Mahabharata, Epic of the Bharatas

Book X. Karna-Badha (Fall of Karna) – 123
Lightning-like it came on Karna, struck and pierced him on the left,
And the warrior fell and fainted as of life and sense bereft!
Soon he rose; the cloud of anger darkened o’er his livid face,
And he drew his godlike weapon with a more than godlike grace,
Arrows keen and dark as midnight gleaming in their lightning flight,
Struck Yudhishthir’s royal armour with a fierce resistless might!
[337] Clanking fell the shattered armour from his person fair and pale,
As from sun’s meridian splendour clouds are drifted by the gale,
Armourless but bright and radiant brave Yudhishthir waged the fight,
Bright as sky with stars bespangled on a clear and cloudless night,
And he threw his pointed lances like the summer’s bursting flood,
Once again Yudhishthir’s weapons drank his fiery foeman’s blood!
Pale with anguish, wrathful Karna fiercely turned the tide of war,
Cut Yudhishthir’s royal standard, crushed his sumptuous battle-car,
And he urged his gallant coursers till his chariot bounding flew,
And with more than godlike prowess then his famed Vijaya drew,
Faint Yudhishthir sorely bleeding waged no more the fatal fight,
Carless, steedless, void of armour, sought his safety in his flight!
“Speed, thou timid man of penance!” thus insulting Karna said,
“Famed for virtue not for valour! blood of thine I will not shed,
Speed and chant thy wonted mantra, do the rites that sages know,
Bid the helméd warrior Arjun come and meet his warlike foe!”
To his tent retired Yudhishthir in his wrath and in his shame,
Spake to Arjun who from battle to his angry elder came:
“Hast thou yet, O tardy Arjun, base insulting Karna slain,
Karna dealing dire destruction on this battle’s reddened plain?
Like his teacher Par’su-Rama dyes in purple blood his course,
Like a snake of deathful poison Karna guards the Kuru force,
Karna smote my chariot-driver and my standard rent in twain,
Shattered car and lifeless horses strew the red inglorious plain,