Chapter 95

“Sanjaya said, ‘Upon the fall of Karna otherwise called Vaikartana, theKauravas, afflicted with fear, fled away on all sides, casting their eyeson empty space. Indeed, hearing that the heroic Karna had been slain bythe foe, all thy troops, stupefied with fear, broke and fled in alldirections. Then, O king, the leaders, filled with anxiety, desirous ofwithdrawing their troops, O Bharata, whose flight had been endeavoured tobe checked by thy son. Understanding their wishes, thy son, O bull ofBharata’s race, acting according to the advice of Shalya, withdrew thearmy. Then Kritavarma, O Bharata, surrounded by thy unslaughtered remnantof thy Narayana troops of thy army, quickly proceeded towards theencampment. Surrounded by a 1,000 gandharvas, Shakuni, beholding the sonof Adhiratha slain, proceeded quickly towards the encampment.Sharadvata’s son, Kripa, O king, surrounded by the large elephant forcethat resembled a mass of clouds, proceeded quickly towards theencampment. The heroic Ashvatthama, repeatedly drawing deep breaths atthe sight of the victory of the Pandavas, proceeded quickly towards theencampment. Surrounded by the unslaughtered remnant of the samsaptakaswhich was still a large force, Susharma also, O king, proceeded, castinghis eyes on those terrified soldiers. King Duryodhana, deeply afflictedand deprived of everything, proceeded, his heart filled with grief, and aprey to many cheerless thoughts. Shalya, that foremost of car-warriors,proceeded towards the camp, on that car deprived of standard, casting hiseyes on all sides. The other mighty car-warriors of the Bharata army,still numerous, fled quickly, afflicted with fear, filled with shame, andalmost deprived of their senses. Indeed seeing Karna overthrown, all theKauravas fled away quickly, afflicted and anxious with fear, trembling,and with voices choked with tears. The mighty car-warriors of thy armyfled away in fear, O chief of Kuru’s race, some applauding Arjuna, someapplauding Karna. Amongst those thousands of warriors of thy army in thatgreat battle, there was not a single person who had still any wish forfight. Upon the fall of Karna, O monarch, the Kauravas became hopeless oflife, kingdom, wives, and wealth. Guiding them with care, O lord, thyson, filled with grief and sorrow, set his heart upon resting them forthe night. Those great car-warriors also, O monarch, accepting his orderswith bent heads, retired from the field with cheerless hearts and palefaces.'”