“Sanjaya said, ‘During the progress, O monarch, of that battle, making
the hair stand on end, and when all the combatants were filled with
anxiety and greatly afflicted, the son of Radha, O bull of Bharata’s
race, proceeded against Bhima for battle, like an infuriated elephant in
the forest proceeding against another infuriated elephant.’
“Dhritarashtra said, ‘How raged that battle, in the neighbourhood of
Arjuna’s car, between those two mighty car-warriors, viz., Bhima and
Karna, both of whom are endued with great strength? Once before Karna had
been vanquished by Bhimasena in battle. How, therefore, could the mighty
car-warrior Karna again proceed against Bhima? How also could Bhima
proceed against the Suta’s son, that mighty warrior who is reckoned as
the greatest of car-warriors on earth? Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma,
having prevailed over Bhishma and Drona, did not fear anybody else so
much as the bowman Karna. Indeed, thinking of the mighty car-warrior
Karna, he passeth his nights sleeplessly from fear. How, then, could
Bhima encounter that Suta’s son in battle? Indeed, O Sanjaya, how could
Bhima fight with Karna, that foremost of warriors, that hero devoted to
the Brahmanas endued with energy and never retreating from battle? How,
indeed, did those two heroes, viz., the Suta’s son and Vrikodara, fight
with each other in that encounter which took place in the vicinity of
Arjuna’s car? Informed before of his brotherhood (with the Pandavas), the
Suta’s son is again, compassionate. Remembering also his words to Kunti,
how could he fight with Bhima? As regards Bhima also, remembering all the
wrongs formerly inflicted on him by the Suta’s son, how did that hero
fight with Karna in battle? My son Duryodhana, O Suta, hopeth that Karna
will vanquish all the Pandavas in battle. Upon whom my wretched son
resteth his hope of victory in battle, how did he fight with Bhimasena of
terrible deeds? That Suta’s son, relying upon whom my sons chose
hostilities with those mighty car-warriors (viz., the sons of Pandu), how
did Bhima fight with him? Indeed, remembering the diverse wrongs and
injuries done by him, how did Bhima fight with that son of Suta? How
indeed, could Bhima fight with that son of a Suta, who, endued with great
valour, had formerly subjugated the whole earth on a single car? How did
Bhima fight with that son of a Suta, who was born with a (natural) pair
of ear-rings? Thou art skilled in narration, O Sanjaya! Tell me,
therefore, in detail how the battle took place between those two, and who
amongst them obtained the victory?’
“Sanjaya said, ‘Leaving Radha’s son, that foremost of car-warriors
Bhimasena, desired to proceed to the place where those two heroes, viz.,
Krishna and Dhananjaya were. The son of Radha, however, rushing towards
him as he proceeded, covered him, O king, with dense showers of arrows,
like a cloud pouring torrents of rain on a mountain. The mighty son of
Adhiratha, his face beautiful as a full-blown lotus, lighted up with a
smile, challenged Bhimasena to battle, as the latter was proceeding. And
Karna said, “O Bhima, I dreamt not that thou knowest how to fight. Why
then dost thou show me thy back from desire of meeting with Arjuna? O
delighter of the Pandavas, this is scarcely fit for a son of Kunti.
Staying, therefore, where thou art, cover me with thy arrows.” Bhimasena,
hearing that challenge of Karna, brooked it not, but wheeling his car a
little, began to fight with the Suta’s son. The illustrious Bhimasena
showered clouds of straight shafts. Desiring also to arrive at the end of
those hostilities by slaying Karna, Bhima began to weaken that hero
conversant with every weapon and clad in mail, and staying before him for
engaging in a single combat. Then mighty Bhima, that scorcher of foes,
that wrathful son of Pandu, having slain numerous Kauravas, shot diverse
showers of fierce shafts at Karna, O sire! The Suta’s son, endued with
great strength, swallowed, by means of the power of his own weapons, all
those showers of arrows shot by that hero, possessed of the tread of an
infuriated elephant. Duly favoured by knowledge, that great bowman, viz.,
Karna, began in that battle, O monarch, to career like a preceptor (of
military science). The wrathful son of Radha, smiling the while, seemed
to mock Bhimasena as the latter was battling with great fury. The son of
Kunti brooked not that smile of Karna in the midst of many brave warriors
witnessing from all sides that fight of theirs. Like a driver striking a
huge elephant with a hook, the mighty Bhima, excited with rage, pierced
Karna whom he had obtained within reach, with many calf-toothed shafts in
the centre of the chest. And once more, Bhimasena pierced the Suta’s son
of variegated armour with three and seventy well-shot and keen arrows
equipped with beautiful wings and cased in golden armour, each with five
shafts. And soon, within the twinkling of the eye, was seen a network of
shafts about Bhima’s car caused by Karna. Indeed, O monarch, those shafts
shot from Karna’s bow completely shrouded that car with its standard and
driver and the Pandava himself. Then Karna pierced the impenetrable
armour of Bhima with four and sixty arrows. And excited with rage he then
pierced Partha himself with many straight shafts capable of penetrating
into the very vitals. The mighty-armed Vrikodara, however, disregarding
those shafts shot from Karna’s bow fearlessly struck the Suta’s son.
Pierced with those shafts, resembling snakes of virulent poison, shot
from Karna’s bow, Bhima, O monarch, felt no pain in that battle. The
valiant Bhima then, in that encounter, pierced Karna with two and thirty
broad-headed shafts of keen points and fierce energy. Karna, however,
with the greatest indifference, covered, in return, with his arrows, the
mighty-armed Bhimasena who was desirous of Jayadratha’s slaughter.
Indeed, the son of Radha, in that encounter, fought mildly with Bhima,
while Bhima, remembering his former wrongs, fought with him furiously.
The wrathful Bhimasena could not brook that disregard by Karna. Indeed,
that slayer of foes quickly shot showers of arrows at Radha’s son. Those
arrows, sped in that encounter by Bhimasena, fell on every limb of Karna
like cooing birds. Those arrows equipped with golden wings and keen
points, shot from Bhimasena’s bow, covered the son of Radha like a flight
of insects covering a blazing fire. Karna, however, O king, shot showers
of fierce shafts in return, O Bharata. Then Vrikodara cut off, with many
broad-headed arrows, those shafts resembling thunderbolts, shot by that
ornament of battle, before they could come at him. That chastiser of
foes, viz., Karna, the son of Vikartana, once more, O Bharata, covered
Bhimasena with his arrowy showers. We then, O Bharata, beheld Bhima so
pierced in that encounter with arrows as to resemble a porcupine with its
quills erect on its body.[155] Like the sun holding his own rays, the
heroic Bhima held in that battle all those shafts, whetted on stone and
equipped with wings of gold, that were shot from Karna’s bow. All his
limbs bathed in blood, Bhimasena looked resplendent like an Asoka tree in
spring adorned with its flowery burthen. The mighty-armed Bhima could not
brook that conduct, in battle, of the mighty-armed Karna. Rolling his
eyes in wrath, he pierced Karna with five and twenty long shafts.
Thereupon, Karna looked like a white mountain with many snakes of
virulent poison (hanging from its sides). And once more, Bhimasena,
endued with the prowess of a celestial, pierced the Suta’s son who was
prepared to lay down his life in battle, with six and then with eight
arrows. And, again, with another arrow, the valiant Bhimasena quickly cut
off Karna’s bow, smiling the while. And he slew also with his shafts the
four steeds of Karna and then his charioteer, and then pierced Karna
himself in the chest with a number of long shafts endued with the
effulgence of the sun. Those winged shafts, piercing through Karna’s
body, entered the earth, like the rays of the sun piercing through the
clouds. Afflicted with arrows and his bow cut off, Karna, though proud of
his manliness, felt great pain and proceeded to another car.’”