Beholding the king himself turn away from the battle, the troops, O
Bharata, fled away, from the encounters in which each of them had been
engaged. Seeing all the Dhartarashtra troops turn away from battle and
fly in all directions, Bhima rushing impetuously, fell upon them,
shooting many hundreds of shafts. Slaughtered by Bhima, the retreating
Dhartarashtras, O king, approaching the spot where Karna was, once more
stood for battle, surrounding him. Endued with great might and great
energy, Karna then became their refuge. Finding Karna, O bull of
Bharata's race, thy troops became comforted and stood cheerfully, relying
upon one another, like shipwrecked mariners, O tiger of men, in their
distressful plight, when at last they reach an island. They then, once
more, making death itself their goal, proceeded against their foes for
battle.'"
78
"Dhritarashtra said, 'When our troops were broken in battle by Bhimasena,
what, O Sanjaya, did Duryodhana and Subala's son say? Or, what did Karna,
that foremost of victors, or the warriors of my army in that battle, or
Kripa, or Kritavarma, or Drona's son Duhshasana, say? Exceedingly
wonderful, I think, is the prowess of Pandu's son, since, single-handed,
he fought in battle with all the warriors of my army. Did the son of
Radha act towards the (hostile) troops according to his vow? That slayer
of foes, Karna, O Sanjaya, is the prosperity, the armour, the fame, and
the very hope of life, of the Kurus.
Pages:
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398