Mahabharata Drona Parva Chapter 158:3

Mahabharata Drona Parva (Ghatotkacha-badha Parva) Chapter 158:3 Then Duryodhana, O king, witnessing the prowess of Karna, repaired to Aswatthaman and addressing him, said, "Behold, Karna, clad in mail, is engaged with all the (hostile) kings. Behold, the hostile army, afflicted with the arrows of Karna, is being routed like the Asura army overwhelmed with the energy of Kartikeya. Seeing his army vanquished in battle by that intelligent Karna, yonder cometh Vibhatsu from desire of slaying the Suta's son. Let such steps, therefore, be taken as may prevent the son of Pandu from slaying that mighty car-warrior viz., Suta's son, in the very sight of us all." (Thus addressed), Drona's son, and Kripa, and Salya, and that great car-warrior, viz., the son of Hridika, beholding the son of Kunti coming (towards them) like Sakra himself towards the Daitya host, all advanced against Partha for rescuing the Suta's son. Meanwhile, Vibhatsu, O monarch, surrounded by the Panchalas, advanced against Karna, like Purandara proceeding against the Asura Vritra. Dhritarashtra said, 'Beholding Phalguna excited with fury and looking like the Destroyer himself, as he appears at the end of the Yuga, what, O Suta, did Vikartana's son Karna do next? Indeed, the mighty car-warrior Karna, the son of Vikartana, had always challenged Partha. Indeed, he had always said that he was competent to vanquish the terrible Vibhatsu. What then, O Suta, did that warrior do when he thus suddenly met his ever deadly foe? Sanjaya continued, 'Beholding the son of Pandu rushing towards him like an elephant towards a rival elephant, Karna fearlessly proceeded against Dhananjaya. Partha, however, soon covered Karna who was thus advancing with great impetuosity, with showers of straight shafts, equipped with wings of gold. Karna also covered Vijaya with his shafts. The son of Pandu then once more shrouded Karna with clouds of arrows. Then Karna, filled with rage, pierced Arjuna with three shafts. The mighty car-warrior, Arjuna, beholding Karna's lightness of hand, could not brook it. That scorcher of foes shot at the Suta's son thirty straight shafts, whetted on stone and equipped with blazing points. Endued with great might and energy, he also pierced him, in rage, with another long arrow on the wrist of his left arm, smiling the while. Karna's bow then dropped from that arm of his, which had thus been pierced with great force. Then the mighty Karna, taking up that bow within the twinkling of an eye, once more covered Phalguna with clouds of shafts, displaying great lightness of hand. Dhananjaya then, O Bharata, smiling the while, baffled with his own shafts, that arrowy shower shot by the Suta's son. Approaching each other, those two great bowmen, desirous of counteracting each other's feats, continued to cover each other with showers of shafts. The battle that took place between them, viz., Karna and the son of Pandu, became exceedingly wonderful, like that between the two wild elephants for the sake of a she-elephant in her season. Then the mighty bowman Partha, beholding Karna's prowess, quickly cut off the latter's bow at the handle. And he also despatched the four steeds of the Suta's son to Yama's abode with a number of broad-headed shafts.