The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3: Books 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12
General
The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3: Books 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12
Epic literature, Sanskrit
"'Then Arjuna dispelled those clouds caused by Karna, by means of the
vayavyastra. After this, Dhananjaya, incapable of being over-mastered by
foes inspired Gandiva, its string, and his shafts, with mantras, and
invoked into existence another weapon that was the favourite of the chief
of the celestials and that resembled the thunder in energy and prowess.
Then razor-headed arrows, and Anjalikas, and crescent-shaped shafts, and
Nalikas, and cloth-yard shafts and those equipped with heads like the
boar's ear, all keen and sharp, issued from Gandiva in thousands, endued
with the force and impetuosity of the thunder. Possessed of great might
and great energy, those impetuous and keen shafts equipped with vulturine
feathers piercing all the limbs, the steeds, the bow, the yoke, the
wheels, and the standard of Karna, quickly penetrated into them like
snakes frightened by Garuda penetrating into the earth. Pierced all over
with arrows and bathed in blood, (the high-souled) Karna then, with eyes
rolling in wrath, bending his bow of enduring string and producing a
twang as loud as the roar of the sea, invoked into existence the Bhargava
weapon. Cutting off Partha's showers of shafts proceeding from the mouth
of that weapon of Indra (which Arjuna had shot), Karna, having thus
baffled his antagonist's weapon with his own, destroyed cars and
elephants and foot-soldiers (of the Pandava army). Unable to endure the
feats of Arjuna in that fierce battle, the mighty car-warrior Karna did
this, through the energy of the Bhargava weapon. Filled with wrath and
possessed of great activity, the Suta's son, that foremost of men,
laughing at the two Krishnas, pierced the foremost of Pancala warriors
with well shot arrows in that battle. Then the Pancalas and the Somakas,
O king, thus afflicted by Karna with showers of shafts in that encounter,
became filled with wrath and uniting together pierced the Suta's son with
keen arrows from every side. Quickly cutting off those arrows with his
own, the Suta's son, vigorously agitating them in that battle, afflicted
with many shafts the cars, the elephants, and the steeds of the Pancalas.
Their bodies pierced with those shafts of Karna, they fell down, deprived
of life, on the earth, making loud sounds, like mighty elephants slain by
an angry lion of terrible strength. Having slain those foremost of
warriors, those heroes endued with great strength, those leaders of the
Pancala forces who had always challenged him (to battle), Karna, O king,
as he shot his arrows, looked beautiful, like a mass of clouds pouring
torrents of rain. Then thy warriors, thinking that Karna had won the
victory, clapped loudly and uttered leonine roars. O chief of the Kurus,
all of them then regarded the two Krishnas as brought by Karna under his
power, seeing that valour, incapable of being borne by foes, of the
mighty car-warrior Karna. Beholding that weapon of Dhananjaya frustrated
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account