Thou
always challengest the active Phalguna in battle. Obedient to the
counsels of Dhritarashtra's son, thou always seekest to oppose us.
Mustering thy great prowess, show thou today all thy might, all thy
energy, and all the hatred thou bearest towards the sons of Pandu. Today
in dreadful encounter, I will purge thee of thy desire for battle."
Having said these words, the son of Pandu, O king, pierced Karna with ten
shafts made entirely of iron and equipped with wings of gold. That
chastiser of foes, and great bowman, viz., the Suta's son, O Bharata,
pierced Yudhishthira, with the greatest care, in return, with ten arrows
equipped with heads like the calf's tooth. Thus pierced by the Suta's son
in contempt, O sire, the mighty-armed Yudhishthira, blazed up with wrath
like a fire upon receiving butter. Bending his formidable bow decked with
gold, the son of Pandu placed on his bow-string a whetted arrow capable
of piercing the very hills. Drawing the bow to its fullest stretch, the
king quickly sped that arrow, fatal as the rod of the Destroyer, from
desire of slaying the Suta's son. Sped by the king endued with great
might, that arrow whose whizz resembled the noise of the thunder,
suddenly pierced Karna, that mighty car-warrior, on his left side. Deeply
afflicted by the violence of that stroke, the mighty-armed Karna with
weakened limbs, fell into a swoon on his car, his bow dropping from his
hand. Beholding Karna in that plight, the vast Dhartarashtra host uttered
cries of "Oh" and "Alas," and the faces of all the combatants became
colourless.
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