Shot by me, let this arrow
possessed of the splendour of fire or the sun take Karna to the presence
of Yama." Saying these words, Arjuna, decked with diadem and garlands,
cherishing feelings of hostility towards Karna and desirous of slaying
him, cheerfully struck his foe with that foremost of shafts which was
possessed of the splendour of the sun or the moon and capable of
bestowing victory. Thus sped by that mighty warrior, that shaft endued
with the energy of the sun caused all the points of the compass to blaze
up with light. With that weapon Arjuna struck off his enemy's head like
Indra striking off the head of Vritra with his thunder. Indeed, O king,
with that excellent Anjalika weapon inspired with mantras into a mighty
weapon, the son of Indra cut off the head of Vaikartana in the afternoon.
Thus cut off with that Anjalika, the trunk of Karna fell down on the
earth. The head also of that commander of the (Kaurava) army, endued with
splendour equal to that of the risen sun and resembling the meridian sun
of autumn, fell down on the earth like the sun of bloody disc dropped
down from the Asta hills. Indeed, that head abandoned with great
unwillingness the body, exceedingly beautiful and always nursed in
luxury, of Karna of noble deeds, like an owner abandoning with great
unwillingness his commodious mansion filled with great wealth. Cut off
with Arjuna's arrow, and deprived of life, the tall trunk of Karna endued
with great splendour, with blood issuing from every wound, fell down like
the thunder-riven summit of a mountain of red chalk with crimson streams
running down its sides after a shower.
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