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
"Sanjaya continued, 'Thus addressed, O Bharata, by Vasudeva, Karna hung
down his head in shame and gave no answer. With lips quivering in rage,
he raised his bow, O Bharata, and, being endued with great energy and
prowess, he continued to fight with Partha. Then Vasudeva, addressing
Phalguna, that bull among men, said, "O thou of great might, piercing
Karna with a celestial weapon, throw him down." Thus addressed by the
holy one, Arjuna became filled with rage. Indeed, remembering the
incidents alluded to by Krishna, Dhananjaya blazed up with fury. Then, O
king, blazing flames of fire seemed to emanate from all the pores of the
angry Partha's body. The sight seemed to be exceedingly wonderful.
Beholding it, Karna, invoking the brahmastra, showered his shafts upon
Dhananjaya, and once more made an effort to extricate his car. Partha
also, by the aid of the brahmastra, poured arrowy downpours upon Karna.
Baffling with his own weapon the weapon of his foe, the son of Pandu
continued to strike him. The son of Kunti then, aiming at Karna sped
another favourite weapon of his that was inspired with the energy of
Agni. Sped by Arjuna, that weapon blazed up with its own energy. Karna,
however, quenched that conflagration with the Varuna weapon. The Suta's
son also, by the clouds he created, caused all the points of the compass
to be shrouded with a darkness such as may be seen on a rainy day. The
son of Pandu, endued with great energy, fearlessly dispelled those clouds
by means of the Vayavya weapon in the very sight of Karna. The Suta's son
then, for slaying the son of Pandu, took up a terrible arrow blazing like
fire. When that adored shaft was fixed on the bow-string, the earth, O
king, trembled with her mountains and waters and forests. Violent winds
began to blow, bearing hard pebbles. All the points of the compass became
enveloped with dust. Wails of grief, O Bharata, arose among the gods in
the welkin. Beholding that shaft aimed by the Suta's son, O sire, the
Pandavas, with cheerless hearts, gave themselves up to great sorrow. That
shaft of keen point and endued with the effulgence of Sakra's thunder,
sped from Karna's arms, fell upon Dhananjaya's chest and penetrated it
like a mighty snake penetrating an ant-hill. That grinder of foes, viz.,
the high-souled Vibhatsu, thus deeply pierced in that encounter, began to
reel. His grasp became loosened, at which his bow Gandiva dropped from
his hand. He trembled like the prince of mountains in an earthquake.
Availing himself of that opportunity, the mighty car-warrior Vrisha,
desirous of extricating his car-wheel that had been swallowed up by the
earth, jumped down from his vehicle. Seizing the wheel with his two arms
he endeavoured to drag it up, but though possessed of great strength, he
failed in his efforts, as destiny would have it. Meanwhile the
diadem-decked and high-souled Arjuna, recovering his senses, took up a
shaft, fatal as the rod of Death, and called anjalika. Then Vasudeva,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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