“Sanjaya said, ‘Beholding Alayudha of terrible deeds come to battle, all
the Kauravas became filled with delight. Similarly, thy sons having
Duryodhana for their head, (were filled with delight) like raftless men
desirous of crossing the ocean when they meet with a raft. Indeed, the
kings in the Kuru army then regarded themselves as persons reborn after
death.[236] They all offered a respectful welcome to Alayudha. During the
progress of that terrible and superhuman battle between Karna and the
Rakshasa at night,--a battle which though fierce was yet delightful to
behold,--the Panchalas, with all the other Kshatriyas, smilingly looked
on as spectators. Meanwhile, thy soldiers, O king, though protected (by
their leaders) all over the field and Drona and Drona’s son and Kripa and
others, uttered loud wails, saying, “All is lost!” Indeed, beholding
those feats of Hidimva’s son on the field of battle, all thy warriors
were agitated with fear, and uttering cries of woe became almost deprived
of their senses. Thy troops, O king, became hopeless of Karna’s life.
Then Duryodhana, beholding Karna fallen into great distress, summoned
Alayudha and said unto him, “Yonder Vikartana’s son, Karna, is engaged
with the son of Hidimva, and is accomplishing such feats in battle as are
worthy of his might and prowess. Behold those brave kings slain by the
son of Bhimasena, struck with diverse kinds of weapons (and lying on the
field) like trees broken by an elephant. Amongst all my royal warriors,
let this be thy share in battle, allotted by me, with thy permission, O
hero, displaying thy prowess, slay thou this Rakshasa. O crusher of foes,
see that this wretch viz., Ghatotkacha, may not, relying on his powers of
illusion, slay Karna, the son of Vikartana, before thou finishest him.”
Thus addressed by the king, that Rakshasa of fierce prowess and mighty
arms, saying, “So be it,” rushed against Ghatotkacha. Then Bhimasena’s
son, O lord, abandoning Karna, began to grind his advancing foe with
arrows. The battle that took place then between those angry Rakshasa
princes, resembled that between two infuriated elephants in the forest,
fighting for the sake of the same she-elephant in her season. Freed then
from the Rakshasa, Karna, that foremost of car-warriors, rushed against
Bhimasena, riding on his car of solar effulgence. Beholding Ghatotkacha
engaged with Alayudha in battle and afflicted like the leader of a bovine
herd when engaged with a lion, Bhima, that foremost of smiters,
disregarding the advancing Karna, rushed towards Alayudha, riding on his
car of solar effulgence and scattering clouds of shafts. Seeing Bhima
advance, Alayudha, O lord, abandoning Ghatotkacha, proceeded against
Bhima himself. Then Bhima, that exterminator of Rakshasas, impetuously
rushed towards him, O lord, and covered that prince of the Rakshasas with
shafts. Similarly, Alayudha, that chastiser of foes, repeatedly covered
the son of Kunti with straight shafts whetted on stone. All the other
Rakshasas also, of terrible forms and armed with diverse weapons
solicitous for the victory of thy sons, rushed against Bhimasena. The
mighty Bhimasena, thus assailed by them, pierced each of them with five
whetted shafts. Then those Rakshasas of wicked understanding, thus
received by Bhimasena, uttered loud wails and fled away on all sides. The
mighty Rakshasa, beholding his followers frightened by Bhima, rushed
impetuously against Bhima and covered him with shafts. Then Bhimasena, in
that battle, weakened his foe by means of many keen-pointed arrows.
Amongst those arrows sped at him by Bhima, Alayudha speedily cut off some
and seized others in that battle. Then Bhima of terrible prowess, looking
steadily at that prince of the Rakshasas, hurled at him with great force
a mace endued with the impetuosity of thunder. That mace, coursed towards
him like a flame of fire, and the cannibal struck it with a mace of his
own, where-upon the latter (baffling the former) proceeded towards Bhima.
Then, the son of Kunti covered that prince of Rakshasas, with showers of
shafts. The Rakshasa, with his own keen shafts, baffled all those shafts
of Bhima. Then all those Rakshasa warriors, of terrible forms, rallying
and returning to battle, at the command of their leader, began to slay
the elephants (of Bhima’s force). The Panchalas and the Srinjayas, the
steeds and huge elephants (of Bhima’s army), exceedingly afflicted by the
Rakshasas, became much agitated. Beholding that terrible battle (fought
between Bhima and the Rakshasa), Vasudeva, that foremost of men
addressing Dhananjaya, said these words, “Behold, the mighty-armed Bhima
is succumbing to that prince of Rakshasas. Quickly proceed in Bhima’s
wake, without thinking of anything else, O son of Pandu. Meanwhile, let
Dhrishtadyumna and Sikhandin, and Yudhamanyu and Uttamaujas, these mighty
car-warriors, uniting with the son of Draupadi, proceed against Karna.
Let Nakula and Sahadeva and the valiant Yuyudhana, O son of Pandu, at thy
command, slay the other Rakshasas! As regards thyself, O mighty armed
one, do thou resist this division having Drona at its head. O thou of
mighty arms, great is the danger that threatens us now.” After Krishna
had said so, those foremost of car-warriors, as commanded, proceeded
against Karna, the son of Vikartana, and against the other Rakshasas
(fighting for the Kurus). Then with some shafts resembling snakes of
virulent poison and sped from his bow drawn to its fullest stretch, the
valiant prince of the Rakshasas cut off Bhima’s bow. The mighty cannibal
next, in the very sight of Bhima, O Bharata, slew the latter’s steeds and
driver with some whetted shafts. Steedless and driverless, Bhima,
descending from the terrace of his car, uttered a loud roar and hurled a
heavy mace at his foe. That heavy mace, as it coursed impetuously towards
him with a terrible sound, the mighty cannibal baffled with a mace of his
own. The latter then uttered a loud roar. Beholding that mighty and
terrible feat of that prince of Rakshasas, Bhimasena filled with joy,
seized another fierce mace. The battle then that took place between that
human warrior and that Rakshasa, became dreadful. With the clash of their
descending maces, the earth trembled violently. Casting aside their
maces, they once more encountered each other. They struck each other with
their clenched fists, falling with the sound of thunder. Excited with
rage, they encountered each other with car-wheels, and yokes, and Akshas
and Adhishthanas, and Upaskaras, in fact, with anything that came in
their way. Encountering each other thus and both covered with blood, they
looked like a couple of infuriated elephants of gigantic size. Then,
Hrishikesa, ever devoted to the good of the Pandavas, beholding that
combat, despatched Hidimva’s son for protecting Bhimasena.’”