Bhimasena endued with the strength of 10,000 elephants to that plight! It
is he who, uttering a loud roar, slew with his invincible dart the brave
Ghatotkaca of a 1,000 illusions and well-acquainted with celestial
weapons! Behold today the inexhaustible might of arms of that intelligent
warrior of sure aim and invincible energy! Let the sons of Pandu behold
today the prowess of both Ashvatthama and Karna resembling that of Vishnu
and Vasava! All of you are singly able to slay the sons of Pandu with
their troops in battle! How much more then are you capable, when united
together, of that feat! Endued with great energy and accomplished in
weapons, you will today behold one another engaged in the achievement of
mighty tasks!'"

"Sanjaya continued, 'Having said these words, O sinless one, thy son
Duryodhana, with his brothers, made Karna the generalissimo (of the Kuru
army). Obtaining the command, the mighty car-warrior Karna, so fierce in
battle, uttered loud roars and fought with the foe. He caused, O sire, a
great carnage among the Srinjayas, the Pancalas, the Kekayas, and the
Videhas. From his bow issued innumerable lines of arrows, one close
behind the wings of another, like flights of bees. Having afflicted the
Pancalas and the Pandavas endued with great activity, and slain thousands
of warriors, he was at last slain by Arjuna!"



4

Vaishampayana said, "Hearing this intelligence, O monarch, Dhritarashtra
the son of Ambika, feeling the acme of grief, regarded Suyodhana to be
already dead. Exceedingly agitated, the king fell down on the Earth like
an elephant deprived of its senses. When that foremost of the monarchs,