ion of Chitrasena. And then, O
Bharata, it seemed that every warrior of the Kuru army was fallen upon
and surrounded by ten _Gandharvas_. And attacked with great vigour, the
Kuru host was greatly afflicted and struck with panic. O king, all of
them that liked to live, fled from the field. But while the entire
Dhritarashtra host broke and fled, Karna, that offspring of the Sun,
stood there, O king, immovable as a hill. Indeed, Duryodhana and Karna
and Sakuni, the son of Suvala, all fought with the _Gandharvas_,
although every one of them was much wounded and mangled in the
encounter. All the _Gandharvas_ then, desirous of slaying Karna, rushed
together by hundreds and thousands towards Karna. And those mighty
warriors, desirous of slaying the _Suta's_ son, surrounded him on all
sides, with swords and battle-axes and spears. And some cut down the
yoke of his car, and some his flagstaff, and some the shaft of his car,
and some his horses, and some his charioteer. And some cut down his
umbrella and some the wooden fender round his car and some the joints of
his car. It was thus that many thousands of Gandharvas, together
attacking his car, broke it into minute fragments. And while his car was
thus attacked, Karna leaped therefrom with sword and shield in hand, and
mounting on Vikarna's car, urged the steeds for saving himself."

SECTION CCXL

Vaisampayana said, "After that great warrior Karna had been routed by
the _Gandharvas_, the whole of the Kuru army, O monarch, fled from the
field in the very sight of Dhritarashtra's son. And beholding all his
troops flying from the field of battle with their back to the foe, king
Duryodhana refused to fly. Seeing the mighty host of the _Gandharvas_
rushing towards him, that represser of foes poured down upon them a
thick shower of arrows. The _Gandharvas_, however, without regarding
that arrowy shower, and desirous also of slaying him, surrounded that
car of his. And by means of their arrows, they cut off into fragments
the yoke, the shaft, the fenders, the flagstaff, the three-fold bamboo
poles, and the principal turret of his car. And they also slew his
charioteer and horses, hacking them to pieces. And when Duryodhana,
deprived of his car, fell on the ground, the strong-armed Chitrasena
rushed towards him and seized him in such a way that it seemed his life
itself was taken. And after the Kuru king had been seized, the
_Gandharvas_, surrounding Dussasana, who was seated on his