreeable to Draupadi, he secretly slew Kichaka with all hisrelatives. Even he stands today at the head of battle clad in mail andinsensate with wrath. He is ready to engage in battle with the Destroyerarmed with uplifted mace. This desire, however, hath been cherishedthrough all my days, viz., that either I shall slay Arjuna or Arjuna willslay me. That desire of mine may be fulfilled today in consequence of myencounter with Bhima. If I slay Bhima or make him carless, Partha maycome against me. That will be well for me. Settle that without delaywhich thou thinkest to be suitable to the hour.” Hearing these words ofRadha’s son of immeasurable energy Shalya replied, saying, “O thou ofmighty arms, proceed against Bhimasena of great might. Having checkedBhimasena, thou mayst then obtain Phalguna. That which is thy purpose,that desire which for many long years thou hast cherished in thy heart,will be accomplished, O Karna. I tell the truth.” Thus addressed, Karnaonce more said unto Shalya, “Either I shall slay Arjuna in battle, or hewill slay me. Setting thy heart on battle proceed to the spot whereVrikodara is.'”

“Sanjaya continued, ‘Then, O king, Shalya speedily proceeded on that carto the spot where that great bowman, viz., Bhima, was engaged in routingthy army. There rose then the blare of trumpets and the peal of drums, Omonarch, when Bhima and Karna met. The mighty Bhimasena, filled withrage, began to scatter thy troops difficult of defeat, with his sharp andpolished shafts, to all sides. That collision in battle, O monarch,between Karna and the son of Pandu became, O king, fierce and awful, andthe noise that arose was tremendous. Beholding Bhima coming towards him,Karna, otherwise called Vaikartana or Vrisha, filled with rage, struckhim with shafts in the centre of the chest. And once more, Karna ofimmeasurable soul, covered him with a shower of arrows. Thus pierced bythe Suta’s son, Bhima covered the former with winged arrows. And he oncemore pierced Karna with nine straight and keen shafts. Then Karna, with anumber of arrows, cut in twain Bhima’s bow at the handle. And aftercutting off his bow, he pierced him once again in the centre of the chestwith a shaft of great keenness and capable of penetrating every kind ofarmour. Then Vrikodara, taking up another bow, O king, and knowing fullwell what the vital parts of the body are, pierced the Suta’s son withmany keen arrows. Then Karna pierced him with five and twenty arrows,like a hunter striking a proud and infuriate elephant in the forest witha number of blazing brands. His limbs mangled with those shafts, his eyesred with rage and the desire of revenge, the son of Pandu, insensate withwrath, and impelled by the desire of slaying the Suta’s son, fixed on hisbow an excellent shaft of great impetuosity, capable of bearing a greatstrain, and competent to pierce the very mountains. Forcibly drawing thebow-string to his very ear, the son of the Wind-god, that great bowman,filled with wrath and desirous of making an end of Karna, sped thatshaft. Thus sped by the mighty Bhima, that shaft, making a noise loud asthat of the thunder, pierced through thunderbolt Karna in that battle,like the thunderbolt itself piercing through a mountain. Struck byBhimasena, O perpetuator of Kuru’s race, the Suta’s son, that commander(of thy forces), sat down senseless on the terrace of his car. The rulerof the Madras then, beholding the Suta’s son deprived of his senses, borethat ornament of battle away on his car, from that fight. Then afterKarna’s defeat, Bhimasena began to rout the vast Dhartarashtra host likeIndra routing the danavas.'”