srimahabharat - (Book 8) Karna Parva - chapters 25 to 35

The Sacred  Scripture of

 great Epic Sree Mahabharatam:

The Mahabharata

                                      Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa
                                                        translated by
                                  Sreemaan Brahmasri  Kisari Mohan Ganguli

Vyasadev

Praneetha

The Mahabhart

 

 

Karna Parva

Book 8

 

 

Book 8
Chapter 25

 

 

 

 

1 [dur]
      evaṃ sa bhagavān devaḥ sarvalokapitāmahaḥ
      sārathyam akarot tatra yatra rudro 'bhavad rathī
  2 rathinābhyadhiko vīraḥ kartavyo rathasārathiḥ
      tasmāt tvaṃ puruṣavyāghra niyaccha turagān yudhi
  3 [s]
      tataḥ śalyaḥ pariṣvajya sutaṃ te vākyam abravīt
      duryodhanam amitraghnaḥ prīto madrādhipas tadā
  4 evaṃ cen manyase rājan gāndhāre priyadarśana
      tasmāt te yat priyaṃ kiṃ cit tat sarvaṃ karavāṇy aham
  5 yatrāsmi bharataśreṣṭha yogyaḥ karmaṇi karhi cit
      tatra sarvātmanā yukto vakṣye kāryadhuraṃ tava
  6 yat tu karṇam ahaṃ brūyāṃ hitakāmaḥ priyāpriyam
      mama tatkṣamatāṃ sarvaṃ bhavān karṇaś ca sarvaśaḥ
  7 [karṇa]
      īśānasya yathā brahmā yathā pārthasya keśavaḥ
      tathā nityaṃ hite yukto madrarājabhajasva naḥ
  8 [ṣalya]
      ātmanindātmapūjā ca paranindā parastavaḥ
      anācaritam āryāṇāṃ vṛttam etac caturvidham
  9 yat tu vidvān pravakṣyāmi pratyayārtham ahaṃ tava
      ātmanaḥ stavasaṃyuktaṃ tan nibodha yathātatham
  10 ahaṃ śakrasya sārathye yogyo mātalivat prabho
     apramāda prayogāc ca jñānavidyā cikitsitaiḥ
 11 tataḥ pārthena saṃgrāme yudhyamānasya te 'nagha
     vāhayiṣyāmi turagān vijvaro bhava sūtaja

 

25

"Sanjaya said, 'Against Yuyutsu who was employed in routing the vast army of thy son, Uluka proceeded with speed saying "Wait, Wait." Then Yuyutsu, O king, with a winged arrow of keen edge struck Uluka with great force, like (Indra himself striking ) a mountain with the thunderbolt. Filled with rage at this, Uluka, in that battle, cut off thy son's bow with a razor-headed arrow and struck thy son himself with a barbed shaft. Casting off that broken bow, Yuyutsu, with eyes red in wrath, took up another formidable bow endued with greater impetus. The prince then, O bull of Bharata's race, pierced Uluka with sixty arrows. Piercing next the driver of Uluka, Yuyutsu struck Uluka once more. Then Uluka, filled with rage pierced Yuyutsu with twenty shafts adorned with gold, and then cut off his standard made of gold. That lofty and gorgeous standard made of gold, O king, thus cut off (by Uluka), fell down in front of Yuyutsu's car. Beholding his standard cut off, Yuyutsu, deprived of his senses by wrath, struck Uluka with five shafts in the centre of the chest. Then Uluka, O sire, in that battle, cut off, with a broad-headed arrow steeped in oil, the head of his antagonist's driver, O best of the Bharatas. Slaying next his four steeds he struck Yuyutsu himself with five arrows. Deeply struck by the strong Uluka, Yuyutsu proceeded to another car. Having vanquished him in battle, O king, Uluka proceeded quickly towards the Pancalas and the Srinjayas and began to slaughter them with sharp shafts. Thy son Srutakarman, O monarch, within half the time taken up by a wink of the eye, fearlessly made Satanika steedless and driverless and carless. The mighty car-warrior Satanika, however, staying on his steedless car, O sire, hurled a mace, filled with rage, at thy son. That mace, reducing thy son's car with its steeds and driver into fragments, fell down upon the Earth with great speed, and pierced it through. Then those two heroes, both enhancers of the glory of the Kurus, deprived of their cars, retreated from the encounter, glaring at each other. Then thy son, overcome with fear, mounted upon the car of Vivingsu, while Satanika quickly got upon the car of Prativindhya. Shakuni, filled with rage, pierced Sutasoma with many keen shafts, but failed to make the latter tremble like a torrent of water failing to produce any impression upon a mountain. Beholding that great enemy of his father, Sutasoma covered Shakuni, O Bharata, with many thousands of arrows. Shakuni, however, that warrior of sure aim and conversant with all methods of warfare, actuated by desire of battle, quickly cut off all those shafts with his own winged arrows. Having checked those shafts with his own keen arrows in battle, Shakuni, filled with rage, struck Sutasoma with three arrows. Thy brother-in-law then, O monarch, with his arrows cut off into minute fragments the steeds, the standard, and the driver of his adversary, at which all the spectators uttered a loud shout. Deprived of his steed and car, and having his standard cut off, O sire, the great bowman (Sutasoma), jumping down from his car, stood on the Earth, having taken up a good bow. And he shot a large number of arrows equipped with golden wings and whetted on stone, and shrouded therewith the car of thy brother-in law in that battle. The son of Subala, however, beholding those showers of arrows that resembled a flight of locusts, coming towards his car, did not tremble. On the other hand, that illustrious warrior crushed all those arrows with arrows of his own. The warriors that were present there, as also the Siddhas in the firmament, were highly pleased at sight of that wonderful and incredible feat of Sutasoma, inasmuch as he contended on foot with Shakuni staying in his car. Then Shakuni, with a number of broad-headed shafts of great impetuosity, keen and perfectly straight, cut off, O king, the bow of Sutasoma as also all his quivers. Bowless, and carless, Sutasoma then, uplifting a scimitar of the hue of the blue lotus and equipped with an ivory handle, uttered a loud shout. That scimitar of the intelligent Sutasoma of the hue of the clear sky, as it was whirled by that hero, was regarded by Shakuni to be as fatal as the rod of Death. Armed with that scimitar he suddenly began to career in circles over the arena, displaying, O monarch, the fourteen different kinds of manoeuvres, endued as he was with skill and might. Indeed, he displayed in that battle all those motions such as wheeling about and whirling on high, and making side-thrusts and jumping forward and leaping on high and running above and rushing forward and rushing upwards. The valiant son of Subala then sped a number of arrows at his foe, but the latter quickly cut them off with that excellent scimitar of his as they coursed towards him. Filled with rage (at this), the son of Subala, O king, once more sped at Sutasoma a number of shafts that resembled snakes of virulent poison. Aided by his skill and might, Sutasoma cut off even these with his scimitar, displaying his great activity, and possessed as he was of prowess equal to that of Garuda himself. With a razor-headed arrow of great sharpness, Shakuni then, O king, cut off that bright scimitar of his adversary as the latter careered in circles before him. Thus cut off, (half of) that large scimitar suddenly fell down on the Earth, while half of it, O Bharata, continued in the grasp of Sutasoma. Seeing his sword cut off, the mighty car-warrior Sutasoma retreated six steps and then hurled that half (of the scimitar) which he had in his grasp at his foe. The fragment decked with gold and gems, cutting off the bow, with string, of the illustrious Shakuni, quickly fell down on the Earth. Then Sutasoma went to the great car of Srutakirti. Subala's son also, taking up another formidable and invincible bow, proceeded towards the Pandava army, slaying large numbers of foes (on the way). Beholding the son of Subala careering fearlessly in battle, a loud uproar, O king, arose among the Pandavas in that part of the army. People witnessed those large and proud divisions bristling with arms, routed by the illustrious son of Subala. Even as the chief of the celestials crushed the Daitya army, the son of Subala destroyed that army of the Pandavas.'"

 

 

 

Book 8
Chapter 26

 

 

1 [dur]
      ayaṃ te karṇa sārathyaṃ madrarājaḥ kariṣyati
      kṛṣṇād abhyadhiko yantā devendrasyeva mātaliḥ
  2 yathā harihayair yuktaṃ saṃgṛhṇāti sa mātaliḥ
      śalyas tava tathādyāyaṃ saṃyantā rathavājinām
  3 yodhe tvayi rathasthe ca madrarāje ca sārathau
      rathaśreṣṭho dhruvaṃ saṃkhye pārtho nābhibhaviṣyati
  4 [s]
      tato duryodhano bhūyo madrarājaṃ tarasvinam
      uvāca rājan saṃgrāme saṃyacchantaṃ hayottamān
  5 tvayābhigupto rādheyo vijeṣyati dhanaṃjayam
      ity ukto ratham āsthāya tatheti prāha bhārata
  6 śalye 'bhyupagate karṇaḥ sārathiṃ sumano'bravīt
      svaṃ sūta syandanaṃ mahyaṃ kalpayety asakṛt tvaran
  7 tato jaitraṃ rathavaraṃ gandharvanagaropamam
      vidhivat kalpitaṃ bhartre jayety uktvā nyavedayat
  8 taṃ rathaṃ rathināṃ śreṣṭhaḥ karṇo 'bhyarcya yathāvidhi
      saṃpāditaṃ brahmavidā pūrvam eva purodhasā
  9 kṛtvā pradakṣiṇaṃ yatnād upasthāya ca bhāskaram
      samīpasthaṃ madrarājaṃ samāropayad agrataḥ
  10 tataḥ karṇasya durdharṣaṃ syandanapravaraṃ mahat
     āruroha mahātejāḥ śalyaḥ siṃha ivācalam
 11 tataḥ śalyāsthitaṃ rājan karṇaḥ svaratham uttamam
     adhyatiṣṭhad yathāmbhodaṃ vidyutvantaṃ divākaraḥ
 12 tāv ekaratham ārūḍhāv ādityāgnisamatviṣau
     vyabhrājetāṃ yathā meghaṃ sūryāgnī sahitau divi
 13 saṃstūyamānau tau vīrau tadāstāṃ dyutimattarau
     ṛtvik sadasyair indrāgnī hūyamānāv ivādhvare
 14 sa śalya saṃgṛhītāśve rathe karṇaḥ sthito 'bhavat
     dhanur visphārayan ghoraṃ pariveṣīva bhāskaraḥ
 15 āsthitaḥ sa rathaśreṣṭhaṃ karṇaḥ śaragabhastimān
     prababhau puruṣavyāghro mandarastha ivāṃśumān
 16 taṃ rathasthaṃ mahāvīraṃ yāntaṃ cāmitatejasam
     duryodhanaḥ sma rādheyam idaṃ vacanam abravīt
 17 akṛtaṃ droṇa bhīṣmābhyāṃ duṣkaraṃ karma saṃyuge
     kuruṣvādhirathe vīra miṣatāṃ sarvadhanvinām
 18 manogataṃ mama hy āsīd bhīṣmadroṇau mahārathau
     arjunaṃ bhīmasenaṃ ca nihantārāv iti dhruvam
 19 tābhyāṃ yad akṛtaṃ vīra vīrakarma mahāmṛdhe
     tat karma kuru rādheya vajrapāṇir ivāparaḥ
 20 gṛhāṇa dharmarājaṃ vā jahi vā tvaṃ dhanaṃjayam
     bhīmasenaṃ ca rādheya mādrīputrau yamāv api
 21 jayaś ca te 'stu bhadraṃ ca prayāhi puruṣarṣabha
     pāṇḍuputrasya sainyāni kuru sarvāṇi bhasmasāt
 22 tatas tūryasahasrāṇi bherīṇām ayutāni ca
     vādyamānāny arocanta meghaśabdā yathā divi
 23 pratigṛhya tu tad vākyaṃ rathastho rathasattamaḥ
     abhyabhāṣata rādheyaḥ śalyaṃ yuddhaviśādaram
 24 codayāśvān mahābāho yāvad dhanmi dhanaṃjayam
     bhīmasenaṃ yamau cobhau rājānaṃ ca yudhiṣṭhiram
 25 adya paśyatu me śalya bāhuvīryaṃ dhanaṃjayaḥ
     asyataḥ kaṅkapatrāṇāṃ sahasrāṇi śatāni ca
 26 adya kṣepsyāmy ahaṃ śalya śarān paramatejanān
     pāṇḍavānāṃ vināśāya duryodhana jayāya ca
 27 [ṣalya]
     sūtaputra kathaṃ nu tvaṃ pāṇḍavān avamanyase
     sarvāstrajñān maheṣvāsān sarvān eva mahārathān
 28 anivartino mahābhāgān ajeyān satyavikramān
     api saṃjanayeyur ye bhayaṃ sākṣāc chatakratoḥ
 29 yadā śroṣyasi nirghoṣaṃ visphūrjitam ivāśaneḥ
     rādheya gāṇḍivasyājau tadā naivaṃ vadiṣyasi
 30 [s]
     anādṛtya tu tad vākyaṃ madrarājena bhāṣitam
     drakṣyasy adyety avocad vai śakyaṃ karṇo nareśvara
 31 dṛṣṭvā karṇaṃ maheṣvāsaṃ yuyutsuṃ samavasthitam
     cukruśuḥ kuravaḥ sarve hṛṣṭarūpāḥ paraṃtapa
 32 tato dundubhighoṣeṇa bherīṇāṃ ninadena ca
     bāṇaśabdaiś ca vividhair garjitaiś ca tarasvinām
     niryayus tāvakā yuddhe mṛtyuṃ kṛtvā nivartanam
 33 prayāte tu tataḥ karṇe yodheṣu muditeṣu ca
     cacāla pṛthivī rājan rarāsa ca suvisvaram
 34 niścaranto vyadṛśyanta sūryāt sapta mahāgrahāḥ
     ulkā pātaś ca saṃjajñe diśāṃ dāhas tathaiva ca
     tathāśanyaś ca saṃpetur vavur vātāś ca dāruṇāḥ
 35 mṛgapakṣigaṇāś caiva bahuśaḥ pṛtanāṃ tava
     apasavyaṃ tadā cakrur vedayanto mahad bhayam
 36 prasthitasya ca karṇasya nipetus turagā bhuvi
     asthi varṣaṃ ca patitam antarikṣād bhayānakam
 37 jajvaluś caiva śastrāṇi dhvajāś caiva cakampire
     aśrūṇi ca vyamuñcanta vāhanāni viśāṃ pate
 38 ete cānye ca bahava utpātās tatra māriṣa
     samutpetur vināśāya kauravāṇāṃ sudāruṇāḥ
 39 na ca tān gaṇayām āsuḥ sarve te daivamohitāḥ
     prasthitaṃ sūtaputraṃ ca jayety ūcur narā bhuvi
     nirjitān pāṇḍavāṃś caiva menire tava kauravāḥ
 40 tato rathasthaḥ paravīra hantā; bhīṣmadroṇāv āttavīryau nirīkṣya
     samajvalad bhārata pāvakābho; vaikartano 'sau rathakuñjaro vṛṣaḥ
 41 sa śalyam ābhāṣya jagāda vākyaṃ; pārthasya karmāpratimaṃ ca dṛṣṭvā
     mānena darpeṇa ca dahyamānaḥ; krodhena dīpyann iva niḥśvasitvā
 42 nāhaṃ mahendrād api vajravāṇeḥ; kruddhād bibhemy āttadhanū rathasthaḥ
     dṛṣṭvā tu bhīṣma pramukhāñ śayānān; na tv eva māṃ sthiratā saṃjahāti
 43 mahendra viṣṇupratimāv aninditau; rathāśvanāgapravara pramāthinau
     avadhyakalpau nihatau yadā parais; tato mamādyāpi raṇe 'sti sādhvasam
 44 samīkṣya saṃkhye 'tibālān narādhipair; narāśvamātaṅgarathāñ śarair hatān
     kathaṃ na sarvān ahitān raṇe 'vadhīn; mahāstravid brāhmaṇapuṃgavo guruḥ
 45 sa saṃsmaran droṇa havaṃ mahāhave; bravīmi satyaṃ kuravo nibodhata
     na vo mad anyaḥ prasahed raṇe 'rjunaṃ; kramāgataṃ mṛtyum ivograrūpiṇam
 46 śikṣā prasādaś ca balaṃ dhṛtiś ca; droṇe mahāstrāṇi ca saṃnatiś ca
     sa ced agān mṛtyuvaśaṃ mahātmā; sarvān anyān āturān adya manye
 47 neha dhruvaṃ kiṃ cid api pracintyaṃ; vidur loke karmaṇo 'nitya yogāt
     sūryodaye ko hi vimuktasaṃśayo; garvaṃ kurvītādya gurau nipātite
 48 na nūnam astrāṇi balaṃ parākramaḥ; kriyā sunītaṃ paramāyudhāni vā
     alaṃ manuṣyasya sukhāya vartituṃ; tathā hi yuddhe nihataḥ parair guruḥ
 49 hutāśanāditya samānatejasaṃ; parākrame viṣṇupuraṃdaropamam
     naye bṛhaspatyuśanaḥ samaṃ sadā; na cainam astraṃ tad apāt suduḥsaham
 50 saṃprakruṣṭe ruditastrī kumāre; parābhūte pauruṣe dhārtarāṣṭre
     mayā kṛtyam iti jānāmi śalya; prayāhi tasmād dviṣatām anīkam
 51 yatra rājā pāṇḍavāḥ satyasaṃdho; vyavasthito bhīmasenārjunau ca
     vāsudevaḥ sṛñjayāḥ sātyakiś ca; yamau ca kas tau viṣahen mad anyaḥ
 52 tasmāt kṣipraṃ madrapate prayāhi; raṇe pāñcālān pāṇḍavān sṛñjayāṃś ca
     tān vā haniṣyāmi sametya saṃkhye; yāsyāmi vā droṇa mukhāya manye
 53 na tv evāhaṃ na gamiṣyāmi madhyaṃ; teṣāṃ śūrāṇām iti mā śalyaviddhi
     mitradroho marṣaṇīyo na me 'yaṃ; tyaktvā prāṇān anuyāsyāmi droṇam
 54 prājñasya mūḍhasya ca jīvitānte; prāṇapramokṣo 'ntakavaktragasya
     ato vidvann abhiyāsyāmi pārthaṃ; diṣṭaṃ na śakyaṃ vyativartituṃ vai
 55 kalyāṇa vṛttaḥ satataṃ hi rājan; vaicitravīryasya suto mamāsīt
     tasyārthasiddhyartham ahaṃ tyajāmi; priyān bhogān dustyajaṃ jīvitaṃ ca
 56 vaiyāghracarmāṇam akūjanākṣaṃ; haimatrikośaṃ rajatatriveṇum
     rathaprabarhaṃ turagaprabarhair; yuktaṃ prādān mahyam idaṃ hi rāmaḥ
 57 dhanūṃṣi citrāṇi nirīkṣya śalya; dhvajaṃ gadāṃ sāyakāṃś cograrūpān
     asiṃ ca dīptaṃ paramāyudhaṃ ca; śaṅkhaṃ ca śubhraṃ svanavantam ugram
 58 patākinaṃ vajranipāta nisvanaṃ; sitāśvayuktaṃ śubhatūṇa śobhitam
     imaṃ samāsthāya rathaṃ ratharṣabhaṃ; raṇe haniṣyāmy aham arjunaṃ balāt
 59 taṃ cen mṛtyuḥ sarvaharo 'bhirakṣate; sadā pramattaḥ samare pāṇḍuputram
     taṃ vā haniṣyāmi sametya yuddhe; yāsyāmi vā bhīṣma mukho yamāya
 60 yama varuṇa kubera vāsavā vā; yadi yugapat sagaṇā mahāhave
     jugupiṣava ihaitya pāṇḍavaṃ; kim u bahunā saha tair jayāmi tam
 61 iti raṇarabhasasya katthatas; tad upaniśamya vacaḥ sa madrarāṭ
     avahasad avamanya vīryavān; pratiṣiṣidhe ca jāgāda cottaram
 62 virama virama karṇa katthanād; atirabhaso 'syati cāpy ayuktavāk
     kva ca hi naravaro dhanaṃjayaḥ; kva punar iha tvam upāramābudha
 63 yadusadanam upendra pālitaṃ; tridivam ivāmara rājarakṣitam
     prasabham iha vilokya ko haret; puruṣavarāvarajām ṛte 'rjunāt
 64 tribhuvana sṛjam īśvareśvaraṃ; ka iha pumān bhavam āhvayed yudhi
     mṛgavadha kalahe ṛte 'rjunāt; surapativīryasamaprabhāvataḥ
 65 asurasuramahoragān narān; garuḍa piśāca sayakṣarākṣasān
     iṣubhir ajayad agnigauravāt; svabhilaṣitaṃ ca havir dadau jayaḥ
 66 smarasi nanu yadā parair hṛtaḥ; sa ca dhṛtarāṣṭra suto vimokṣitaḥ
     dinakaraja narottamair yadā; maruṣu bahūn vinihatya tān arīn
 67 prathamam api palāyite tvayi; priya kalahā dhṛtarāṣṭra sūnavaḥ
     smarasi nanu yadā pramocitāḥ; khacara gaṇān avajitya pāṇḍavaiḥ
 68 samudita balavāhanāḥ punaḥ; puruṣavareṇa jitāḥ stha gograhe
     saguru guru sutāḥ sabhīṣmakāḥ; kim u na jitaḥ sa tadā tvayārjunaḥ
 69 idam aparam upasthitaṃ punas; tava nidhanāya suyuddham adya vai
     yadi na ripubhayāt palāyase; samaragato 'dya hato 'si sūtaja
 70 [s]
     iti bahu paruṣaṃ prabhāṣati; pramanasi madrapatau ripustavam
     bhṛśam atiruṣitaḥ paraṃ vṛṣaḥ; kuru pṛtanā patir āha madrapam
 71 bhavatu bhavatu kiṃ vikatthase; nanu mama tasya ca yuddham udyatam
     yadi sa jayati māṃ mahāhave; tata idam astu sukatthitaṃ tava
 72 evam astv iti madreśa uktvā nottaram uktavān
     yāhi madreśa cāpy enaṃ karṇaḥ prāha yuyutsayā
 73 sa rathaḥ prayayau śatrūñ śvetāśvaḥ śalya sārathiḥ
     nighnann amitrān samare tamo ghnan savitā yathā
 74 tataḥ prāyāt prītimān vai rathena; vaiyāghreṇa śvetayujātha karṇaḥ
     sa cālokya dhvajinīṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ; dhanaṃjayaṃ tvarayā paryapṛcchat

 

 

26

"Sanjaya said, 'Kripa, O king, resisted Dhrishtadyumna in battle, like a Sarabha in the forest resisting a proud lion. Checked by the mighty son of Gautama, Prishata's son, O Bharata, could not advance even one step. Beholding Gautama's car in front of Dhrishtadyumna's, all creatures were inspired with fright and regarded the latter's destruction to be at hand. Car-warriors and horsemen, becoming very cheerless, said, "Without doubt, this foremost of men, Sharadvata's son of mighty energy and great intelligence and versed in celestial weapon, is filled with rage at the death of Drona. Will Dhrishtadyumna today escape from the hands of Gautama? Will this vast army escape today this great danger? Will not this brahmana slay all of us together? The form that he has assumed today, even like that of the Destroyer himself, shows that he will today act after the manner of Drona himself. The preceptor Gautama, endued with great lightness of hands, is ever victorious in battle. Possessing a knowledge of weapons, he is endued with great energy and filled with rage." Diverse speeches like these, uttered by the warriors of both the armies were, O monarch, heard there as those two heroes encountered each other. Drawing deep breath in rage, Sharadvata's son Kripa, O king, began to afflict the son of Prishata in all his vital limbs while the latter stood inactive. Struck in that battle by the illustrious Gautama, Dhrishtadyumna, greatly stupefied, knew not what to do. His driver then, addressing him said, "It is not all right with thee, O son of Prishata. Never before have I seen such a calamity overtake thee in battle. It is a lucky chance, it seems, that these shafts, capable of penetrating the very vitals, sped by that foremost of brahmanas aiming at thy vital limbs, are not striking thee. I will presently cause the car to turn back, like the current of a river dashed back by the sea. I think that brahmana, by whom thy prowess hath been annihilated, is incapable of being slain by thee." Thus addressed, Dhrishtadyumna, O king, slowly said, "My mind becometh stupefied, O sire, and perspiration covereth my limbs. My body trembles and my hair stands on end. Avoiding that brahmana in battle, proceed slowly to where Arjuna is, O charioteer; arrived at the presence of either Arjuna or Bhimasena, prosperity may be mine. Even this is my certain conviction." Then, O monarch, the charioteer, urging the steeds, proceeded to the spot where the mighty bowman Bhimasena was battling with thy troops. Beholding the car, O sire, of Dhrishtadyumna speedily moving away from that spot, Gautama followed it, shooting hundreds of shafts. And that chastiser of foes also repeatedly blew his conch. Indeed, he routed the son of Prishata like Indra routing the Danava Namuci.
"'The invincible Shikhandi, the cause of Bhishma's death, was in that battle, resisted by Hridika's son who smiled repeatedly as he fought with the former. Shikhandi, however, encountering the mighty car-warrior of the Hridikas, struck him with five keen and broad-headed shafts at the shoulder-joint. Then the mighty car-warrior Kritavarma filled with rage, pierced his foe with sixty winged arrows. With a single arrow then, he cut off his bow, laughing the while. The mighty son of Drupada, filled with wrath, took up another bow, and addressing the son of Hridika, said, "Wait, Wait." Then, O monarch, Shikhandi sped at his foe ninety shafts of great impetuosity, all equipped with golden wings. Those shafts, however, all recoiled from Kritavarma's armour. Seeing those shafts recoil and scattered on the surface of the Earth, Shikhandi cut off Kritavarma's bow with a keen razor-headed arrow. Filled with wrath he struck the bowless son of Hridika, who then resembled a hornless bull, in the arms and the chest, with eighty arrows. Filled with rage but torn and mangled with shafts, Kritavarma vomited blood through his limbs like a jar disgorging the water with which it is filled. Bathed in blood, the Bhoja king looked beautiful like a mountain, O king, streaked with streams of liquefied red chalk after a shower. The puissant Kritavarma then, taking up another bow with a string and an arrow fixed thereon, struck Shikhandi in his shoulder-joint. With those shafts sticking to his shoulder-joint, Shikhandi looked resplendent like a lordly tree with its spreading branches and twigs. Having pierced each other, the two combatants were bathed in blood, and resembled a couple of bulls that have gored each other with their horns Carefully exerting themselves to slay each other, those two mighty car-warriors moved in a 1,000 circles with their respective cars on that arena. Then Kritavarma, O king, in that encounter, pierced the son of Prishata with seventy shafts all of which were equipped with wings of gold and whetted on stone. The ruler of the Bhojas then, that foremost of smiters, sped with great activity a terrible and fatal shaft at his foe. Struck therewith, Shikhandi quickly swooned away. Overcome with stupefaction, he supported himself by seizing his flag-staff. The driver then of that foremost of car-warriors speedily bore him away from the fight. Scorched with the shaft of Hridika's son he drew breath upon breath repeatedly. After the defeat of the heroic son of Drupada, O lord, the Pandava army, slaughtered on all sides, fled away from the field."

 

 

Book 8
Chapter 27

 

 

 

1 [s]
      prayān eva tadā karṇo harṣayan vāhinīṃ tava
      ekaikaṃ samare dṛṣṭvā pāṇḍavaṃ paryapṛcchata
  2 yo mamādya mahātmānaṃ darśayec chveta vāhanam
      tasmai dadyām abhipretaṃ varaṃ yaṃ manasecchati
  3 sa cet tad abhimanyeta tasmai dadyām ahaṃ punaḥ
      śaktaṭaṃ ratnasaṃpūrṇaṃ yo me brūyād dhanaṃjayam
  4 sa cet tad abhimanyeta puruṣo 'rjuna darśivān
      anyaṃ tasmai punar dadyāṃ sauvarṇaṃ hastiṣaḍgavam
  5 tathā tasmai punar dadyāṃ strīṇāṃ śatam alaṃkṛtam
      śyāmānāṃ niṣkakaṇṭhīnāṃ gītavādya vipaścitām
  6 sa cet tad abhimanyeta puruṣo 'rjuna darśivān
      anyaṃ tasmai varaṃ dadyāṃ śvetān pañca śatān hayān
  7 hemabhāṇḍa paricchannān sumṛṣṭamaṇikuṇḍalān
      sudāntān api caivāhaṃ dadyām aṣṭa śatān parān
  8 rathaṃ ca śubhraṃ sauvarṇaṃ dadyāṃ tasmai svalaṃkṛtam
      yuktaṃ paramakāmbojair yo me brūyād dhanaṃjayam
  9 anyaṃ tasmai varaṃ dadyāṃ kuñjarāṇāṃ śatāni ṣaṭ
      kāñcanair vividhair bhāṇḍair ācchannān hemamālinaḥ
      utpannān aparānteṣu vinītān hastiśikṣakaiḥ
  10 sa cet tad abhimanyeta puruṣo 'rjuna darśivān
     anyaṃ tasmai varaṃ dadyāṃ yam asau kāmayet svayam
 11 putradārān vihārāṃś ca yad anyad vittam asti me
     tac ca tasmai punar dadyāṃ yad yat sa manasecchati
 12 hatvā ca sahitau kṛṣṇau tayor vittāni sarvaśaḥ
     tasmai dadyām ahaṃ yo me prabrūyāt keśavārjunau
 13 etā vācaḥ subahuśaḥ karṇa uccārayan yudhi
     dadhmau sāgarasaṃbhūtaṃ susvanaṃ śaṅkham uttamam
 14 tā vācaḥ sūtaputrasya tathāyuktā niśamya tu
     duryodhano mahārāja prahṛṣṭaḥ sānugo 'bhavat
 15 tato dundubhinirghoṣo mṛdaṅgānāṃ ca sarvaśaḥ
     siṃhanādaḥ savāditraḥ kuñjarāṇām anisvanaḥ
 16 prādurāsīt tadā rājaṃs tvat sainye bharatarṣabha
     yodhānāṃ saṃprahṛṣṭānāṃ tathā samabhavat svanaḥ
 17 tathā prahṛṣṭe sainye tu pravamānaṃ mahāratham
     vikatthamānaṃ samare rādheyam arikarśanam
     madrarājaḥ prahasyevaṃ vacanaṃ prathyabhāṣata
 18 mā sūtaputra mānena sauvarṇaṃ hastiṣaḍgavam
     prayaccha puruṣāyādya drakṣyasi tvaṃ dhanaṃjayam
 19 bālyād iva tvaṃ tyajasi vasu vaiśravaṇo yathā
     ayatnenaiva rādheya draṣṭāsy adya dhanaṃjayam
 20 parāsṛjasi mithyā kiṃ kiṃ ca tvaṃ bahu mūḍhavat
     apātra dāne ye doṣās tān mohān nāvabudhyase
 21 yat pravedayase vittaṃ bahutvena khalu tvayā
     śakyaṃ bahuvidhair yajñair yaṣṭuṃ sūta yajasva taiḥ
 22 yac ca prārthayase hantuṃ kṛṣṇau mohān mṛṣaiva tat
     na hi śuśruma saṃmarde kroṣṭrā siṃhau nipātitau
 23 aprārthitaṃ prārthayase suhṛdo na hi santi te
     ye tvāṃ na vārayanty āśu prapatantaṃ hutāśane
 24 kālakāryaṃ na jānīṣe kālapakvo 'sy asaṃśayam
     bahvabaddham akarṇīyaṃ ko hi brūyāj jijīviṣuḥ
 25 samudrataraṇaṃ dorbhyāṃ kaṇṭhe baddhvā yathā śilām
     giryagrād vā nipatanaṃ tādṛk tava cikīrṣitam
 26 sahitaḥ sarvayodhais tvaṃ vyūḍhānīkaiḥ surakṣitaḥ
     dhanaṃjayena yudhyasva śreyaś cet prāptum icchasi
 27 hitārthaṃ dhārtarāṣṭrasya bravīmi tvā na hiṃsayā
     śraddhatsvaitan mayā proktaṃ yadi te 'sti jijīviṣā
 28 [karṇa]
     svavīrye 'haṃ parāśvasya prārthayāmy arjunaṃ raṇe
     tvaṃ tu mitra mukhaḥ śatrur māṃ bhīṣayitum icchasi
 29 na mām asmād abhiprāyāt kaś cid adya nivartayet
     apīndro vajram udyamya kiṃ nu martyaḥ kariṣyati
 30 [s]
     iti karṇasya vākyānte śalyaḥ prāhottaraṃ vacaḥ
     cukopayiṣur atyarthaṃ karṇaṃ madreśvaraḥ punaḥ
 31 yadā vai tvāṃ phalguna veganunnā; jyā coditā hastavatā visṛṣṭāḥ
     anvetāraḥ kaṅkapatrāḥ śitāgrās; tadā tapsyasy arjunasyābhiyogāt
 32 yadā divyaṃ dhanur ādāya pārthaḥ; prabhāsayan pṛtanāṃ savyasācī
     tvām ardayeta niśitaiḥ pṛṣatkais; tadā paścāt tapsyase sūtaputra
 33 bālaś candraṃ mātur aṅke śayāno; yathā kaś cit prārthayate 'pahartum
     tadvan mohād yatamāno rathasthas; tvaṃ prārthayasy arjunam adya jetum
 34 triśūlam āśliṣya sutīkṣṇadhāraṃ; sarvāṇi gātrāṇi nigharṣasi tvam
     sutīkṣṇadhāropama karmaṇā tvaṃ; yuyutsase yo 'rjunenādya karṇa
 35 siddhaṃ siṃhaṃ kesariṇaṃ bṛhantaṃ; bālo mūḍhaḥ kṣudramṛgas tarasvī
     samāhvayet tadvad etat tavādya; samāhvānaṃ sūtaputrārjunasya
 36 mā sūtaputrāhvaya rājaputraṃ; mahāvīryaṃ kesariṇaṃ yathaiva
     vane sṛgālaḥ piśitasya tṛpto; mā mārtham āsādya vinaṅkṣyasi tvam
 37 īṣādantaṃ mahānāgaṃ prabhinnakaraṭā mukham
     śaśaka āhvayase yuddhe karṇa pārthaṃ dhanaṃjayam
 38 bilasthaṃ kṛṣṇasarpaṃ tvaṃ bālyāt kāṣṭhena vidhyasi
     mahāviṣaṃ pūrṇakośaṃ yat pārthaṃ yoddhum icchasi
 39 siṃhaṃ kesariṇaṃ kruddham atikramyābhinardasi
     sṛgāla iva mūḍhatvān nṛsiṃhaṃ karṇa pāṇḍavam
 40 suparṇaṃ patagaśreṣṭhaṃ vainateyaṃ tarasvinam
     laṭv evāhvayase pāte karṇa pārthaṃ dhanaṃjayam
 41 sarvāmbho nilayaṃ bhīmam ūrmimantaṃ jhaṣāyutam
     candrodaye vivartantam aplavaḥ saṃtitīrṣasi
 42 ṛṣabhaṃ dundubhigrīvaṃ tīkṣṇaśṛṅgaṃ prahāriṇam
     vatsa āhvayase yuddhe karṇa pārthaṃ dhanaṃjayam
 43 mahāghoṣaṃ mahāmeghaṃ darduraḥ pratinardasi
     kāmatoya pradaṃ loke naraparjanyam arjunam
 44 yathā ca svagṛhasthaḥ śvā vyāghraṃ vanagataṃ bhaṣet
     tathā tvaṃ bhaṣase karṇa naravyāghraṃ dhanaṃjayam
 45 sṛgālo 'pi vane karṇa śaśaiḥ parivṛto vasan
     manyate siṃham ātmānaṃ yāvat siṃhaṃ na paśyati
 46 tathā tvam api rādheya siṃham ātmānam icchasi
     apaśyañ śatrudamanaṃ naravyāghraṃ dhanaṃjayam
 47 vyāghraṃ tvaṃ manyase ''tmānaṃ yāvat kṛṣṇau na paśyasi
     samāsthitāv ekarathe sūryacandramasāv iva
 48 yāvad gāṇḍīvanirghoṣaṃ na śṛṇoṣi mahāhave
     tāvad eva tvayā karṇa śakyaṃ vaktuṃ yathecchasi
 49 rathaśabdadhanuḥ śabdair nādayantaṃ diśo daśa
     nardantam iva śārdūlaṃ dṛṣṭvā kroṣṭā bhaviṣyasi
 50 nityam eva sṛgājas tvaṃ nityaṃ siṃho dhanaṃjayaḥ
     vīra pradveṣaṇān mūḍha nityaṃ kroṣṭeva lakṣyase
 51 yathākhuḥ syād biḍālaś ca śvā vyāghraś ca balābale
     yathā sṛgālaḥ siṃhaś ca yathā ca śaśakuñjarau
 52 yathānṛtaṃ ca satyaṃ ca yathā cāpi vṛṣāmṛte
     tathā tvam api pārthaś ca prakhyātāv ātmakarmabhiḥ
 53 [s]
     adhikṣiptas tu rādheyaḥ śalyenāmita tejasā
     śalyam āha susaṃkruddho vākśalyam avadhārayan
 54 guṇān guṇavataḥ śalya guṇavān vetti nāguṇaḥ
     tvaṃ tu nityaṃ guṇair hīnaḥ kiṃ jñāsyasy aguṇo guṇān
 55 arjunasya mahāstrāṇi krodhaṃ vīryaṃ dhanuḥ śarān
     ahaṃ śalyābhijānāmi na tvaṃ jānāsi tat tathā
 56 evam evātmano vīryam ahaṃ vīryaṃ ca pāṇḍave
     jānann evāhvaye yuddhe śalya nāgniṃ pataṃgavat
 57 asti cāyam iṣuḥ śalya supuṅkho rathabhojanaḥ
     ekatūṇī śayaḥ patrī sudhautaḥ samalaṃkṛtaḥ
 58 śete candanapūrṇena pūjito bahulāḥ samāḥ
     āheyo viṣavān ugro narāśvadvipasaṃghahā
 59 ekavīro mahāraudras tanutrāsthi vidāraṇaḥ
     nirbhindyāṃ yena ruṣṭo 'ham api meruṃ mahāgirim
 60 tam ahaṃ jātu nāsyeyam anyasmin phalgunād ṛte
     kṛṣṇād vā devakīputrāt satyaṃ cātra śṛṇuṣva me
 61 tenāham iṣuṇā śalya vāsudevadhanaṃjayau
     yotsye paramasaṃkruddhas tat karma sadṛśaṃ mama
 62 sarveṣāṃ vāsudevānāṃ kṛṣṇe lakṣmīḥ pratiṣṭhitā
     sarveṣāṃ pāṇḍuputrāṇāṃ jayaḥ pārthe pratiṣṭhitaḥ
     ubhayaṃ tat samāsādya ko 'tivartitum arhati
 63 tāv etau puruṣavyāghrau sametau syandane sthitau
     mām ekam abhisaṃyātau sujātaṃ śalya paśya me
 64 pitṛṣvasā mātulajau bhrātarāv aparājitau
     maṇī sūtra iva proktau draṣṭāsi nihatau mayā
 65 arjune gāṇḍivaṃ kṛṣṇe cakraṃ tārkṣya kapidhvajau
     bhīrūṇāṃ trāsajananau śalya harṣakarau mama
 66 tvaṃ tu duṣprakṛtir mūḍho mahāyuddheṣv akovidaḥ
     bhayāvatīrṇaḥ saṃtrāsād abaddhaṃ bahu bhāṣase
 67 saṃstauṣi tvaṃ tu kenāpi hetunā tau kudeśaja
     tau hatvā samare hantā tvām addhā sahabāndhavam
 68 pāpadeśaja durbuddhe kṣudrakṣatriyapāṃsana
     suhṛd bhūtvā ripuḥ kiṃ māṃ kṛṣṇābhyāṃ bhīṣayann asi
 69 tau vā mamādya hantārau hantāsmi samare sthitau
     nāhaṃ bibhemi kṛṣṇābhyāṃ vijānann ātmano balam
 70 vāsudeva sahasraṃ vā phalgunānāṃ śatāni ca
     aham eko haniṣyāmi joṣam āssva kudeśaja
 71 striyo bālāś ca vṛddhāś ca prāyaḥ krīḍā gatā janāḥ
     yā gāthāḥ saṃpragāyanti kurvanto 'dhyayanaṃ yathā
     tā gāthāḥ śṛṇu me śalya madrakeṣu durātmasu
 72 brāhmaṇaiḥ kathitāḥ pūrvaṃ yathāvad rājasaṃnidhau
     śrutvā caikamanā mūḍha kṣama vā brūhi vottamam
 73 mitradhrun madrako nityaṃ yo no dveṣṭi sa madrakaḥ
     madrake saṃgataṃ nāsti kṣudravākye narādhame
 74 durātmā madrako nityaṃ nityaṃ cānṛtiko 'nṛjuḥ
     yāvadantaṃ hi daurātmyaṃ madrakeṣv iti naḥ śrutam
 75 pitā mātā ca putraś ca śvaśrū śvaśura mātulāḥ
     jāmātā duhitā bhrātā naptā te te ca bāndhavāḥ
 76 vayasyābhyāgatāś cānye dāsīdāsaṃ ca saṃgatam
     pumbhir vimiśrā nāryaś ca jñātājñātāḥ svayecchayā
 77 yeṣāṃ gṛheṣu śiṣṭānāṃ saktu manthāśināṃ sadā
     pītvā sīdhuṃ sago māṃsaṃ nardanti ca hasanti ca
 78 yāni caivāpy abaddhāni pravartante ca kāmataḥ
     kāmapralāpino 'nyonyaṃ teṣu dharmaḥ kathaṃ bhavet
 79 madrakeṣu vilupteṣu prakhyātāśubha karmasu
     nāpi vairaṃ na sauhārdaṃ madrakeṣu samācaret
 80 madrake saṃgataṃ nāsti madrako hi sacāpalaḥ
     madrakeṣu ca duḥsparśaṃ śaucaṃ gāndhārakeṣu ca
 81 rājayājaka yājyena naṣṭaṃ dattaṃ havir bhavet
 82 śūdra saṃskārako vipro yathā yāti parābhavam
     tathā brahma dviṣo nityaṃ gacchantīha parābhavam
 83 madrake saṃgataṃ nāsti hataṃ vṛścikato viṣam
     ātharvaṇena mantreṇa sarvā śāntiḥ kṛtā bhavet
 84 iti vṛścika daṣṭasya nānā viṣahatasya ca
     kurvanti bheṣajaṃ prājñāḥ satyaṃ tac cāpi dṛśyate
     evaṃ vidvañ joṣam āssva śṛṇu cātrottaraṃ vacaḥ
 85 vāsāṃsy utsṛjya nṛtyanti striyo yā madya mohitāḥ
     mithune 'saṃyatāś cāpi yathā kāmacarāś ca tāḥ
     tāsāṃ putraḥ kathaṃ dharmaṃ madrako vaktum arhati
 86 yās tiṣṭhantyaḥ pramehanti yathaivoṣṭrī daśerake
     tāsāṃ vibhraṣṭalajjānāṃ nirlajjānāṃ tatas tataḥ
     tvaṃ putras tādṛśīnāṃ hi dharmaṃ vaktum ihecchasi
 87 suvīrakaṃ yācyamānā madrakā kaṣati sphijau
     adātu kāmā vacanam idaṃ vadati dāruṇam
 88 mā mā suvīrakaṃ kaś cid yācatāṃ dayito mama
     putraṃ dadyāṃ pratipadaṃ na tu dadyāṃ suvīrakam
 89 nāryo bṛhatyo nirhrīkā madrakāḥ kambalāvṛtāḥ
     ghasmarā naṣṭaśaucāś ca prāya ity anuśuśruma
 90 evamādi mayānyair vā śakyaṃ vaktuṃ bhaved bahu
     ā keśāgrān nakhāgrāc ca vaktavyeṣu kuvartmasu
 91 madrakāḥ sindhusauvīrā dharmaṃ vidyuḥ kathaṃ tv iha
     pāpadeśodbhavā mlecchā dharmāṇam avicakṣaṇāḥ
 92 eṣa mukhyatamo dharmaḥ kṣatriyasyeti naḥ śrutam
     yad ājau nihataḥ śete sadbhiḥ samabhipūjitaḥ
 93 āyudhānāṃ saṃparāye yan mucyeyam ahaṃ tataḥ
     na me sa prathamaḥ kalpo nidhane svargam icchataḥ
 94 so 'haṃ priyaḥ sakhā cāsmi dhārtarāṣṭrasya dhīmataḥ
     tadarthe hi mama prāṇā yac ca me vidyate vasu
 95 vyaktaṃ tvam apy upahitaḥ pāṇḍavaiḥ pāpadeśaja
     yathā hy amitravat sarvaṃ tvam asmāsu pravartase
 96 kāmaṃ na khalu śakyo 'haṃ tvadvidhānāṃ śatair api
     saṃgrāmād vimukhaḥ kartuṃ dharmajña iva nāstikaiḥ
 97 sāraṅga iva gharmārtaḥ kāmaṃ vilapa śuṣya ca
     nāhaṃ bhīṣayituṃ śakyaḥ kṣatravṛtte vyavasthitaḥ
 98 tanu tyajāṃ nṛsiṃhānām āhaveṣv anivartinām
     yā gatir guruṇā prāṅ me proktā rāmeṇa tāṃ smara
 99 sveṣāṃ trāṇārtham udyuktaṃ vadhāya dviṣatām api
     viddhi mām āsthitaṃ vṛttaṃ paurūrava samuttamam
 100 na tad bhūtaṃ prapaśyāmi triṣu lokeṣu madraka
    yo mām asmād abhiprāyād vārayed iti me matiḥ
101 evaṃ vidvañ joṣam āssva trāsāt kiṃ bahu bhāṣase
    mā tvā hatvā pradāsyāmi kravyādbhyo madrakādhama
102 mitra pratīkṣayā śalya dhārtarāṣṭrasya cobhayoḥ
    apavādatitikṣābhis tribhir etair hi jīvasi
103 punaś ced īddṛśaṃ vākyaṃ madrarājavadiṣyasi
    śiras te pātayiṣyāmi gadayā vajrakalpayā
104 śrotāras tv idam adyeha draṣṭāro vā kudeśaja
    karṇaṃ vā jaghnatuḥ kṛṣṇau karṇo vāpi jaghāna tau
105 evam uktvā tu rādheyaḥ punar eva viśāṃ pate
    abravīn madrarājānaṃ yāhi yāhīty asaṃbhramam

 

27

"Sanjaya said, 'The white steeded (Arjuna) also, O monarch, routed thy force even as the winds, approaching a heap of cotton, scatters it on all sides. Against him rushed the Trigartas, the Sivis, the Kauravas, the Salwas, the samsaptakas, and that force which consisted of the Narayanas. And Satyasena and Candradeva, and Mitradeva and Satrunjaya, and Susruta's son, and Citrasena, and Mitravarman, O Bharata, and the king of the Trigartas surrounded by his brothers and by his sons that were all mighty bowmen accomplished in diverse weapons, suddenly advanced, shooting and scattering showers of shafts in that battle, against Arjuna, like a fierce current of water towards the ocean. Those warriors in hundreds of thousands, approaching Arjuna, seemed to melt away like snakes at sight of Garuda. Though slaughtered in battle, they did not still leave the son of Pandu like insects, O monarch, never receding from a blazing fire. Satyasena, in that encounter, pierced that son of Pandu with three arrows, and Mitradeva pierced him with three and sixty, and Candradeva with seven. And Mitravarman pierced him with three and seventy arrows, and Susruta's son with seven. And Satrunjaya pierced him with twenty, and Susharma with nine. Thus pierced in that encounter by many, Arjuna pierced all those kings in return. Indeed, piercing the son of Susruta with seven arrows, he pierced Satyasena with three, Satrunjaya with twenty and Candradeva with eight, Mitradeva with a hundred, Srutasena with three, Mitravarman with nine, and Susharma with eight. Then slaying king Satrunjaya with a number of arrows whetted on stone, he smote off from his trunk, the head, decked with headgear, of Susruta's son. Without any delay he then, with a number of other shafts, despatched Candradeva to the abode of Yama. As regards the other mighty car-warriors vigorously contending with him, he checked each of them with five arrows. Then Satyasena filled with rage, hurled a formidable lance in that battle aiming at Krishna and uttered a leonine roar. That ironmouthed lance having a golden shaft, piercing through the left arm of the high-souled Madhava, penetrated into the Earth. Madhava being thus pierced with that lance in great battle the goad and the reins, O king, fell down from his hands. Beholding Vasudeva's limb pierced through, Pritha's son Dhananjaya mustered all his wrath and addressing Vasudeva said, "O mighty-armed one, bear the car to Satyasena, O puissant one, so that I may, with keen shafts, despatch him to Yama's abode." The illustrious Keshava then, quickly taking up the goad and the reins, caused the steeds to bear the car to the front of Satyasena's vehicle. Beholding the Ruler of the Universe pierced, Pritha's son Dhananjaya, that mighty car-warrior, checking Satyasena with some keen arrows, cut off with a number of broad-headed shafts of great sharpness, the large head of that king decked with earrings, from off his trunk at the head of the army. Having thus cut off Satyasena's head, he then despatched Citravarman with a number of keen shafts, and then the latter's driver, O sire, with a keen calf-toothed arrow. Filled with rage, the mighty Partha then, with hundreds of shafts, felled the samsaptakas in hundreds and thousands. Then, O king, with a razor-headed arrow equipped with wings of silver, that mighty car-warrior cut off the head of the illustrious Mitrasena. Filled with rage he then struck Susharma in the shoulder-joint. Then all the samsaptakas, filled with wrath, encompassed Dhananjaya on all sides and began to afflict him with showers of weapons and make all the points of the compass resound with their shouts. Afflicted by them thus, the mighty car-warrior Jishnu, of immeasurable soul, endued with prowess resembling that of Sakra himself, invoked the Aindra weapon. From that weapon, thousands of shafts, O king, began to issue continually. Then O king, a loud din was heard of falling cars with standards and quivers and yokes, and axles and wheels and traces with chords, of bottoms of cars and wooden fences around them, of arrows and steeds and spears and swords, and maces and spiked clubs and darts and lances and axes, and Sataghnis equipped with wheels and arrows. Thighs and necklaces and Angadas and Keyuras, O sire, and garlands and cuirasses and coats of mail, O Bharata, and umbrellas and fans and heads decked with diadems lay on the battle-field. Heads adorned with earrings and beautiful eyes, and each resembling the full moon, looked, as they lay on the field, like stars in the firmament. Adorned with sandal-paste, beautiful garlands of flowers and excellent robes, many were the bodies of slain warriors that were seen to lie on the ground. The field of battle, terrible as it was, looked like the welkin teeming with vapoury forms. With the slain princes and kshatriyas of great might and fallen elephants and steeds, the Earth became impassable in that battle as if she were strewn with hills. There was no path on the field for the wheels of the illustrious Pandava's car, engaged as he was in continually slaying his foes and striking down elephants and steeds with his broad-headed shafts. It seemed, O sire, that the wheels of his car stopped in fright at the sight of his own self careering in that battle through that bloody mire. His steeds, however, endued with the speed of the mind or the wind, dragged with great efforts and labour those wheels that had refused to move. Thus slaughtered by Pandu's son armed with the bow, that host fled away almost entirely, without leaving even a remnant, O Bharata, contending with the foe. Having vanquished large numbers of the samsaptakas in battle, Pritha's son Jishnu looked resplendent, like a blazing fire without smoke.'"

 

 

Book 8
Chapter 28

 

 

 

 1 [s]
      māriṣādhiratheḥ śrutvā vaco yuddhābhinandinaḥ
      śalyo 'bravīt punaḥ karṇaṃ nidarśanam udāharan
  2 yathaiva matto madyena tvaṃ tathā na ca vā tathā
      tathāhaṃ tvāṃ pramādyantaṃ cikitsāmi suhṛttayā
  3 imāṃ kākopamāṃ karṇa procyamānāṃ nibodha me
      śrutvā yatheṣṭaṃ kuryās tvaṃ vihīnakulapāṃsana
  4 nāham ātmani kiṃ cid vai kilbiṣaṃ karṇa saṃsmare
      yena tvaṃ māṃ mahābāho hantum icchasy anāgasam
  5 avaśyaṃ tu mayā vācyaṃ budhyatāṃ yadi te hitam
      viśeṣato rathasthena rājñaś caiva hitaiṣiṇā
  6 samaṃ ca viṣamaṃ caiva rathinaś ca balābalam
      śramaḥ khedaś ca satataṃ hayānāṃ rathinā saha
  7 āyudhasya parijñānaṃ rutaṃ ca mṛgapakṣiṇām
      bhāraś cāpy atibhāraś ca śalyānāṃ ca pratikriyā
  8 astrayogaś ca yuddhaṃ ca nimittāni tathaiva ca
      sarvam etan mayā jñeyaṃ rathasyāsya kuṭumbinā
      atas tvāṃ kathaye karṇa nidarśanam idaṃ punaḥ
  9 vaiśyaḥ kila samudrānte prabhūtadhanadhānyavān
      yajvā dānapatiḥ kṣāntaḥ svakarmastho 'bhavac chuciḥ
  10 bahuputraḥ priyāpatyaḥ sarvabhūtānukampakaḥ
     rājño dharmapradhānasya rāṣṭre vasati nirbhayaḥ
 11 putrāṇāṃ tasya bālānāṃ kumārāṇāṃ yaśasvinām
     kāko bahūnām abhavad ucciṣṭa kṛtabhojanaḥ
 12 tasmai sadā prayacchanti vaiśya putrāḥ kumārakāḥ
     māṃsaudanaṃ dadhi kṣīraṃ pāyasaṃ madhusarpiṣī
 13 sa cocchiṣṭa bhṛtaḥ kāko vaiśya putraiḥ kumārakaiḥ
     sadṛśān pakṣiṇo dṛptaḥ śreyasaś cāvamanyate
 14 atha haṃsāḥ samudrānte kadā cid abhipātitaḥ
     garuḍasya gatau tulyāś cakrāṅgā hṛṣṭacetasaḥ
 15 kumārakās tato haṃsān dṛṣṭvā kākam athābruvan
     bhavān eva viśiṣṭo hi patatribhyo vihaṃgama
 16 pratāryamāṇas tu sa tair alpabuddhibhir aṇḍajaḥ
     tad vacaḥ satyam ity eva maurkhyād darpāc ca manyate
 17 tān so 'bhipatya jijñāsuḥ ka eṣāṃ śreṣṭha bhāg iti
     ucchiṣṭa darpitaḥ kāko bahūnāṃ dūrapātinām
 18 teṣāṃ yaṃ pravaraṃ mene haṃsānāṃ dūrapātinām
     tam āhvayata durbuddhiḥ patāma iti pakṣiṇam
 19 tac chrutvā prāhasan haṃsā ye tatrāsan samāgatāḥ
     bhāṣato bahu kākasya balinaḥ patatāṃ varāḥ
     idam ūcuś ca cakrāṅgā vacaḥ kākaṃ vihaṃgamāḥ
 20 vayaṃ haṃsāś carāmemāṃ pṛthivīṃ mānasaukasaḥ
     pakṣiṇāṃ ca vayaṃ nityaṃ dūrapātena pūjitāḥ
 21 kathaṃ nu haṃsaṃ balinaṃ vajrāṅgaṃ dūrapātinam
     kāko bhūtvā nipatane samāhvāyasi durmate
     kathaṃ tvaṃ patanaṃ kāka sahāsmābhir bravīṣi tat
 22 atha haṃsavaco mūḍhaḥ kutsayitvā punaḥ punaḥ
     prajagādottaraṃ kākaḥ katthano jātilāghavāt
 23 śatam ekaṃ ca pātānāṃ patitāsmi na saṃśayaḥ
     śatayojanam ekaikaṃ vicitraṃ vividhaṃ tathā
 24 uḍḍīnam avaḍīnaṃ ca praḍīnaṃ ḍīnam eva ca
     niḍīnam atha saṃḍīnaṃ tiryak cātigatāni ca
 25 viḍīnaṃ pariḍīnaṃ ca parāḍīnaṃ suḍīnakam
     atiḍīnaṃ mahāḍīnaṃ niḍīnaṃ pariḍīnakam
 26 gatāgata pratigatā bahvīś ca nikuḍīnikāḥ
     kartāsmi miṣatāṃ vo 'dya tato drakṣyatha me balam
 27 evam ukte tu kākena prahasyaiko vihaṃgamaḥ
     uvāca haṃsas taṃ kākaṃ vacanaṃ tan nibodha me
 28 śatam ekaṃ ca pātānāṃ tvaṃ kākapatitā dhruvam
     ekam eva tu ye pātaṃ viduḥ sarve vihaṃgamāḥ
 29 tam ahaṃ patitā kākanānyaṃ jānāmi kaṃ cana
     pata tvam api raktākṣa yena vā tena manyase
 30 atha kākāḥ prajahasur ye tatrāsan samāgatāḥ
     katham ekena pātena haṃsaḥ pātaśataṃ jayet
 31 ekenaiva śatasyaikaṃ pātenābhibhaviṣyati
     haṃsasya patitaṃ kāko balavān āśu vikramaḥ
 32 prapetatuḥ spardhayātha tatas tau haṃsavāyasau
     ekapātī ca cakrāṅgaḥ kākaḥ pātaśatena ca
 33 petivān atha cakrāṅkaḥ petivāna tha vāyasaḥ
     visismāpayiṣuḥ pātair ācakṣāṇo ''tmanaḥ kriyām
 34 atha kākasya citrāṇi patitānītarāṇi ca
     dṛṣṭvā pramuditāḥ kākā vinedur atha taiḥ svaraiḥ
 35 haṃsāṃś cāvahasanti sma prāvadann apriyāṇi ca
     utpatyotpatya ca prāhur muhūrtam iti ceti ca
 36 vṛkṣāgrebhyaḥ sthalebhyaś ca nipatanty utpatanti ca
     kurvāṇā vividhān rāvān āśaṃsantas tadā jayam
 37 haṃsas tu mṛdukenaiva vikrāntum upacakrame
     pratyahīyata kākāc ca muhūrtam iva māriṣa
 38 avamanya rayaṃ haṃsān idaṃ vacanam abravīt
     yo 'sāv utpatito haṃsaḥ so 'sāv eva prahīyate
 39 atha haṃsaḥ sa tac chrutvā prāpatat paścimāṃ diśam
     upary upari vegena sāgaraṃ varuṇālayam
 40 tato bhīḥ prāviśat kākaṃ tadā tatra vicetasam
     dvīpadrumān apaśyantaṃ nipatantaṃ śramānvitam
     nipateyaṃ kva nu śrānta iti tasmiñ jalārṇave
 41 aviṣahyaḥ samudro hi bahu sattvagaṇālayaḥ
     mahābhūtaśatodbhāsī nabhaso 'pi viśiṣyate
 42 gāmbhīryād dhi samudrasya na viśeṣaḥ kulādhama
     dig ambarāmbhasāṃ karṇa samudrasthā hi durjayāḥ
     vidūra pātāt toyasya kiṃ punaḥ karṇa vāyasaḥ
 43 atha haṃso 'bhyatikramya muhūrtam iti ceti ca
     avekṣamāṇas taṃ kākaṃ nāśaknod vyapasarpitum
     atikramya ca cakrāṅgaḥ kākaṃ taṃ samudaikṣata
 44 taṃ tathā hīyamānaṃ ca haṃso dṛṣṭvābravīd idam
     ujjihīrṣur nimajjantaṃ smaran satpuruṣavratam
 45 bahūni patanāni tvam ācakṣāṇo muhur muhuḥ
     patasy avyāharaṃś cedaṃ na no guhyaṃ prabhāṣase
 46 kiṃnāma patanaṃ kākayat tvaṃ patasi sāṃpratam
     jalaṃ spṛśasi pakṣābhyāṃ tuṇḍena ca punaḥ punaḥ
 47 sa pakṣābhyāṃ spṛśann ārtas tuṇḍena jalam arṇave
     kāko dṛḍhaṃ pariśrāntaḥ sahasā nipapāta ha
 48 [hamsa]
     śatam ekaṃ ca pātānāṃ yat prabhāṣasi vāyasa
     nānāvidhānīha purā tac cānṛtam ihādya te
 49 [kāka]
     ucchiṣṭa darpito haṃsa manye ''tmānaṃ suparṇavat
     avamanya bahūṃś cāhaṃ kākān anyāṃś ca pakṣiṇaḥ
     prāṇair haṃsaprapadye tvaṃ dvīpātnaṃ prāpayasva mām
 50 yady ahaṃ svastimān haṃsasvadeśaṃ prāpnuyāṃ punaḥ
     na kaṃ cid avamanyeyam āpado māṃ samuddhara
 51 tam evaṃ vādinaṃ dīnaṃ vilapantam acetanam
     kākakāketi vāśantaṃ nimajjantaṃ mahārṇave
 52 tathaitya vāyasaṃ haṃso jalaklinnaṃ sudurdaśam
     padbhyām utkṣipya vepantaṃ pṛṣṭham āropayac chanaiḥ
 53 āropya pṛṣṭhaṃ kākaṃ taṃ haṃsaḥ karṇa vicetasam
     ājagāma punar dvīpaṃ spardhayā petatur yataḥ
 54 saṃsthāpya taṃ cāpi punaḥ samāśvāsya ca khecaram
     gato yathepsitaṃ deśaṃ haṃso mana ivāśugaḥ
 55 ucchiṣṭa bhojanāt kāko yathā vaiśya kule tu saḥ
     evaṃ tvam ucchiṣṭa bhṛto dhārtarāṣṭrair na saṃśayaḥ
     sadṛśāñ śreyasaś cāpi sarvān karṇātimanyase
 56 droṇa drauṇikṛpair gupto bhīṣmeṇānyaiś ca kauravaiḥ
     virāṭanagare pārtham ekaṃ kiṃ nāvadhīs tadā
 57 yatra vyastāḥ samastāś ca nirjitāḥ stha kirīṭinā
     sṛgālā iva siṃhena kva te vīryam abhūt tadā
 58 bhrātaraṃ ca hataṃ dṛṣṭvā nirjitaḥ savyasācinā
     paśyatāṃ kuruvīrāṇāṃ prathamaṃ tvaṃ palāyathāḥ
 59 tathā dvaitavane karṇa gandharvaiḥ samabhidrutaḥ
     kurūn samagrān utsṛjya prathamaṃ tvaṃ palāyathāḥ
 60 hatvā jitvā ca gandharvāṃś citrasenamukhān raṇe
     karṇaduryodhanaṃ pārthaḥ sabhāryaṃ samamocayat
 61 punaḥ prabhāvaḥ pārthasya purāṇaḥ keśavasya ca
     kathitaḥ karṇa rāmeṇa sabhāyāṃ rājasaṃsadi
 62 satataṃ ca tad aśrauṣīr vacanaṃ droṇa bhīṣmayoḥ
     avadhyau vadatoḥ kṛṣṇau saṃnidhau vai mahīkṣitām
 63 kiyantaṃ tatra vakṣyāmi yena yena dhanaṃjayaḥ
     tvatto 'tiriktaḥ sarvebhyo bhūtebhyo brāhmaṇo yathā
 64 idānīm eva draṣṭāsi pradhane syandane sthitau
     putraṃ ca vasudevasya pāṇḍavaṃ ca dhanaṃjayam
 65 devāsuramanuṣyeṣu prakhyātau yau nararṣabhau
     prakāśenābhivikhyātau tvaṃ tu khadyotavan nṛṣu
 66 evaṃ vidvān māvamaṃsthāḥ sūtaputrācyutārjunau
     nṛsiṃhau tau naraśvā tvaṃ joṣam āssva vikatthana

 

28

"Sanjaya said, 'King Duryodhana, O monarch, himself fearlessly received Yudhishthira, as the latter was engaged in shooting large numbers of shafts. The royal Yudhishthira the just, speedily piercing thy son, that mighty car-warrior, as the latter was rushing towards him with impetuosity, addressed him, saying, "Wait, Wait." Duryodhana, however, pierced Yudhishthira, in return, with nine keen arrows, and filled with great wrath, struck Yudhishthira's driver also with a broad-headed shaft. Then king Yudhishthira sped at Duryodhana three and ten arrows equipped with wings of gold and whetted on stone. With four shafts that mighty car-warrior then slew the four steeds of his foe, and with the fifth he cut off from his trunk the head of Duryodhana's driver. With the sixth arrow he felled the (Kuru) king's standard on the Earth, with the seventh his bow, and with the eighth his scimitar. And then with five more shafts king Yudhishthira the just deeply afflicted the Kuru monarch. Thy son, then, alighting from that steedless car, stood on the Earth in imminent danger. Beholding him in that situation of great peril, Karna and Drona's son and Kripa and others rushed suddenly towards the spot, desirous of rescuing the king. Then the (other) sons of Pandu, surrounding Yudhishthira, all proceeded to the encounter, upon which, O king, a fierce battle was fought. Thousands of trumpets then were blown in that great engagement, and a confused din of myriad voices arose there, O king. There where the Pancalas engaged the Kauravas, in battle, men closed with men, and elephants with foremost of elephants. And car-warriors closed with car-warriors, and horse with horse. And the various couples of battling men and animals, of great prowess and armed with diverse kinds of weapons and possessed of great skill presented a beautiful sight, O king, over the field. All those heroes endued with great impetuosity and desirous of compassing the destruction of one another, fought beautifully and with great activity and skill. Observing the (sanctioned) practices of warriors, they slew one another in battle. None of them fought from behind others. For only a very short time that battle presented a beautiful aspect. Soon it became an encounter of mad men, in which the combatants showed no regard for one another. The car-warrior, approaching the elephant, pierced the latter with keen shafts and despatched it to Yama's presence by means of straight arrows. Elephants, approaching steeds, dragged down many of them in that battle, and tore them (with their tusks) most fiercely in diverse places. Large numbers of horsemen also, encompassing many foremost of steeds, made a loud noise with their palms, and closed with them. And those horsemen slew those steeds as they ran hither and thither, as also many huge elephants as these wandered over the field, from behind and the flanks. Infuriate elephants, O king, routing large numbers of steeds, slew them with their tusks or crushed them with great force. Some elephants, filled with wrath pierced with their tusks horses with horsemen. Others seizing such with great force hurled them to the ground with violence. Many elephants, struck by foot-soldiers availing of the proper opportunities, uttered terrible cries of pain and fled away on all sides. Among the foot-soldiers that fled away in that great battle throwing down their ornaments, there were many that were quickly encompassed on the field. Elephant-warriors, riding on huge elephants, understanding indications of victory, wheeled their beasts and causing them to seize those beautiful ornaments, made the beasts to pierce them with their tusks. Other foot-soldiers endued with great impetuosity and fierce might, surrounding those elephant-warriors thus engaged in those spots began to slay them. Others in that great battle, thrown aloft into the air by elephants with their trunks, were pierced by those trained beasts with the points of their tusks as they fell down. Others, suddenly seized by other elephants, were deprived of life with their tusks. Others, borne away from their own divisions into the midst of others, were, O king, mangled by huge elephants which rolled them repeatedly on the ground. Others, whirled on high like fans, were slain in that battle. Others, hither and thither on the field, that stood full in front of other elephants had their bodies exceedingly pierced and torn. Many elephants were deeply wounded with spears and lances and darts in their cheeks and frontal globes and parts between their tusks. Exceedingly afflicted by fierce car-warriors and horsemen stationed on their flanks, many elephants, ripped open, fell down on the Earth. In that dreadful battle many horsemen on their steeds, striking foot-soldiers with their lances, pinned them down to the Earth or crushed them with great force. Some elephants, approaching mail-clad car-warriors, O sire, raised them aloft from their vehicles and hurled them down with great force upon the Earth in that fierce and awful fight. Some huge elephants slain by means of cloth-yard shafts, fell down on the Earth like mountain summits riven by thunder. Combatants, encountering combatants, began to strike each other with their fists, or seizing each other by the hair, began to drag and throw down and mangle each other. Others, stretching their arms and throwing down their foes on the Earth, placed their feet on their chests and with great activity cut off their heads. Some combatant, O king, struck with his feet some foe that was dead, and some, O king, struck off with his sword, the head of a falling foe, and some thrust his weapon into the body of a living foe. A fierce battle took place there, O Bharata, in which the combatants struck one another with fists or seized one another's hair or wrestled with one another with bare arms. In many instances, combatants, using diverse kinds of weapons, took the lives of combatants engaged with others and, therefore, unperceived by them. During the progress of that general engagement when all the combatants were mangled in battle, hundreds and thousands of headless trunks stood up on the field. Weapons and coats of mail, drenched with gore, looked resplendent, like cloths dyed with gorgeous red. Even thus occurred that fierce battle marked by the awful clash of weapons. Like the mad and roaring current of the Ganga it seemed to fill the whole universe with its uproar. Afflicted with shafts, the warriors failed to distinguish friends from foes. Solicitous of victory, the kings fought on because they fought that fight they should. The warriors slew both friends and foes, with whom they came in contact. The combatants of both the armies were deprived of reason by the heroes of both the armies assailing them with fury. With broken cars, O monarch, the fallen elephants, and steeds lying on the ground, and men laid low, the Earth, miry with gore and flesh, and covered with streams of blood, soon became impassable, Karna slaughtered the Pancalas while Dhananjaya slaughtered the Trigartas. And Bhimasena, O king, slaughtered the Kurus and all the elephant divisions of the latter. Even thus occurred that destruction of troops of both the Kurus and the Pandavas, both parties having been actuated by the desire of winning great fame, at that hour when the Sun had passed the meridian.'"

 

 

 

Book 8
Chapter 29

1 [s]
      madrādhipasyādhirathis tadaivaṃ; vaco niśamyāpriyam apratītaḥ
      uvāca śalyaṃ viditaṃ mamaitad; yathāvidhāv arjuna vāsudevau
  2 śaure rathaṃ vāhayato 'rjunasya; balaṃ mahāstrāṇi ca pāṇḍavasya
      ahaṃ vijānāmi yathāvad adya; parokṣabhūtaṃ tava tat tu śalyal
  3 tau cāpradhṛṣyau śastrabhṛtāṃ variṣṭhau; vyapetabhīr yodhayiṣyāmi kṛṣṇau
      saṃtāpayaty abhyadhikaṃ tu rāmāc; chāpo 'dya māṃ brāhmaṇasattamāc ca
  4 avātsaṃ vai brāhmaṇac chadmanāhaṃ; rāme purā divyam astraṃ cikīrṣuḥ
      tatrāpi me devarājena vighno; hitārthinā phalgunasyaiva śalya
  5 kṛto 'vabhedena mamorum etya; praviśya kīṭasya tanuṃ virūpām
      guror bhayāc cāpi na celivān ahaṃ; tac cāvabuddho dadṛśe sa vipraḥ
  6 pṛṣṭhaś cāhaṃ tam avocaṃ maharṣiṃ; sūto 'ham asmīti sa māṃ śaśāpa
      sūtopadhāv āptam idaṃ tvayāstraṃ; na karmakāle pratibhāsyati tvām
  7 anyatra yasmāt tava mṛtyukālād; abrāhmaṇe brahma na hi dhruvaṃ syāt
      tad adya paryāptam atīva śastram; asmin saṃgrāme tumule tāta bhīme
  8 apāṃ patir vegavān aprameyo; nimajjayiṣyan nivahān prajānām
      mahānagaṃ yaḥ kurute samudraṃ; velaiva taṃ vārayaty aprameyam
  9 pramuñcantaṃ bāṇasaṃghān amoghān; marmac chido vīra haṇaḥ sapatrān
      kuntīputraṃ pratiyotsyāmi yuddhe; jyā karṣiṇām uttamam adya loke
  10 evaṃ balenātibalaṃ mahāstraṃ; samudrakalpaṃ sudurāpam ugram
     śaraughiṇaṃ pārthivān majjayantaṃ; veleva pārtham iṣubhiḥ saṃsahiṣye
 11 adyāhave yasya na tulyam anyaṃ; manye manuṣyaṃ dhanur ādadānam
     surāsurān vai yudhi yo jayeta; tenādya me paśya yuddhaṃ sughoram
 12 atimānī pāṇḍavo yuddhakāmo; amānuṣair eṣyati me mahāstraiḥ
     tasyāstram astrair abhihatya saṃkhye; śarottamaiḥ pātayiṣyāmi pārtham
 13 divākareṇāpi samaṃ tapantaṃ; samāptaraśmiṃ yaśasā jvalantam
     tamonudaṃ megha ivātimātro; dhanaṃjayaṃ chādayiṣyāmi bāṇaiḥ
 14 vaiśvānaraṃ dhūmaśikhaṃ jvalantaṃ; tejasvinaṃ lokam imaṃ dahantam
     megho bhūtvā śaravarṣair yathāgniṃ; tathā pārthaṃ śamayiṣyāmi yuddhe
 15 pramāthinaṃ balavantaṃ prahāriṇaṃ; prabhañjanaṃ mātariśvānam ugram
     yuddhe sahiṣye himavān ivācalo; dhanaṃjayaṃ kruddham amṛṣyamāṇam
 16 viśāradaṃ rathamārgeṣv asaktaṃ; dhuryaṃ nityaṃ samareṣu pravīram
     loke varaṃ sarvadhanurdharāṇāṃ; dhanaṃjayaṃ saṃyuge saṃsahiṣye
 17 adyāhave yasya na tulyam anyaṃ; madhye manuṣyaṃ dhanur ādadānam
     sarvām imāṃ yaḥ pṛthivīṃ saheta; tathā vidvān yotsyamāno 'smi tena
 18 yaḥ sarvabhūtāni sadevakāni; prasthe 'jayat khāṇḍave savyasācī
     ko jīvitaṃ rakṣamāṇo hi tena; yuyutsate mām ṛte mānuṣo 'nyaḥ
 19 ahaṃ tasya pauruṣaṃ pāṇḍavasya; brūyāṃ hṛṣṭaḥ samitau kṣatriyāṇām
     kiṃ tvaṃ mūrkhaḥ prabhaṣan mūḍha cetā; mām avocaḥ pauruṣam arjunasya
 20 apriyo yaḥ paruṣo niṣṭhuro hi; kṣudraḥ kṣeptā kṣamiṇaś cākṣamāvān
     hanyām ahaṃ tādṛśānāṃ śatāni; kṣamāmi tvāṃ kṣamayā kālayogāt
 21 avocas tvaṃ pāṇḍavārthe 'priyāṇi; pradharṣayan māṃ mūḍhavat pāpakarman
     mayy ārjave jihmagatir hatas tvaṃ; mitradrohī sapta padaṃ hi mitram
 22 kālas tv ayaṃ mṛtyumayo 'tidāruṇo; duryodhano yuddham upāgamad yat
     tasyārthasiddhim abhikāṅkṣamāṇas; tam abhyeṣye yatra naikāntyam asti
 23 mitraṃ mider nandateḥ prīyater vā; saṃtrāyater mānada modater vā
     bravīti tac cāmuta vipra pūrvāt; tac cāpi sarvaṃ mama duryodhane 'sti
 24 śatruḥ śadeḥ śāsateḥ śāyater vā; śṛṇāter vā śvayater vāpi sarge
     upasargād bahudhā sūdateś ca; prāyeṇa sarvaṃ tvayi tac ca mahyam
 25 duryodhanārthaṃ tava cāpriyārthaṃ; yaśo'rtham ātmārtham apīśvarārtham
     tasmād ahaṃ pāṇḍava vāsudevau; yotsye yatnāt karma tat paśya me 'dya
 26 astrāṇi paśyādya mamottamāni; brāhmāṇi divyāny atha mānuṣāṇi
     āsādayiṣyāmy aham ugravīryaṃ; dvipottamaṃ mattam ivābhimattaḥ
 27 astraṃ brāhmaṃ manasā tad dhyajayyaṃ; kṣepsye pārthāyāpratimaṃ jayāya
     tenāpi me naiva mucyeta yuddhe; na cet pated viṣame me 'dya cakram
 28 vaivasvatād daṇḍahastād varuṇād vāpi pāśinaḥ
     sagadād vā dhanapateḥ savarjād vāpi vāsavāt
 29 nānyasmād api kasmāc cid bibhimo hy ātatāyinaḥ
     iti śalya vijānīhi yathā nāhaṃ bibhemy abhīḥ
 30 tasmād bhayaṃ na me pārthān nāpi caiva janārdanāt
     adya yuddhaṃ hi tābhyāṃ me saṃparāye bhaviṣyati
 31 śvabhre te patatāṃ cakram iti me brāhmaṇo 'vadat
     yudhyamānasya saṃgrāme prāptasyaikāyane bhayam
 32 tasmād bibhemi balavad brāhmaṇa vyāhṛtād aham
     ete hi somarājāna īśvarāḥ sukhaduḥkhayoḥ
 33 homadhenvā vatsam asya pramatta iṣuṇāhanam
     carantam ajane śalya brāhmaṇāt tapaso nidheḥ
 34 īṣādantān saptaśatān dāsīdāsa śatāni ca
     dadato dvijamukhyāya prasādaṃ na cakāra me
 35 kṛṣṇānāṃ śvetavatsānāṃ sahasrāṇi caturdaśa
     āharan na labhe tasmāt prasādaṃ dvijasattamāt
 36 ṛddhaṃ gehaṃ sarvakāmair yac ca me vasu kiṃ cana
     tat sarvam asmai satkṛtya prayacchāmi na cecchati
 37 tato 'bravīn māṃ yācantam aparāddhaṃ prayatnataḥ
     vyāhṛtaṃ yan mayā sūta tat tathā na tad anyathā
 38 anṛtoktaṃ prajā hanyāt tataḥ pāpam avāpnuyāt
     tasmād dharmābhirakṣārthaṃ nānṛtaṃ vakktum utsahe
 39 mā tvaṃ brahma gatiṃ hiṃsyāḥ prāyaścittaṃ kṛtaṃ tvayā
     madvākyaṃ nānṛtaṃ loke kaś cit kuryāt samāpnuhi
 40 ity etat te mayā proktaṃ kṣiptenāpi suhṛttayā
     jānāmi tvādhikṣipantaṃ joṣam āssvottaraṃ śṛṇu

29

"Dhritarashtra said, 'I have heard from thee, O Sanjaya, of many poignant and unbearable griefs as also of the losses sustained by my sons. From what thou hast said unto me, from the manner in which the battle has been fought, it is my certain conviction, O Suta, that the Kauravas are no more. Duryodhana was made carless in that dreadful battle. How did Dharma's son (then) fight, and how did the royal Duryodhana also fight in return? How also occurred that battle which was fought in the afternoon? Tell me all this in detail, for thou art skilled in narration, O Sanjaya.'
"Sanjaya said, 'When the troops of both armies were engaged in battle, according to their respective divisions, thy son Duryodhana, O king, riding on another car and filled with rage like a snake of virulent poison, beholding king Yudhishthira the just, quickly addressed his own driver, O Bharata, saying, "Proceed, proceed, quickly take me there, O driver, where the royal son of Pandu, clad in mail shineth under yon umbrella held over his head." Thus urged by the king, the driver, in that battle, quickly urged his royal master's goodly car towards the face of Yudhishthira. At this, Yudhishthira also, filled with rage and looking like an infuriate elephant, urged his own driver saying, "Proceed to where Suyodhana is." Then those two heroes and brothers and foremost of car-warriors encountered each other. Both endued with great energy, both filled with wrath, both difficult of defeat in battle, approaching each other, those two great bowmen began to mangle each other with their arrows in that battle. Then king Duryodhana, in that encounter, O sire, with a broad-headed arrow whetted on stone, cut in twain the bow of the virtuous monarch. Filled with rage, Yudhishthira could not brook that insult. Casting aside his broken bow, with eyes red in wrath, Dharma's son took up another bow at the head of his forces, and then cut off Duryodhana's standard and bow. Duryodhana then, taking up another bow, pierced the son of Pandu. Filled with rage, they continued to shoot showers of shafts at each other. Desirous of vanquishing each other, they resembled a pair of angry lions. They struck each other in that battle like a couple of roaring bulls. Those mighty car-warriors continued to career, expecting to find each other's lapses. Then wounded with shafts sped from bows drawn to their fullest stretch the two warriors, O king, looked resplendent like flowering Kinsukas. They then, O king, repeatedly uttered leonine roars. Those two rulers of men, in that dreadful battle, also made loud sounds with their palms and caused their bows to twang loudly. And they blew their conchs too with great force. And they afflicted each other very much. Then king Yudhishthira, filled with rage, struck thy son in the chest with three irresistible shafts endued with force of thunder. Him, however, thy royal son quickly pierced, in return, with five keen shafts winged with gold and whetted on stone. Then king Duryodhana, O Bharata, hurled a dart capable of slaying everybody, exceedingly keen, and resembling a large blazing brand. As it advanced, king Yudhishthira the just, with sharp shafts, speedily cut it off into three fragments, and then pierced Duryodhana also with five arrows. Equipped with golden staff, and producing a loud whizz, that dart then fell down, and while falling, looked resplendent like a large brand with blazing flames. Beholding the dart baffled, thy son, O monarch, struck Yudhishthira with nine sharp and keen-pointed arrows. Pierced deeply by his mighty foe, that scorcher of foes quickly took up an arrow for aiming it at Duryodhana. The mighty Yudhishthira then placed that arrow on his bow-string. Filled with rage and possessed of great valour, the son of Pandu then shot it at his foe. That arrow, striking thy son, that mighty car-warrior, stupefied him and then (passing through his body) entered the Earth. Then Duryodhana, filled with wrath, uplifting a mace of great impetuosity, rushed at king Yudhishthira the just, for ending the hostilities (that raged between the Kurus and the Pandus). Beholding him armed with that uplifted mace and resembling Yama himself with his bludgeon, king Yudhishthira the just hurled at thy son a mighty dart blazing with splendour, endued with great impetuosity, and looking like a large blazing brand. Deeply pierced in the chest by that dart as he stood on his car, the Kuru prince, deeply pained, fell down and swooned away. Then Bhima, recollecting his own vow, addressed Yudhishthira, saying, "This one should not be slain by thee, O king." At this Yudhishthira abstained from giving his foe the finishing blow. At that time Kritavarma, quickly advancing, came upon thy royal son then sunk in an ocean of calamity. Bhima then, taking up a mace adorned with gold and flaxen chords, rushed impetuously towards Kritavarma in that battle. Thus occurred the battle between thy troops and the foe on that afternoon, O monarch, every one of the combatants being inspired with the desire of victory.'"

Book 8
Chapter 30

1 [s]
      tataḥ punar mahārāja madrarājam ariṃdamam
      abhyabhāṣata rādheyaḥ saṃnivāryottaraṃ vacaḥ
  2 yat tvaṃ nidarśanārthaṃ māṃ śalya jalpitavān asi
      nāhaṃ śakyas tvayā vācā vibhīṣayitum āhave
  3 yadi māṃ devatāḥ sarvā yodhayeyuḥ savāsavāḥ
      tathāpi me bhayaṃ na syāt kim u pārthāt sakeśavāt
  4 nāhaṃ bhīṣayituṃ śakyo vān mātreṇa kathaṃ cana
      anyaṃ jānīhi yaḥ śakyas tvayā bhīṣayituṃ raṇe
  5 nīcasya balam etāvat pāruṣyaṃ yat tvam āttha mām
      aśakto 'smad guṇān prāptuṃ valgase bahu durmate
  6 na hi karṇaḥ samudbhūto bhayārtham iha māriṣa
      vikramārtham ahaṃ jāto yaśo'rthaṃ ca tathaiva ca
  7 idaṃ tu me tvam ekāgraḥ śṛṇu madrajanādhipa
      saṃnidhau dhṛtarāṣṭrasya procyamānaṃ mayā śrutam
  8 deśāṃś ca vividhāṃś citrān pūrvavṛttāṃś ca pārthivān
      brāhmaṇāḥ kathayantaḥ sma dhṛtarāṣṭham upāsate
  9 tatra vṛddhaḥ purāvṛttāḥ kathāḥ kāś cid dvijottamaḥ
      bāhlīka deśaṃ madrāṃś ca kutsayan vākyam abravīt
  10 bahiṣkṛtā himavatā gaṅgayā ca tiraskṛtāḥ
     sarasvatyā yamunayā kurukṣetreṇa cāpi ye
 11 pañcānāṃ sindhuṣaṣṭhānāṃ nadīnāṃ ye 'ntar āśritāḥ
     tān dharmabāhyān aśucīn bāhlīkān parivarjayet
 12 govardhano nāma vaṭaḥ subhāṇḍaṃ nāma catvaram
     etad rājakuladvāram ākumāraḥ smarāmy aham
 13 kāryeṇātyartha gāḍhena bāhlīkeṣūṣitaṃ mayā
     tata eṣāṃ samācāraḥ saṃvāsād vidito mama
 14 śākalaṃ nāma nagaram āpagā nāma nimnagā
     jartikā nāma bāhlīkās teṣāṃ vṛttaṃ suninditam
 15 dhānā gauḍāsave pītvā gomāṃsaṃ laśunaiḥ saha
     apūpa māṃsavāṭyānām āśinaḥ śīlavarjitāḥ
 16 hasanti gānti nṛtyanti strībhir mattā vivāsasaḥ
     nagarāgāra vapreṣu bahir mālyānulepanāḥ
 17 mattāvagītair vividhaiḥ kharoṣṭraninadopamaiḥ
     āhur anyonyam uktāni prabruvāṇā madotkaṭāḥ
 18 hāhate hāhatety eva svāmibhartṛhateti ca
     ākrośantyaḥ pranṛtyanti mandāḥ parvasv asaṃyatāḥ
 19 teṣāṃ kilāvaliptānāṃ nivasan kurujāṅgale
     kaś cid bāhlīka mukhyānāṃ nātihṛṣṭamanā jagau
 20 sā nūnaṃ bṛhatī gaurī sūkṣmakambalavāsinī
     mām anusmaratī śete bāhlīkaṃ kuru vāsinam
 21 śatadruka nadīṃ tīrtvā tāṃ ca ramyām irāvatīm
     gatvā svadeśaṃ drakṣyāmi sthūlaśaṅkhāḥ śubhāḥ striyaḥ
 22 manaḥśilojjvalāpāṅgā gauryas trikakudāñjanāḥ
     kevalājinasaṃvītāḥ kūrdantyaḥ priyadarśanāḥ
 23 mṛdaṅgānaka śaṅkhānāṃ mardalānāṃ ca nisvanaiḥ
     kharoṣṭrāśvataraiś caiva mattā yāsyāmahe sukham
 24 śamī pīlu karīrāṇāṃ vaneṣu sukhavartmasu
     apūpān saktu piṇḍīś ca khādanto mathitānvitāḥ
 25 pathiṣu prabalā bhūtvā kadāsa mṛdite 'dhvani
     khalopahāraṃ kurvāṇās tāḍayiṣyāma bhūyasaḥ
 26 evaṃ hīneṣu vrātyeṣu bāhlīkeṣu durātmasu
     kaś cetayāno nivasen muhūrtam api mānavaḥ
 27 īdṛśā brāhmaṇenoktā bāhlīkā moghacāriṇaḥ
     yeṣāṃ ṣaḍbhāgahartā tvam ubhayoḥ śubhapāpayoḥ
 28 ity uktvā brāhmaṇaḥ sādhur uttaraṃ punar uktavān
     bāhlīkeṣv avinīteṣu procyamānaṃ nibodhata
 29 tatra sma rākṣasī gāti sadā kṛṣṇa caturdaśīm
     nagare śākale sphīte āhatya niśi dundubhim
 30 kadā vā ghoṣikā gāthāḥ punar gāsyanti śākale
     gavyasya tṛptā māṃsasya pītvā gauḍaṃ mahāsavam
 31 gaurībhiḥ saha nārībhir bṛhatībhiḥ svalaṃkṛtāḥ
     palāṇḍu gāṇḍūṣa yutān khādante caiḍakān bahūn
 32 vārāhaṃ kaukkuṭaṃ māṃsaṃ gavyaṃ gārdabham auṣṭrakam
     aiḍaṃ ca ye na khādanti teṣāṃ janma nirarthakam
 33 iti gāyanti ye mattāḥ śīdhunā śākalāvataḥ
     sabālavṛddhāḥ kūrdantas teṣu vṛttaṃ kathaṃ bhavet
 34 iti śalya vijānīhi hanta bhūyo bravīmi te
     yad anyo 'py uktavān asmān brāhmaṇaḥ kurusaṃsadi
 35 pañca nadyo vahanty etā yatra pīlu vanāny api
     śatadruś ca vipāśā ca tṛtīyerāvatī tathā
     candra bhāgā vitastā ca sindhuṣaṣṭhā bahir gatāḥ
 36 āraṭṭā nāma te deśā naṣṭadharmān na tān vrajet
     vrātyānāṃ dāsamīyānāṃ videhānām ayajvanām
 37 na devāḥ pratigṛhṇanti pitaro brāhmaṇās tathā
     teṣāṃ pranaṣṭadharmāṇāṃ bāhlīkānām iti śrutiḥ
 38 brāhmaṇena tathā proktaṃ viduṣā sādhu saṃsadi
     kāṣṭhakuṇḍeṣu bāhlīkā mṛṇmayeṣu ca bhuñjate
     saktu vāṭyāvalipteṣu śvādi līḍheṣu nirghṛṇāḥ
 39 āvikaṃ cauṣṭrikaṃ caiva kṣīraṃ gārdabham eva ca
     tad vikārāṃś ca bāhlīkāḥ khādanti ca pibanti ca
 40 putra saṃkariṇo jālmāḥ sarvān nakṣīra bhojanāḥ
     āraṭṭā nāma bāhlīkā varjanīyā vipaścitā
 41 uta śalya vijānīhi hanta bhūyo bravīmi te
     yad anyo 'py uktavān sabhyo brāhmaṇaḥ kurusaṃsadi
 42 yugaṃ dhare payaḥ pītvā proṣya cāpy acyutasthale
     tadvad bhūtilaye snātvā kathaṃ svargaṃ gamiṣyati
 43 pañca nadyo vahanty etā yatra niḥsṛtya parvatāt
     āraṭṭā nāma bāhlīkā na teṣv āryo dvyahaṃ vaset
 44 bahiś ca nāma hlīkaś ca vipāśāyāṃ piśācakau
     tayor apatyaṃ bāhlīkā naiṣā sṛṣṭiḥ prajāpateḥ
 45 kāraḥ karān mahiṣakān kaliṅgān kīkaṭāṭavīn
     karkoṭakān vīrakāṃś ca durdharmāṃś ca vivarjayet
 46 iti tīrthānusartāraṃ rākṣasī kā cid abravīt
     ekarātrā śamī gehe maholūkhala mekhalā
 47 āraṭṭā nāma te deśā bāhlīkā nāma te janāḥ
     vasāti sindhusauvīrā iti prāyo vikutsitāḥ
 48 uta śalya vijānīhi hanta bhūyo bravīmi te
     ucyamānaṃ mayā samyak tad ekāgramanāḥ śṛṇu
 49 brāhmaṇaḥ śilpino geham abhyagacchat purātithiḥ
     ācāraṃ tatra saṃprekṣya prītaḥ śilpinam abravīt
 50 mayā himavataḥ śṛṅgam ekenādhyuṣitaṃ ciram
     dṛṣṭāś ca bahavo deśā nānādharmasamākulāḥ
 51 na ca kena ca dharmeṇa virudhyante prajā imāḥ
     sarve hi te 'bruvan dharmaṃ yathoktaṃ vedapāragaiḥ
 52 aṭatā tu sadā deśān nānādharmasamākulān
     āgacchatā mahārāja bāhlīkeṣu niśāmitam
 53 tatraiva brāhmaṇo bhūtvā tato bhavati kṣatriyaḥ
     vaiśyaḥ śūdraś ca bāhlīkas tato bhavati nāpitaḥ
 54 nāpitaś ca tato bhūtvā punar bhavati brāhmaṇaḥ
     dvijo bhūtvā ca tatraiva punar dāso 'pi jāyate
 55 bhavaty ekaḥ kule vipraḥ śiṣṭānye kāmacāriṇaḥ
     gāndhārā madrakāś caiva bāhlīkāḥ ke 'py acetasaḥ
 56 etan mayā śrutaṃ tatra dharmasaṃkarakārakam
     kṛtsnām aṭitvā pṛthivīṃ bāhlīkeṣu viparyayaḥ
 57 uta śalya vijānīhi hanta bhūyo bravīmi te
     yad apy anyo 'bravīd vākyaṃ bāhlīkānāṃ vikutsitam
 58 satī purā hṛtā kā cid āraṭṭā kila dasyubhiḥ
     adharmataś copayātā sā tān abhyaśapat tataḥ
 59 bālāṃ bandhumatīṃ yan mām adharmeṇopagacchatha
     tasmān nāryo bhaviṣyanti bandhakyo vai kuleṣu vaḥ
     na caivāsmāt pramokṣyadhvaṃ ghorāt pāpān narādhamāḥ
 60 kuravaḥ sahapāñcālāḥ śālvā matsyāḥ sanaimiṣāḥ
     kosalāḥ kāśayo 'ṅgāś ca kaliṅgā magadhās tathā
 61 cedayaś ca mahābhāgā dharmaṃ jānanti śāśvatam
     nānādeśeṣu santaś ca prāyo bāhyā layād ṛte
 62 ā matsyebhyaḥ kurupāñcāladeśyā; ā naimiṣāc cedayo ye viśiṣṭāḥ
     dharmaṃ purāṇam upajīvanti santo; madrān ṛte pañca nadāṃś ca jihmān
 63 evaṃ vidvan dharmakathāṃś ca rājaṃs; tūṣṇīṃbhūto jaḍavac chalya bhūyāh
     tvaṃ tasya goptā ca janasya rājā; ṣaḍbhāgahartā śubhaduṣkṛtasya
 64 atha vā duṣkṛtasya tvaṃ hartā teṣām arakṣitā
     rakṣitā puṇyabhāg rājā prajānāṃ tvaṃ tv apuṇya bhāk
 65 pūjyamāne purā dharme sarvadeśeṣu śāśvate
     dharmaṃ pāñcanadaṃ dṛṣṭvā dhig ity āha pitāmahaḥ
 66 vrātyānāṃ dāśamīyānāṃ kṛte 'py aśubha karmaṇām
     iti pāñcanadaṃ dharmam avamene pitāmahaḥ
     svadharmastheṣu varṇeṣu so 'py etaṃ nābhipūjayet
 67 uta śalya vijānīhi hanta bhūyo bravīmi te
     kalmāṣapādaḥ sarasi nimajjan rākṣaso 'bravīt
 68 kṣatriyasya malaṃ bhaikṣaṃ brāhmaṇasyānṛtaṃ malam
     malaṃ pṛthivyā bāhlīkāḥ strīṇāṃ madrastriyo malam
 69 nimajjamānam uddhṛtya kaś cid rājā niśācaram
     apṛcchat tena cākhyātma proktavān yan nibodha tat
 70 mānuṣāṇāṃ malaṃ mecchā mecchānāṃ mauṣṭikā malam
     mauṣṭikānāṃ malaṃ śaṇḍāḥ śaṇḍānāṃ rājayājakāḥ
 71 rājayājaka yājyānāṃ madrakāṇāṃ ca yan malam
     tad bhaved vai tava malaṃ yady asmān na vimuñcasi
 72 iti rakṣopasṛṣṭeṣu viṣavīryahateṣu ca
     rākṣasaṃ bheṣajaṃ proktaṃ saṃsiddhaṃ vacanottaram
 73 brāhmaṃ pāñcālā kauraveyāḥ svadharmaḥ; satyaṃ matsyāḥ śūrasenāś ca yajñaḥ
     prācyā dāsā vṛṣalā dākṣiṇātyāḥ; stenā bāhlīkāḥ saṃkarā vai surāṣṭrāḥ
 74 kṛtaghnatā paravittāpahāraḥ; surā pānaṃ guru dārāvamarśaḥ
     yeṣāṃ dharmas tān prati nāsty adharma; āraṭṭakān pāñcanadān dhig astu
 75 ā pāñcālebhyaḥ kuravo naimiṣāś ca; matsyāś caivāpy atha jānanti dharmam
     kaliṅgakāś cāṅgakā māgadhāś ca; śiṣṭān dharmān upajīvanti vṛddhāḥ
 76 prācīṃ diśaṃ śritā devā jātavedaḥ purogamāḥ
     dakṣiṇāṃ pitaro guptāṃ yamena śubhakarmaṇā
 77 pratīcīṃ varuṇaḥ pāti pālayann asurān balī
     udīcīṃ bhagavāṃ somo brahmaṇyo brāhmaṇaiḥ saha
 78 rakṣaḥpiśācān himavān guhyakān gandhamādanaḥ
     dhruvaḥ sarvāṇi bhūtāni viṣṇur lokāñ janārdanaḥ
 79 iṅgitajñāś ca magadhāḥ prekṣitajñāś ca kosalāḥ
     ardhoktāḥ kurupāñcālāḥ śālvāḥ kṛtsnānuśāsanāḥ
     pārvatīyāś ca viṣamā yathaiva girayas tathā
 80 sarvajñā yavanā rājañ śūrāś caiva viśeṣataḥ
     mlecchāḥ svasaṃjñā niyatā nānukta itaro janaḥ
 81 pratirabdhās tu bāhlīkā na ca ke cana madrakāḥ
     sa tvam etādṛśaḥ śalya nottaraṃ vaktum arhasi
 82 etaj jñātvā joṣam āssva pratīpaṃ mā sma vai kṛthāḥ
     sa tvāṃ pūrvam ahaṃ hatvā haniṣye keśavārjunau
 83 [ṣalya]
     āturāṇāṃ parityāgaḥ svadārasuta vikrayaḥ
     aṅgeṣu vartate karṇa yeṣām adhipatir bhavān
 84 rathātiratha saṃkhyāyāṃ yat tvā bhīṣmas tadābravīt
     tān viditvātmano doṣān nirmanyur bhava mā krudhaḥ
 85 sarvatra brāhmaṇāḥ santi santi sarvatra kṣatriyāḥ
     vaiśyāḥ śūdrās tathā karṇa striyaḥ sādhvyaś ca suvratāḥ
 86 ramante copahāsena puruṣāḥ puruṣaiḥ saha
     anyonyam avatakṣanto deśe deśe samaithunāḥ
 87 paravācyeṣu nipuṇaḥ sarvo bhavati sarvadā
     ātmavācyaṃ na jānīte jānann api vimuhyati
 88 [s]
     karṇo 'pi nottaraṃ prāha śalyo 'py abhimukhaḥ parān
     punaḥ prahasya rādheyaḥ punar yāhīty acodayat

30

"Sanjaya said, 'Placing Karna at their van, thy warriors, difficult of defeat in fight, returned and fought (with the foe) a battle that resembled that between the gods and the Asuras. Excited by the loud uproar made by elephants and men and cars and steeds and conchs, elephant-men and car-warriors and foot-soldiers and horsemen, in large numbers, filled with wrath advanced against the foe and slew the latter with strokes of diverse kinds of weapons. Elephants and cars, steeds and men, in that dreadful battle were destroyed by brave warriors with sharp battle axes and swords and axes and shafts of diverse kinds and by means also of their animals. Strewn with human heads that were adorned with white teeth and fair faces and beautiful eyes and goodly noses, and graced with beautiful diadems and earrings, and everyone of which resembled the lotus, the Sun, or the Moon, the Earth looked exceedingly resplendent. Elephants and men and steeds, by thousands, were slain with hundreds of spiked clubs and short bludgeons and darts and lances and hooks and Bhusundis and maces. The blood that fell formed a river like currents on the field. In consequence of those car-warriors and men and steeds and elephants slain by the foe, and lying with ghostly features and gaping wounds, the field of battle looked like the domains of the king of the dead at the time of universal dissolution. Then, O god among men, thy troops, and those bulls amongst the Kurus, viz., thy sons resembling the children of the celestials, with a host of warriors of immeasurable might at their van, all proceeded against Satyaki, that bull of Sini's race. Thereupon that host, teeming with many foremost of men and steeds and cars and elephants, producing an uproar loud as that of the vast deep, and resembling the army of the Asuras or that of the celestials, shone with fierce beauty. Then the son of Surya, resembling the chief of the celestials himself in prowess and like unto the younger brother of Indra, struck that foremost one of Sini's race with shafts whose splendour resembled the rays of the Sun. That bull of Sini's race also, in that battle, then quickly shrouded that foremost of men, with his car and steeds and driver, with diverse kinds of shafts terrible as the poison of the snake. Then many Atirathas belonging to thy army, accompanied by elephants and cars and foot-soldiers, quickly approached that bull among car-warriors, viz., Vasusena, when they beheld the latter deeply afflicted with the shafts of that foremost hero of Sini's race. That force, however, vast as the ocean, assailed by foes possessed of great quickness viz., the Pandava warriors headed by the sons of Drupada, fled away from the field. At that time a great carnage occurred of men and cars and steeds and elephants. Then those two foremost of men, viz., Arjuna and Keshava, having said their daily prayer and duly worshipped the lord Bhava, quickly rushed against thy troops, resolved to slay those foes of theirs. Their foes (i.e., the Kurus) cast their eyes cheerlessly on that car whose rattle resembled the roar of the clouds and whose banners waved beautifully in the air and which had white steeds yoked unto it and which was coming towards them. Then Arjuna, bending Gandiva and as if dancing on his car, filled the welkin and all the points of the compass, cardinal and subsidiary, with showers of shafts, not leaving the smallest space empty. Like the tempest destroying the clouds, the son of Pandu destroyed with his arrows many cars looking like celestial vehicles, that were well-adorned, and equipped with weapons and standards, along with their drivers. Many elephants also, with the men that guided them, adorned with truimphal banners and weapons, and many horsemen with horses, and many foot-soldiers also, Arjuna despatched with his arrows to Yama's abode. Then Duryodhana singly proceeded against that mighty car-warrior who was angry and irresistible and resembled a veritable Yama, striking him with his straight shafts. Arjuna, cutting off his adversary's bow and driver and steeds and standard with seven shafts, next cut off his umbrella with one arrow. Obtaining then an opportunity, he sped at Duryodhana an excellent shaft, capable of taking the life of the person struck. Drona's son, however, cut off that shaft into seven fragments. Cutting off then the bow of Drona's son and slaying the four steeds of the latter with his arrow, the son of Pandu next cut off the formidable bow of Kripa too. Then cutting off the bow of Hridika's son, he felled the latter's standard and steeds. Then cutting off the bow of Duhshasana, he proceeded against the son of Radha. At this, Karna, leaving Satyaki quickly pierced Arjuna with three arrows and Krishna with twenty, and Partha again repeatedly. Although many were the arrows that he shot while slaying his foes in that battle, like Indra himself inspired with wrath, Karna yet felt no fatigue. Meanwhile Satyaki, coming up, pierced Karna with nine and ninety fierce arrows, and once more with a hundred. Then all the foremost heroes among the Parthas began to afflict Karna. Yudhamanyu and Shikhandi and the sons of Draupadi and the Prabhadrakas, and Uttamauja and Yuyutsu and the twins and Dhrishtadyumna, and the divisions of the Cedis and the Karushas and the Matsyas and Kaikeyas, and the mighty Chekitana, and king Yudhishthira of excellent vows, all these, accompanied by cars and steeds and elephants, and foot-soldiers of fierce prowess, encompassed Karna on all sides in that battle, and showered upon him diverse kinds of weapons, addressing him in harsh words and resolved to compass his destruction. Cutting off that shower of weapons with his sharp shafts, Karna dispersed his assailants by the power of his weapons like the wind breaking down the trees that stand on its way. Filled with wrath, Karna was seen to destroy car-warriors, and elephants with their riders, and horses with horse-men, and large bands of foot-soldiers. Slaughtered by the energy of Karna's weapons, almost the whole of that force of the Pandavas, deprived of weapons, and with limbs mangled and torn, retired from the field. Then Arjuna, smiling the while, baffled with his own weapons the weapons of Karna and covered the welkin, the Earth, and all the points of the compass with dense shower of arrows. The shafts of Arjuna fell like heavy clubs and spiked bludgeons. And some amongst them fell like Sataghnis and some fell like fierce thunderbolts. Slaughtered therewith, the Kaurava force consisting of infantry and horse and cars and elephants, shutting its eyes, uttered loud wails of woe and wandered senselessly. Many were the steeds and men and elephants that perished on that occasion. Many, again, struck with shafts and deeply afflicted fled away in fear.
"'Whilst thy warriors were thus engaged in battle from desire of victory, the Sun approaching the Setting Mountain, entered it. In consequence of the darkness, O king, but especially owing to the dust, we could not notice anything favourable or unfavourable. The mighty bowmen (amongst the Kauravas), fearing a night-battle, O Bharata, then retired from the field, accompanied by all their combatants. Upon the retirement of the Kauravas, O king, at the close of the day, the Parthas, cheerful at having obtained the victory, also retired to their own encampment, jeering at their enemies by producing diverse kinds of sounds with their musical instruments, and applauding Acyuta and Arjuna. After those heroes had thus withdrawn the army, all the troops and all the kings uttered benediction upon the Pandavas. The withdrawal having been made, those sinless men, the Pandavas, became very glad, and proceeding to their tents rested there for the night. Then rakshasas and pishacas, and carnivorous beasts, in large numbers came to that awful field of battle resembling the sporting ground of Rudra himself.'

Book 8
Chapter 31

1 [s]
      tataḥ parānīka bhidaṃ vyūham apratimaṃ paraiḥ
      samīkṣya karṇaḥ pārthānāṃ dhṛṣṭadyumnābhirakṣitam
  2 prayayau rathaghoṣeṇa siṃhanāda raveṇa ca
      vāditrāṇāṃ ca ninadaiḥ kampayann iva medinīm
  3 vepamāna iva krodhād yuddhaśauṇḍaḥ paraṃtapaḥ
      pativyūhya mahātejā yathāvad bharatarṣabha
  4 vyadhamat pāṇḍavīṃ senām āsurīṃ maghavān iva
      yudhiṣṭhiraṃ cābhibhavann asapavyaṃ cakāra ha
  5 [dhṛ]
      kathaṃ saṃjaya rādheyaḥ pratyavyūhata pāṇḍavān
      dhṛṣṭadyumnamukhān vīrān bhīmasenābhirakṣitān
  6 ke ca prapakṣau pakṣau vā mama sainyasya saṃjaya
      pravibhajya yathānyāyaṃ kathaṃ vā samavasthitāḥ
  7 kathaṃ pāṇḍusutaś cāpi pratyavyūhanta māmakān
      kathaṃ caitān mahāyuddhaṃ prāvartata sudāruṇam
  8 kva ca bībhatsur abhavad yat karṇo 'yād yudhiṣṭhiram
      ko hy arjunasya sāṃnidhye śakto 'bhyetuṃ yudhiṣṭhiram
  9 sarvabhūtāni yo hy ekaḥ khāṇḍave jitavān purā
      kas tam anyatra rādheyāt pratiyudhyej jijīviṣuḥ
  10 [s]
     śṛṇu vyūhasya racanām arjunaś ca yathāgataḥ
     paridāya nṛpaṃ tebhyaḥ saṃgrāmaś cābhavad yathā
 11 kṛpaḥ śāradvato rājan māgadhaś ca tarasvinaḥ
     sātvataḥ kṛtavarmā ca dakṣiṇaṃ pakṣam āśritāḥ
 12 teṣāṃ prapakṣe śakunir ulūkaś ca mahārathaḥ
     sādibhir vimalaprāsais tavānīkam arakṣatām
 13 gāndhāribhir asaṃbhrāntaiḥ pārvatīyaiś ca durjayaiḥ
     śalabhānām iva vrātaiḥ piśācair iva durdṛśaiḥ
 14 catustriṃśat sahasrāṇi rathānām anivartinām
     saṃśaptakā yuddhaśauṇḍā vāmaṃ pārśvam apālayan
 15 samuccitās tava sutaiḥ kṛṣṇārjuna jighāṃsavaḥ
     teṣāṃ prapakṣaḥ kāmbojāḥ śakāś ca yavanaiḥ saha
 16 nideśāt sūtaputrasya sarathāḥ sāśvapattayaḥ
     āhvayanto 'rjunaṃ tasthuḥ keśavaṃ ca mahābalam
 17 madhye senāmukhaṃ karṇo vyavātiṣṭhata daṃśitaḥ
     citravarmāṅgadaḥ sragvī pālayan dhvajjinī mukham
 18 rakṣyamāṇaḥ susaṃrabdhaiḥ putraiḥ śastrabhṛtāṃ varaḥ
     vāhinī pramukhaṃ vīraḥ saṃprakarṣann aśobhata
 19 ayo 'ratnir mahābāhuḥ sūryavaiśvānara dyutiḥ
     mahādvipa skandhagataḥ piṅgalaḥ priyadarśanaḥ
     duḥśāsano vṛtaḥ sainyaiḥ sthito vyūhasya pṛṣṭhyataḥ
 20 tam anvayān mahārāja svayaṃ duryodhano nṛpaḥ
     citrāśvaiś citrasaṃnāhaiḥ sodaryair abhirakṣitaḥ
 21 rakṣyamāṇo mahāvīryaiḥ sahitair madrakekayaiḥ
     aśobhata mahārāja devair iva śatakratuḥ
 22 aśvatthāmā kurūṇāṃ ca ye pravīrā mahārathāḥ
     nityamattāś ca mātaṅgāḥ śūrair mlecchair adhiṣṭhitāḥ
     anvayus tadrathānīkaṃ kṣaranta iva toyadāḥ
 23 te dhvajair vaijayantībhir jvaladbhiḥ paramāyudhaiḥ
     sādibhiś cāsthitā rejur drumavanta ivācalāḥ
 24 teṣāṃ padātināgānāṃ pādarakṣāḥ sahasraśaḥ
     paṭṭiśāsi dharāḥ śūrā babhūvur anivartinaḥ
 25 sādibhiḥ syandanair nāgair adhikaṃ samalaṃkṛtaiḥ
     sa vyūha rājo vibabhau devāsuracamūpamaḥ
 26 bārhaspatyaḥ suvihito nāyakena vipaścitā
     nṛtyatīva mahāvyūhaḥ pareṣām ādadhad bhayam
 27 tasya pakṣaprapakṣebhyo niṣpatanti yuyutsavaḥ
     pattyaśvarathamātaṅgāḥ prāvṛṣīva balāhakāḥ
 28 tataḥ senāmukhe karṇaṃ dṛṣṭvā rājā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
     dhanaṃjayam amitraghnam ekavīram uvāca ha
 29 paśyārjuna mahāvyūhaṃ karṇena vihitaṃ raṇe
     yuktaṃ pakṣaiḥ prapakṣaiś ca senānīkaṃ prakāśate
 30 tad etad vai samālokya pratyamitraṃ mahad balam
     yathā nābhibhavaty asmāṃs tathā nītir vidhīyatām
 31 evam ukto 'rjuno rājñā prāñjalir nṛpam abravīt
     yathā bhavān āha tathā tat sarvaṃ na tad anyathā
 32 yas tv asya vihito ghātas taṃ kariṣyāmi bhārata
     pradhānavadha evāsya vināśas taṃ karomy aham
 33 [y]
     yasmāt tvam eva rādheyaṃ bhīmasenaḥ suyodhanam
     vṛṣasenaṃ ca nakulaḥ sahadevo 'pi saubalam
 34 duḥśāsanaṃ śatānīko hārdikyaṃ śinipuṃgavaḥ
     dhṛṣṭadyumnas tathā drauṇiṃ svayaṃ yāsyāmy ahaṃ kṛpam
 35 draupadeyā dhārtarāṣṭrāñ śiṣṭān saha śikhaṇḍinā
     te te ca tāṃs tān ahitān asmākaṃ ghnantu māmakāḥ
 36 [s]
     ity ukto dharmarājena tathety uktvā dhanaṃjayaḥ
     vyādideśa svasainyāni svayaṃ cāgāc camūmukham
 37 atha taṃ ratham āyāntaṃ dṛṣṭvātyadbhuta darśanam
     uvācādhirathiṃ śalyaḥ punas taṃ yuddhadurmadam
 38 ayaṃ sa ratha āyāti śvetāśvaḥ kṛṣṇasārathiḥ
     nighnann amitrān kaunteyo yaṃ yaṃ tvaṃ paripṛcchasi
 39 śrūyate tumulaḥ śabdo rathanemi svano mahān
     eṣa reṇuḥ samudbhūto divam āvṛtya tiṣṭhati
 40 cakranemi praṇunnā ca kampate karṇa medinī
     pravāty eṣa mahāvāyur abhitas tava vāhinīm
     kravyādā vyāharanty ete mṛgāḥ kurvanti bhairavam
 41 paśya karṇa mahāghoraṃ bhayadaṃ lomaharṣaṇam
     kabandhaṃ meghasaṃkāśaṃ bhānum āvṛtya saṃsthitam
 42 paśya yūthair bahuvidhair mṛgāṇāṃ sarvatodiśam
     balibhir dṛptaśārdūlair ādityo 'bhinirīkṣyate
 43 paśya kaṅkāṃś ca gṛdhrāṃś ca samavetān sahasraśaḥ
     sthitān abhimukhān ghorān anyonyam abhibhāṣataḥ
 44 sitāś cāśvāḥ samāyuktās tava karṇa mahārathe
     pradarāḥ prajvalanty ete dhvajaś caiva prakampate
 45 udīryato hayān paśya mahākāyān mahājavān
     plavamānān darśanīyān ākāśe garuḍān iva
 46 dhruvam eṣu nimitteṣu bhīmim āvṛtya pārthivāḥ
     svapsyanti nihatāḥ karṇa śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ
 47 śaṅkhānāṃ tumulaḥ śabdaḥ śrūyate lomaharṣaṇaḥ
     ānakānāṃ ca rādheya mṛdaṅgānāṃ ca sarvaśaḥ
 48 bāṇaśabdān bahuvidhān narāśvarathanisvanā
     jyātalatreṣu śabdāṃś ca śṛṇu karṇa mahātmanām
 49 hemarūpya pramṛṣṭānāṃ vāsasāṃ śilpinirmitāḥ
     nānāvarṇā rathe bhānti śvasanena prakampitāḥ
 50 sahema candra tārārkāḥ patākāḥ kiṅkiṇī yutāḥ
     paśya karṇārjunasyaitāḥ saudāminya ivāmbude
 51 dhvajāḥ kaṇakaṇāyante vātenābhisamīritāḥ
     sapatākā rathāś cāpi pāñcālānāṃ mahātmanām
 52 nāgāśvarathapattyaughāṃs tāvakān samabhighnataḥ
     dhvajāgraṃ dṛśyate tv asya jyāśabdaś cāpi śrūyate
 53 adya draṣṭāsi taṃ vīraṃ śvetāśvaṃ kṛṣṇasārathim
     nighnantaṃ śātravān saṃkhye yaṃ karṇa paripṛcchasi
 54 adya tau puruṣavyāghrau lohitākṣau paraṃtapau
     vāsudevārjunau karṇa draṣṭāsy ekarathasthitau
 55 sārathir yasya vārṣṇeyo gāṇḍīvaṃ yasya kārmukam
     taṃ ced dhantāsi rādheya tvaṃ no rājā bhaviṣyasi
 56 eṣa saṃśaptakāhūtas tān evābhimukho gataḥ
     karoti kadanaṃ caiṣāṃ saṃgrāme dviṣatāṃ balī
     iti bruvāṇaṃ madreśaṃ karṇaḥ prāhātimanyumān
 57 paśya saṃśaptakaiḥ kruddhaiḥ sarvataḥ samabhidrutaḥ
     eṣa sūrya ivāmbhodairś channaḥ pārtho na dṛśyate
     etad anto 'rjunaḥ śalya nimagnaḥ śokasāgare
 58 [ṣalya]
     varuṇaṃ ko 'mbhasā hanyād indhanena ca pāvakam
     ko vānilaṃ nigṛhṇīyāt pibed vā ko mahārṇavam
 59 īdṛg rūpam ahaṃ manye pārthasya yudhi nigraham
     na hi śakyo 'rjuno jetuṃ sendraiḥ sarvaiḥ surāsuraiḥ
 60 athaivaṃ paritoṣas te vācoktvā sumanā bhava
     na sa śakyo yudhā jetum anyaṃ kuru manoratham
 61 bāhubhyām uddhared bhūmiṃ dahet kruddha imāḥ prajāḥ
     pātayet tridivād devān yo 'rjunaṃ samare jayet
 62 paśya kuntīsutaṃ vīraṃ bhīmam akliṣṭakāriṇam
     prabhāsantaṃ mahābāhuṃ sthitaṃ merum ivācalam
 63 amarṣī nityasaṃrabdhaś ciraṃ vairam anusmaran
     eṣa bhīmo jaya prepsur yudhi tiṣṭhati vīryavān
 64 eṣa dharmabhṛtāṃ śreṣṭho dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
     tiṣṭhaty asukaraḥ saṃkhye paraiḥ parapuraṃjayaḥ
 65 etau ca puruṣavyāghrāv aśvināv iva sodarau
     nakulaḥ sahadevaś ca tiṣṭhato yudhi durjayau
 66 dṛśyanta ete kārṣṇeyāḥ pañca pañcācalā iva
     vyavasthitā yotsyamānāḥ sarve 'rjuna samā yudhi
 67 ete drupadaputrāś ca dhṛṣṭadyumnapurogamāḥ
     hīnāḥ satyajitā vīrās tiṣṭhanti paramaujasaḥ
 68 iti saṃvadator eva tayoḥ puruṣasiṃhayoḥ
     te sene samasajjetāṃ gaṅgā yamunavad bhṛṣam

31

"Dhritarashtra said, 'It seems that Arjuna slew all of you at his will. Indeed, the Destroyer himself could not escape him in battle, if Arjuna took up arms against Him. Single-handed, Partha ravished Bhadra, and single-handed, he gratified Agni. Single-handed, he subjugated the whole Earth, and made all the kings pay tribute. Single-handed, with his celestial bow he slew the Nivatakavachas. Single-handed, he contended in battle with Mahadeva who stood before him in the guise of a hunter. Single-handed, he protected the Bharatas, and single-handed, he gratified Bhava. Single-handed, were vanquished by him all the kings of the Earth endued with fierce prowess. The Kurus cannot be blamed. On the other hand, they deserve praise (for having fought with such a warrior). Tell me now what they did. Tell me also, O Suta, what Duryodhana did after that.'
"Sanjaya said, 'Struck and wounded and overthrown from their vehicles and divested of armour and deprived of weapons and their beasts slain, with plaintive voices and burning with grief and vanquished by their foes, the vain Kauravas, entering their tents once more took counsel of one another. They then looked like snakes deprived of fangs and poison trod upon by others. Unto them, Karna, sighing like an angry snake, squeezing his hands, and eyeing thy son, said, "Arjuna is always careful, firm, possessed of skill, and endued with intelligence. Again, when the time comes, Vasudeva awakes him (to what should be done). Today, by that sudden shower of weapons we were deceived by him. Tomorrow, however, O lord of Earth, I will frustrate all his purposes." Thus addressed by Karna, Duryodhana said, "So be it," and then granted permission to those foremost of kings to retire. Bidden by the king, all those rulers proceeded to their respective tents. Having passed the night happily, they cheerfully went out for battle (the next day). They then beheld an invincible array formed by king Yudhishthira the just, that foremost one of Kuru race, with great care, and according to the sanction of Brihaspati and Usanas. Then that slayer of foes, Duryodhana, called to mind the heroic Karna, that counteractor of foes, that warrior with neck like that of a bull, equal to Purandara himself in battle, the Maruts in might, and Kartavirya in energy. Indeed, the heart of the king turned towards Karna. And the hearts of all the troops also turned to that hero, that Suta's son, that mighty bowman, as one's heart turns to a friend in a situation of great danger.'
"Dhritarashtra said, 'What did Duryodhana next do, O Suta, when the hearts of all of you turned towards Vikarna's son Karna? Did my troops cast their eyes on Radha's son like persons afflicted with cold turning their gaze towards the Sun? Upon the recommencement of the battle after the withdrawal of the troops, how, O Sanjaya, did Vikarna's son Karna fight? How also did all the Pandavas fight with the Suta's son? The mighty-armed Karna would, single-handed, slay the Parthas with the Srinjayas. The might of Karna's arms in battle equals that of Sakra or Vishnu. His weapons are fierce, and the prowess also of that high-souled one is fierce. Relying upon Karna, king Duryodhana had set his heart on battle. Beholding Duryodhana deeply afflicted by the son of Pandu, and seeing also the sons of Pandu displaying great prowess, what did that mighty car-warrior, viz., Karna, do? Alas, the foolish Duryodhana, relying on Karna, hopeth to vanquish the Parthas with their sons and Keshava in battle! Alas, it is a matter of great grief that Karna could not, with his strength, overcome the sons of Pandu in fight! Without doubt, Destiny is supreme. Alas, the terrible end of that gambling match hath now come! Alas, these heartrending sorrows, due to Duryodhana's acts, many in number and like unto terrible darts, are now being borne by, me, O Sanjaya! O sire, Subala's son used to be then regarded as a politic person. Karna also is always exceedingly attached to king Duryodhana. Alas, when such is the case, O Sanjaya, why have I then to hear of the frequent defeats and deaths of my sons? There is no one that can resist the Pandavas in battle. They penetrate into my army like a man into the midst of helpless women. Destiny, indeed, is supreme.'
"Sanjaya said, 'O king, think now of all those wrongful acts of thine like that match at dice and the others--acts that have passed away from the subjects of thought with man. One should not, however, reflect on bygone acts. One may be ruined by such reflection. That result (which thou hadst expected) is now much removed from the point of fruition, since, although possessed of knowledge, thou didst not reflect on the propriety or impropriety of thy acts then. Many a time wert thou, O king, counselled against warring with the Pandavas. Thou didst not, however, O monarch, accept those counsels, from folly. Diverse sinful acts of a grave nature were perpetrated by thee against the sons of Pandu. For those acts this awful slaughter of kings hath now come. All that, however, is now past. Do not grieve, O bull of Bharata's race. O thou of unfading glory, listen now to the details of the awful carnage that has occurred.
"'When the night dawned, Karna repaired to king Duryodhana. Approaching the king, the mighty-armed hero said, "I shall, O king, engage in battle today the illustrious son of Pandu. Either I will slay that hero today, or he will slay me. In consequence of the diverse things both myself and Partha had to do, O Bharata, an encounter, O king, could not hitherto take place between myself and Arjuna! Listen now, O monarch, to these words of mine, spoken according to my wisdom. Without slaying Partha in battle I will not come back, O Bharata. Since this army of ours hath been deprived of its foremost warriors, and since I will stand in battle, Partha will advance against me, especially because I am destitute of the dart Sakra gave me. Therefore, O ruler of men, listen now to what is beneficial. The energy of my celestial weapons is equal to the energy of Arjuna's weapons. In counteracting the feats of powerful foes, in lightness of hands, in range of the arrows shot, in skill, and in hitting the mark, Savyasaci is never my equal. In physical strength, in courage, in knowledge of (weapons), in prowess, O Bharata, in aiming, Savyasaci is never my equal. My bow, called Vijaya, is the foremost of all weapons (of its kind). Desirous of doing what was agreeable (to Indra), it was made by Vishakarman (the celestial artificer) for Indra. With that bow, O king, Indra had vanquished the Daityas. At its twang the Daityas beheld the ten points to be empty. That bow, respected by all, Sakra gave to Bhrigu's son (Rama). That celestial and foremost of bows Bhrigu's son gave to me. With that bow I will contend in battle with the mighty-armed Arjuna, that foremost of victorious warriors, like Indra fighting with the assembled Daityas. That formidable bow, the gift of Rama, is superior to Gandiva. It was with that bow that the Earth was subjugated thrice seven times (by Bhrigu's son). With that bow given to me by Rama I will contend in battle with the son of Pandu. I will, O Duryodhana, gladden thee today with thy friends, by slaying in battle that hero, viz., Arjuna, that foremost of conquerors. The whole Earth with her mountains and forest and islands, without a heroic warrior (to oppose thy wish), will, O king, become thine today, over which thyself with thy sons and grandsons will reign supreme. Today there is nothing that is incapable of being achieved by me, especially when the object is to do what is agreeable to thee, even as success is incapable of being missed by an ascetic zealously devoted to virtue and having his soul under control. Arjuna will not be able to bear me in battle, even as a tree in contact with fire is incapable of bearing that element. I must, however, declare in what respect I am inferior to Arjuna. The string of his bow is celestial, and the two large quivers of his are inexhaustible. His driver is Govinda. I have none like him. His is that celestial and foremost of bows, called Gandiva, which is irrefragible in battle. I also have that excellent, celestial, and formidable bow called Vijaya. In respect of our bows, therefore, O king, I am superior to Arjuna. Listen now to those matters in which the heroic son of Pandu is superior to me. The holder of the reins (of his steeds) is he of Dasharha's race who is adored by all the worlds. His celestial car decked with gold, given unto him by Agni, is impenetrable in every part, and his steeds also, O hero, are endued with the speed of the mind. His celestial standard, bearing the blazing Ape, is exceedingly wonderful. Again, Krishna, who is Creator of the universe, protects that car. Though inferior to Arjuna in respect of these things, I still desire to fight with him. This Shalya, however, the ornament of assemblies, is equal to Saurin. If he becomes my driver, victory will certainly be thine. Let Shalya, therefore, who is incapable of being resisted by foes be the driver of my car. Let a large number of carts bear my long shafts and those that are winged with vulturine feathers. Let a number of foremost cars, O monarch, with excellent steeds yoked unto them, always follow me, O bull of Bharata's race. By these arrangements I will, as regards the qualities mentioned, be superior to Arjuna. Shalya is superior to Krishna, and I am superior to Arjuna. As that slayer of foes, viz., he of Dasharha's race, is acquainted with horselore, even so is that mighty car-warrior, viz., Shalya acquainted with horselore. There is none equal to the chief of the Madras in might of arms. As there is none equal to myself in weapons, so there is none equal to Shalya in knowledge of steeds. So circumstanced, I will become superior to Partha. Against my car, the very gods with Vasava at their head will not dare advance. All these being attended to, when I take my stand on my car, I will become superior to Arjuna in the attributes of warrior and will then, O best of the Kurus, vanquish Phalguna. I desire, O monarch, all this to be done by thee, O scorcher of foes. Let these wishes of mine be accomplished. Let no time be suffered to elapse. If all this be accomplished, the most effectual aid will be rendered to me on every desirable point. Thou wilt then see, O Bharata, what I will achieve in battle. I will by every means vanquish the sons of Pandu in battle when they will approach me. The very gods and Asuras are not able to advance against me in battle. What need be said then of the sons of Pandu that are of human origin?'"
"Sanjaya continued, 'Thus addressed by that ornament of battle, viz., Karna, thy son, worshipping the son of Radha, answered him, with a glad heart, saying, "Accomplish that, O Karna, which thou thinkest. Equipped with goodly quivers and steeds, such cars shall follow thee in battle. Let as many cars as thou wishest bear thy long shafts and arrows equipped with vulturine feathers. Ourselves, as also all the kings, O Karna will, follow thee in battle.'"
"Sanjaya continued, 'Having said these words, thy royal son, endued with great prowess, approached the ruler of the Madras and addressed him in the following words.'"

Book 8
Chapter 32

 1 [dhṛ]
      tathā vyūḍheṣv anīkeṣu saṃsakteṣu ca saṃjaya
      saṃśaptakān kathaṃ pārtho gataḥ karṇaś ca pāṇḍavān
  2 etad vistarato yuddhaṃ prabrūhi kuśalo hy asi
      na hi tṛpyāmi vīrāṇāṃ śṛṇvāno vikramān raṇe
  3 [s]
      tat sthāne samavasthāpya pratyamitraṃ mahābalam
      avyūhatārjuno vyūhaṃ putrasya tava durnaye
  4 tat sādināgakalilaṃ padātirathasaṃkulam
      dhṛṣṭadyumnamukhair vyūḍham aśobhata mahad balam
  5 pārāvata savarṇāśvaś candrāditya samadyutiḥ
      pārṣataḥ prababhau dhanvī kālo vigrahavān iva
  6 pārṣataṃ tv abhi saṃtasthur draupadeyā yuyutsavaḥ
      sānugā bhīmavapuśaś candraṃ tārāgaṇā iva
  7 atha vyūḍheṣv anīkeṣu prekṣya saṃśaptakān raṇe
      kruddho 'rjuno 'bhidudrāva vyākṣipan gāṇḍivaṃ dhanuḥ
  8 atha saṃśaptakāḥ pārtham abhyadhāvan vadhaiṣiṇaḥ
      vijaye kṛtasaṃkalpā mṛtyuṃ kṛtvā nivartanam
  9 tad aśvasaṃgha bahulaṃ mattanāgarathākulam
      pattimac chūra vīraughair drutam arjunam ādravat
  10 sa saṃprahāras tumulas teṣām āsīt kirīṭinā
     tasyaiva naḥ śruto yādṛṅ nivātakavacaiḥ saha
 11 rathān aśvān dhvajān nāgān pattīn rathapatīn api
     iṣūn dhanūṃṣi khaḍgāṃś ca cakrāṇi ca paraśvadhān
 12 sāyudhān udyatān bāhūn udyatāny āyudhāni ca
     ciccheda dviṣatāṃ pārthaḥ śirāṃsi ca sahasraśaḥ
 13 tasmin sainye mahāvarte pātālāvarta saṃnibhe
     nimagnaṃ taṃ rathaṃ matvā neduḥ saṃśaptakā mudā
 14 sa purastād arīn hatvā paścārdhenottareṇa ca
     dakṣiṇena ca bībhatsuḥ kruddho rudraḥ paśūn iva
 15 atha pāñcāla cedīnāṃ sṛñjayānāṃ ca māriṣa
     tvadīyaiḥ saha saṃgrāma āsīt paramadāruṇaḥ
 16 kṛpaś ca kṛtavarmā ca śakuniś cāpi saubalaḥ
     hṛṣṭasenāḥ susaṃrabdhā rathānīkaiḥ prahāriṇaḥ
 17 kosalaiḥ kāśimatsyaiś ca kārūṣaiḥ kekayair api
     śūrasenaiḥ śūra vīrair yuyudhur yuddhadurmadāḥ
 18 teṣām antakaraṃ yuddhaṃ dehapāpma praṇāśanam
     śūdra viṭ kṣatravīrāṇāṃ dharmyaṃ svargyaṃ yaśaḥ karam
 19 duryodhano 'pi sahito bhrātṛbhir bharatarṣabha
     guptaḥ kurupravīraiś ca madrāṇāṃ ca mahārathaiḥ
 20 pāṇḍavaiḥ sahapāñcālaiś cedibhiḥ sātyakena ca
     yudhyamānaṃ raṇe karṇaṃ kuruvīro 'bhyapālayat
 21 karṇo 'pi niśitair bāṇair vinihatya mahācamūm
     pramṛdya ca rathaśreṣṭhān yudhiṣṭhiram apīḍayat
 22 vipatrāyudha dehāsūn kṛtvā śatrūn sahasraśaḥ
     yuktvā svargayaśobhyāṃ ca svebhyo mudam udāvahat
 23 [dhṛ]
     yat tat praviśya pārthānāṃ senāṃ kurvañ janakṣayam
     karṇo rājānam abhyarcchat tan mamācakṣva saṃjaya
 24 ke ca pravīrāḥ pārthānāṃ yudhi karṇam avārayan
     kāṃś ca pramathyādhirathir yudhiṣṭhiram apīḍayat
 25 [s]
     dhṛṣṭadyumnamukhān pārthān dṛṣṭvā karṇo vyavasthitān
     samabhyadhāvat tvaritaḥ pāñcālāñ śatrukarśanaḥ
 26 taṃ tūrṇam abhidhāvantaṃ pāñcālā jitakāśinaḥ
     pratyudyayur mahārāja haṃsā iva mahārṇavam
 27 tataḥ śaṅkhasahasrāṇāṃ nisvano hṛdayaṃgamaḥ
     prādurāsīd ubhayato bherīśabdaś ca dāruṇaḥ
 28 nānā vāditranādaś ca dvipāśvarathanisvanaḥ
     siṃhanādaś ca vīrāṇām abhavad dāruṇas tadā
 29 sādri drumārṇavā bhūmiḥ savātāmbudam ambaram
     sārkendu grahanakṣatrā dyauś ca vyaktaṃ vyaghūrṇata
 30 ati bhūtāni taṃ śabdaṃ menire 'ti ca vivyathuḥ
     yāni cāplava sattvāni prāyas tāni mṛtāni ca
 31 atha karṇo bhṛśaṃ kruddhaḥ śīghram astram udīrayan
     jaghāna pāṇḍavīṃ senām āsurīṃ maghavān iva
 32 sa pāṇḍavarathāṃs tūrṇaṃ praviśya visṛjañ śarān
     prabhadrakāṇāṃ pravarān ahanat sapta saptatim
 33 tataḥ supuṅkhair niśitai rathaśreṣṭho ratheṣubhiḥ
     avadhīt pañcaviṃśatyā pāñcālān pañcaviṃśatim
 34 suvarṇapuṅkhair nārācaiḥ parakāyavidāraṇaiḥ
     cedikān avadhīd vīraḥ śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ
 35 taṃ tathā samare karma kurvāṇam atimānuṣam
     parivavrur mahārāja pāñcālānāṃ rathavrajāḥ
 36 tataḥ saṃdhāya viśikhān pañca bhārata duḥsahān
     pāñcālān avadhīt pañca karṇo vaikartano vṛṣaḥ
 37 bhānudevaṃ citrasenaṃ senā binduṃ ca bhārata
     tapanaṃ śūrasenaṃ ca pāñcālān avadhīd raṇe
 38 pāñcāleṣu ca śūreṣu vadhyamāneṣu sāyakaiḥ
     hāhākāro mahān āsīt pāñcālānāṃ mahāhave
 39 teṣāṃ saṃkīryamāṇānāṃ hāhākārakṛtā diśaḥ
     punar eva ca tān karṇo jaghānāśu patatribhiḥ
 40 cakrarakṣau tu karṇasya putrau māriṣa durjayau
     suṣeṇaḥ satyasenaś ca tyaktvā prāṇān ayudhyatām
 41 pṛṣṭhagopas tu karṇasya jyeṣṭhaḥ putro mahārathaḥ
     vṛṣasenaḥ svayaṃ karṇaṃ pṛṣṭhataḥ paryapālayat
 42 dhṛṣṭadyumnaḥ sātyakiś ca draupadeyā vṛkodaraḥ
     janamejayaḥ śikhaṇḍī ca pravīrāś ca prabhadrakāḥ
 43 cedikekayapāñcālā yamau matsyāś ca daṃśitāḥ
     samabhyadhāvan rādheyaṃ jighāṃsantaḥ prahāriṇaḥ
 44 ta enaṃ vividhaiḥ śastraiḥ śaradhārābhir eva ca
     abhyavarṣan vimṛdnantaḥ prāvṛṣīvāmbudā girim
 45 pitaraṃ tu parīpsantaḥ karṇa putrāḥ prahāriṇaḥ
     tvadīyāś cāpare rājan vīrā vīrān avārayan
 46 suṣeṇo bhīmasenasya chittvā bhallena kārmukam
     nārācaiḥ saptabhir viddhvā hṛdi bhīmaṃ nanāda ha
 47 athānyad dhanur ādāya sudṛḍhaṃ bhīmavikramaḥ
     sajyaṃ vṛkodaraḥ kṛtvā suṣeṇasyācchinad dhanuḥ
 48 vivyādha cainaṃ navabhiḥ kruddho nṛtyann iveṣubhiḥ
     karṇaṃ ca tūrṇaṃ vivyādha trisaptatyā śitaiḥ śaraiḥ
 49 satyasenaṃ ca daśabhiḥ sāśvasūtadhvajāyudham
     paśyatāṃ suhṛdāṃ madhye karṇa putram apātayat
 50 kṣurapra ṇunnaṃ tat tasya śiraś candranibhānanam
     śubhadarśanam evāsīn nālabhraṣṭam ivāmbujam
 51 hatvā karṇasutaṃ bhīmas tāvakān punar ārdayat
     kṛpa hārdikyayoś chittvā cāpe tāv apy athārdayat
 52 duḥśāsanaṃ tribhir viddhvā śakuniṃ ṣaḍbhir āyasaiḥ
     ulūkaṃ ca patatriṃ ca cakāra virathāv ubhau
 53 he suṣeṇa hato 'sīti bruvann ādatta sāyakam
     tam asya karṇaś ciccheda tribhiś cainam atāḍayat
 54 athānyam api jagrāha suparvāṇaṃ sutejanam
     suṣeṇāyāsṛjad bhīmas tam apy asyācchinad vṛṣaḥ
 55 punaḥ karṇas trisaptatyā bhīmasenaṃ ratheṣubhiḥ
     putraṃ parīpsan vivyādha krūraṃ krūrair jighāṃsayā
 56 suṣeṇas tu dhanur gṛhya bhārasādhanam uttamam
     nakulaṃ pañcabhir bāṇair bāhvor urasi cārdayat
 57 nakulas taṃ tu viṃśatyā viddhvā bhārasahair dṛḍhaiḥ
     nanāda balavan nādaṃ karṇasya bhayam ādadhat
 58 taṃ suṣeṇo mahārāja viddhvā daśabhir āśugaiḥ
     ciccheda ca dhanuḥ śīghraṃ kṣurapreṇa mahārathaḥ
 59 athānyad dhanur ādāya nakulaḥ krodhamūrcchitaḥ
     suṣeṇaṃ bahubhir bāṇair vārayām āsa saṃyuge
 60 sa tu bāṇair diśo rājann ācchādya paravīrahā
     ājaghne sārathiṃ cāsya suṣeṇaṃ ca tatas tribhiḥ
     ciccheda cāsya sudṛḍhaṃ dhanur bhallais tribhis tridhā
 61 athānyad dhanur ādāya suṣeṇaḥ krodhamūrchitaḥ
     avidhyan nakulaṃ ṣaṣṭyā sahadevaṃ ca saptabhiḥ
 62 tad yuddhaṃ sumahad ghoram āsīd devāsuropamam
     nighnatāṃ sāyakais tūrṇam anyonyasya vadhaṃ prati
 63 sātyakir vṛṣasenasya hatvā sūtaṃ tribhiḥ śaraiḥ
     dhanuś ciccheda bhallena jaghānāśvāṃś ca saptabhiḥ
     dhvajam ekeṣuṇonmathya tribhis taṃ hṛdy atāḍayat
 64 athāvasannaḥ svarathe muhūrtāt punar utthitaḥ
     atho jighāṃsuḥ śaineyaṃ khaḍgacarma bhṛd abhyayāt
 65 tasya cāplavataḥ śīghraṃ vṛṣasenasya sātyakiḥ
     varāhakarṇair daśabhir avidhyad asi carmaṇī
 66 duḥśāsanas tu taṃ dṛṣṭvā virathaṃ vyāyudhaṃ kṛtam
     āropya svarathe tūrṇam apovāha rathāntaram
 67 athānyaṃ ratham āsthāya vṛṣaseno mahārathaḥ
     karṇasya yudhi durdharṣaḥ punaḥ pṛṣṭham apālayat
 68 duḥśāsanaṃ tu śaineyo navair navabhir āśugaiḥ
     visūtāśvarathaṃ kṛtvā lalāḍe tribhir ārpayat
 69 sa tv anyaṃ ratham āsthāya vidhivat kalpitaṃ punaḥ
     yuyudhe pāṇḍubhiḥ sārdhaṃ karṇasyāpyāyayan balam
 70 dhṛṣṭadyumnas tataḥ karṇam avidhyad daśabhiḥ śaraiḥ
     draupadeyās trisaptatyā yuyudhānas tu saptabhiḥ
 71 bhīmasenaś catuḥṣaṣṭyā sahadevaś ca pañcabhiḥ
     nakulas triṃśatā bāṇaiḥ śatānīkaś ca saptabhiḥ
     śikhaṇḍī daśabhir vīro dharmarājaḥ śatena tu
 72 ete cānye ca rājendra pravīrā jaya gṛddhinaḥ
     abhyardayan maheṣvāsaṃ sūtaputraṃ mahāmṛdhe
 73 tān sūtaputro viśikhair daśabhir daśabhiḥ śitaiḥ
     rathe cāru caran vīraḥ patyavidhyad ariṃdamaḥ
 74 tatrāstra vīryaṃ karṇasya lāghavaṃ ca mahātmanaḥ
     apaśyāma mahārāja tad adbhutam ivābhavat
 75 na hy ādadānaṃ dadṛśuḥ saṃdadhānaṃ ca sāyakān
     vimuñcantaṃ ca saṃrambhād dadṛśus te mahāratham
 76 dyaur viyad bhūr diśaś cāśu praṇunnā niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ
     aruṇābhrāvṛtākāraṃ tasmin deśe babhau viyat
 77 nṛtyann iva hi rādheyaś cāpahastaḥ pratāpavān
     yair viddhaḥ pratyavidhyat tān ekaikaṃ triguṇaiḥ śaraiḥ
 78 daśabhir daśabhiś cainān punar viddhvā nanāda ha
     sāśvasūta dhvajac chatrās tatas te vivaraṃ daduḥ
 79 tān pramṛdnan maheṣvāsān rādheyaḥ śaravṛṣṭibhiḥ
     rājānīkam asaṃbādhaṃ prāviśac chatrukarśanaḥ
 80 sa rathāṃs triśatān hatvā cedīnām anivartinām
     rādheyo niśitair bāṇair tato 'bhyārcchad yudhiṣṭhiram
 81 tatas te pāṇḍavā rājañ śikhaṇḍī ca sasātyakiḥ
     rādheyāt parirakṣanto rājānaṃ paryavārayan
 82 tathaiva tāvakāḥ sarve karṇaṃ durvāraṇaṃ raṇe
     yattāḥ senā maheṣvāsāḥ paryarakṣanta sarvaśaḥ
 83 nānā vāditraghoṣāś ca prādurāsan viśāṃ pate
     siṃhanādaś ca saṃjajñe śūrāṇām anivartinām
 84 tataḥ punaḥ samājagmur abhītāḥ kurupāṇḍavāḥ
     yudhiṣṭhira mukhāḥ pārthāḥ sūtaputra mukhā vayam

32

"Sanjaya said, 'Thy son then, O monarch, humbly approaching that mighty car-warrior, viz., the ruler of the Madras, addressed him, from affection, in these words, "O thou of true vows, O thou of great good fortune, O enhancer of the sorrows of foes, O ruler of the Madras, O hero in battle, O thou that inspirest hostile troops with fear, thou hast heard, O foremost of speakers, how, for the sake of Karna who spoke unto me, I myself am desirous of soliciting thee among all these lions of kings. O thou of incomparable prowess, O king of the Madras, for the destruction of the foe, I solicit thee today, with humility and bow of the head. Therefore, for the destruction of Partha and for my good, it behoveth thee, O foremost of car-warriors, to accept, from love, the office of charioteer. With thee for his driver, the son of Radha will subjugate my foes. There is none else for holding the reins of Karna's steeds, except thee, O thou of great good fortune, thou that art the equal of Vasudeva in battle. Protect Karna then by every means like Brahma protecting Maheswara. Even as he of Vrishni's race protects by every means the son of Pandu in all dangers, do thou, O chief of the Madras, protect the son of Radha today. Bhishma, and Drona, and Kripa, and thyself and the valiant ruler of the Bhojas, and Shakuni the son of Subala, and Drona's son and myself, constituted the chief strength of our army. Even thus, O lord of Earth, we had divided amongst ourselves the hostile army into portion for the share of each. The share that had been allotted to Bhishma is now no more as also that which had been allotted to the high-souled Drona. Going even beyond their allotted shares, those two slew my foes. Those two tigers among men, however, were old, and both of them have been slain deceitfully. Having achieved the most difficult feats, both of them, O sinless one, have departed hence to heaven. Similarly, many other tigers among men, of our army, slain by foes in battle, have ascended to heaven, casting off their lives and having made great exertions to the best of their powers. This my host, therefore, O king, the greater portion of which has been slaughtered, has been reduced to this state by the Parthas who were at first fewer than us. What should be done for the present? Do that now, O lord of Earth, by which the mighty and the high-souled sons of Kunti, of prowess incapable of being baffled, may be prevented from exterminating the remnant of my host. O lord, the Pandavas have in battle slain the bravest warriors of this my force. The mighty-armed Karna alone is devoted to our good, as also thyself, O tiger among men, that art the foremost of car-warriors in the whole world. O Shalya, Karna wishes to contend in battle today with Arjuna. On him, O ruler of the Madras, my hopes of victory are great. There is none else in the world (save thee) that can make so good a holder of the reins for Karna. As Krishna is the foremost of all holders of reins for Partha in battle, even so, O king, be thou the foremost of all holders of reins for Karna's car. Accompanied and protected, O sire, by him in battle, the feats that Partha achieve are all before thee. Formerly, Arjuna had never slain his foes in battle in such a way. Now however, his prowess has become great, united as he is with Krishna. Day after day, O ruler of the Madras, this vast Dhritarashtra force is seen to be routed by Partha because he is united with Krishna. A portion remains of the share allotted to Karna and thyself, O thou of great splendour. Bear that share with Karna, and destroy it unitedly in battle. Even as Surya, uniting with Aruna, destroys the darkness, do thou, uniting with Karna, slay Partha in battle. Let the mighty car-warriors (of the enemy), fly away, beholding in battle those two warriors endued with the effulgence of the morning sun, viz., Karna and Shalya, resembling two Suns risen above the horizon. Even as darkness is destroyed, O sire, at the sight of Surya and Aruna, even so let the Kaunteyas (Pandavas) with the Pancalas and the Srinjayas perish beholding thee and Karna. Karna is the foremost of car-warriors, and thou art the foremost of drivers. In the clash of battle, again there is none equal to thee. As he of Vrishni's race protects the son of Pandu under all circumstances, even so let thyself protect Vikarna's son Karna in battle. With thee as his driver, Karna will become invincible, O king, in battle even with the gods having Sakra at their head! What then need be said about the Pandavas? Do not doubt my words.'"
"Sanjaya continued, 'Hearing these words of Duryodhana, Shalya, became filled with rage. Contracting his brow into three lines, and waving his arms repeatedly, and rolling his large eyes red in wrath, that warrior of massive arms proud of his lineage and wealth and knowledge and strength, said these words:
"'Shalya said "Thou insultest me, O son of Gandhari, or without doubt suspectest me, since thou solicitest me, without hesitation, saying, 'Act thou as a driver.' Regarding Karna to be superior to ourselves, thou applaudest him thus. I, however, do not regard the son of Radha as my equal in battle. Assign to me a much greater share, O lord of Earth. Destroying that in battle, I will return to the place I come from. Or, if thou wishest, I will, O delighter of the Kurus, contend, single-handed, with the enemy. While engaged in consuming the foe, behold thou my prowess today. Brooding upon an insult, O thou of Kuru's race, a person like ourselves never engageth in my task. Do not have thy doubts about me. Never shouldst thou humiliate me in battle. Behold these two massive arms of mine, strong as the thunder. Behold also my excellent bow, and these shafts that resemble snakes of virulent poison. Behold my car, unto which are yoked excellent steeds endued with the speed of the wind. Behold also, O son of Gandhari, my mace decked with gold and twined with hempen chords. Filled with wrath, I can split the very Earth, scatter the mountains, and dry up the oceans, with my own energy, O king. Knowing me, O monarch, to be so capable, of afflicting the foe, why dost thou appoint me to the office of driver in battle for such a low-born person as Adhiratha's son? It behoveth thee not, O king of kings, to set me to such mean tasks! Being so superior, I cannot make up my mind to obey the commands of a sinful person. He that causeth a superior person arrived of his own will and obedient from love, to yield to a sinful wight, certainly incurreth the sin of confusing the superior with the inferior. Brahman created the brahmanas from his mouth, and the kshatriyas from his arms. He created the Vaishyas from his thighs and the Shudras from his feet. In consequence of the intermixture of those four orders, O Bharata, from those four have sprung particular classes, viz., those born of men of superior classes wedding women of classes inferior to themselves, and vice versa. The kshatriyas have been described to be protectors (of the other classes) acquirers of wealth and givers of the same. The brahmanas have been established on the Earth for the sake of favouring its people by assisting at sacrifices, by teaching and acceptance of pure gifts. Agriculture and tending of cattle and gift are the occupations of the Vaishyas according to the scriptures. Shudras have been ordained to be the servants of the brahmanas, the kshatriyas, and the vaishyas. Similarly, the Sutas are the servants of kshatriyas, and not latter the servants of the former. Listen to these my words, O sinless one. As regards myself, I am one whose coronal locks have undergone the sacred bath. I am born in a race of royal sages. I am reckoned a great car-warrior. I deserve the worship and the praises that bards and eulogists render and sing. Being all this, O slayer of hostile troops, I cannot go to the extent of acting as the driver of the Suta's son in battle. I will never fight, undergoing an act of humiliation. I ask thy permission, O son of Gandhari, for returning home."
"Sanjaya continued, 'Having said these words that tiger among men and ornament of assemblies, viz., Shalya, filled with rage stood up quickly and endeavoured to get away from that concourse of kings. Thy son, however, from affection and great regard, held the king, and addressed him in these sweet and conciliatory words, that were capable of accomplishing every object, "Without doubt, O Shalya, it is even so as thou hast said. But I have a certain purpose in view. Listen to it, O ruler of men, Karna is not superior to thee, nor do I suspect thee, O king. The royal chief of the Madras will never do that which is false. Those foremost of men that were thy ancestors always told the truth. I think it is for this that thou art called Artayani (the descendant of those that had truth for their refuge). And since, O giver of honours, thou art like a barbed arrow to thy foes, therefore art thou called by the name of Shalya on earth. O thou that makest large present (to brahmanas) at sacrifices, do thou accomplish all that which, O virtuous one, thou hadst previously said thou wouldst accomplish. Neither the son of Radha nor myself am superior to thee in valour that I would select thee as the driver of those foremost of steeds (that are yoked unto Karna's car). As, however, O sire, Karna is superior to Dhananjaya in regard to many qualities, even so doth the world regard thee to be superior to Vasudeva. Karna is certainly superior to Partha in the matter of weapons, O bull among men. Thou too art superior to Krishna in knowledge of steeds and might. Without doubt O ruler of the Madras, thy knowledge of horse is double that which the high-souled Vasudeva hath."
"'Shalya said, "Since, O son of Gandhari, thou describest me, O thou of Kuru's race, in the midst of all these troops, to be superior to Devaki's son, I am gratified with thee. I will become the driver of Radha's son of great fame while he will be engaged in battle with the foremost one of Pandu's sons, as thou solicitest me. Let this, however, O hero, be my understanding with Vikartana's son that I will in his presence utter whatever speeches I desire.'"
"Sanjaya continued, 'O king, thy son, with Karna then, O Bharata, answered the prince of the Madras, O best of Bharata's race, saying, "So be it."'"

Book 8
Chapter 33

 1 [s]
      vidārya karṇas tāṃ senāṃ dharmarājam upādravat
      rathahastyaśvapattīnāṃ sahasraiḥ parivāritaḥ
  2 nānāyudha sahasrāṇi preṣitāny aribhir vṛṣaḥ
      chittvā bāṇaśatair ugrais tāna vidhyad asaṃbhramaḥ
  3 nicakarta śirāṃsy eṣāṃ bāhūn ūrūṃś ca sarvaśaḥ
      te hatā vasudhāṃ petur bhagnāś cānye vidudruvuḥ
  4 draviḍāndhra niṣādās tu punaḥ sātyakicoditāḥ
      abhyardayañ jighāṃsantaḥ pattayaḥ karṇam āhave
  5 te vibāhu śiras trāṇāḥ prahatāḥ karṇa sāyakaiḥ
      petuḥ pṛthivyāṃ yugapac chinnaṃ śālavanaṃ yathā
  6 evaṃ yodhaśatāny ājau sahasrāṇy ayutāni ca
      hatānīyur mahīṃ dehair yaśasāpūrayan diśaḥ
  7 atha vaikartanaṃ karṇaṃ raṇe kruddham ivāntakam
      rurudhuḥ pāṇḍupāñcālā vyādhiṃ mantrauṣadhair iva
  8 sa tān pramṛdyābhyapatat punar eva yudhiṣṭhiram
      mantrauṣadhikriyātīto vyādhir ity ulbaṇo yathā
  9 sa rājagṛddhibhī ruddhaḥ pāṇḍupāñcāla kekayaiḥ
      nāśakat tān atikrāntuṃ mṛtyur brahmavido yathā
  10 tato yudhiṣṭhiraḥ karṇam adūrasthaṃ nivāritam
     abravīt paravīraghnaḥ krodhasaṃraktalocanaḥ
 11 karṇa karṇa vṛthā dṛṣṭe sūtaputra vacaḥ śṛṇu
     sadā spardhasi saṃgrāme phalgunena yaśasvinā
     tathāsmān bādhase nityaṃ dhārtarāṣṭra mate sthitaḥ
 12 yad balaṃ yac ca te vīryaṃ pradveṣo yaś ca pāṇḍuṣu
     tat sarvaṃ darśayasvādya pauruṣaṃ mahad āsthitaḥ
     yuddhaśraddhāṃ sa te 'dyāhaṃ vineṣyāmi mahāhave
 13 evam uktvā mahārāja karṇaṃ pāṇḍusutas tadā
     suvarṇapuṅkhair daśabhir vivyādhāyo mayaiḥ śitaiḥ
 14 taṃ sūtaputro navabhiḥ pratyavidhyad ariṃdamaḥ
     vatsadantair maheṣvāsaḥ prahasann iva bhārata
 15 tataḥ kṣurābhyāṃ pāñcālyau cakrarakṣau mahātmanaḥ
     jaghāna samare śūraḥ śaraiḥ saṃnataparvabhiḥ
 16 tāv ubhau dharmarājasya pravīrau paripārśvataḥ
     rathābhyāśe cakāśete candrasyeva punar vasū
 17 yudhiṣṭhiraḥ punaḥ karṇam avidhyat triṃśatā śaraiḥ
     suṣeṇaṃ satyasenaṃ ca tribhis tribhir atāḍayat
 18 śalyaṃ navatyā vivyādha trisaptatyā ca sūtajam
     tāṃś cāsya goptṝn vivyādha tribhis tribhir ajihmagaiḥ
 19 tataḥ prahasyādhirathir vidhunvānaḥ sa kārmukam
     bhittvā bhallena rājānaṃ viddhvā ṣaṣṭyānadan mudā
 20 tataḥ pravīrāḥ pāṇḍūnām abhyadhāvan yudhiṣṭhiram
     sūtaputrāt parīpsantaḥ karṇam abhyardayañ śaraiḥ
 21 sātyakiś cekitānaś ca yuyutsuḥ pāṇḍya eva ca
     dhṛṣṭadyumnaḥ śikhaṇḍī ca draupadeyāḥ prabhadrakāḥ
 22 yamau ca bhīmasenaś ca śiśupālasya cātmajaḥ
     kārūṣā matsyaśeṣāś ca kekayāḥ kāśikosalāḥ
     ete ca tvaritā vīrā vasuṣeṇam avārayan
 23 janamejayaś ca pāñcālyaḥ karṇaṃ vivyādha sāyakaiḥ
     varāhakarṇair nārācair nālīkair niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ
     vatsadantair vipāṭhaiś ca kṣurapraiś caṭakā mukhaiḥ
 24 nānāpraharaṇaiś cograi rathahastyaśvasādinaḥ
     sarvato 'bhyādravan karṇaṃ parivārya jighāṃsayā
 25 sa pāṇḍavānāṃ pravaraiḥ sarvataḥ samabhidrutaḥ
     udairayad brāhmam astraṃ śaraiḥ saṃpūrayan diśaḥ
 26 tathā śaramahājvālo vīryoṣmā karṇa pāvakaḥ
     nirdahan pāṇḍava vanaṃ cāru paryacarad raṇe
 27 sa saṃvārya mahāstrāṇi maheṣvāso mahātmanām
     prahasya puruṣendrasya śaraiś ciccheda kārmukam
 28 tatha saṃdhāya navatiṃ nimeṣān nataparvaṇām
     bibheda kavacaṃ rājño raṇe karṇaḥ śitaiḥ śaraiḥ
 29 tad varma hemavikṛtaṃ rarāja nipatat tadā
     savidyudabhraṃ savituḥ śiṣṭaṃ vātahataṃ yathā
 30 tad aṅgaṃ puruṣendrasya bhraṣṭavarma vyarocata
     ratnair alaṃkṛtaṃ divyair vyabhraṃ niśi yathā nabhaḥ
 31 sa vivarmā śaraiḥ pārtho rudhireṇa samukṣitaḥ
     kruddhaḥ sarvāyasīṃ śaktiṃ cikṣepādhirathiṃ prati
 32 tāṃ jvalantīm ivākāśe śaraiś ciccheda saptabhiḥ
     sā chinnā bhūmim apatan maheṣvāsasya sāyakaiḥ
 33 tato bāhvor lalāṭe ca hṛdi caiva yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
     caturbhis tomaraiḥ karṇaṃ tāḍayitvā mudānadat
 34 udbhinna rudhiraḥ karṇaḥ kruddhaḥ sarpa iva śvasan
     dhvajaṃ ciccheda bhallena tribhir vivyādha pāṇḍavam
     iṣudhī cāsya ciccheda rathaṃ ca tilaśo 'cchinat
 35 evaṃ pārtho vyapāyāt sa nihataprārṣṭi sārathiḥ
     aśaknuvan pramukhataḥ sthātuṃ karṇasya durmanāḥ
 36 tam abhidrutya rādheyaḥ skandhaṃ saṃspṛśya pāṇinā
     abravīt prahasan rājan kutsayann iva pāṇḍavam
 37 kathaṃ nāma kule jātaḥ kṣatradharme vyavasthitaḥ
     prajahyāt samare śatrūn prāṇān rakṣan mahāhave
 38 na bhavān kṣatradharmeṣu kuśalo 'sīti me matiḥ
     brāhme bale bhavān yuktaḥ svādhyāye yajñakarmaṇi
 39 māṃ sma yudhyasva kaunteya mā ca vīrān samāsadaḥ
     mā cainān apriyaṃ brūhi mā ca vraja mahāraṇam
 40 evam uktvā tataḥ pārthaṃ visṛjya ca mahābalaḥ
     nyahanat pāṇḍavīṃ senāṃ vajrahasta ivāsurīm
     tataḥ prāyād drutaṃ rājan vrīḍann iva janeśvaraḥ
 41 atha prayāntaṃ rājānam anvayus te tadācyutam
     cedipāṇḍava pāñcālāḥ sātyakiś ca mahāratha
     draupadeyās tathā śūrā mādrīputrau ca pāṇḍavau
 42 tato yudhiṣṭhirānīkaṃ dṛṣṭvā karṇaḥ parāṅmukham
     kurubhiḥ sahito vīraiḥ pṛṣṭhagaiḥ pṛṣṭham anvayāt
 43 śaṅkhabherī ninādaiś ca kārmukāṇāṃ ca nisvanaiḥ
     babhūva dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṃ siṃhanāda ravas tadā
 44 yudhiṣṭhiras tu kauravya ratham āruhya satvaraḥ
     śrutakīrter mahārāja dṛṣṭavān karṇa vikramam
 45 kālyamānaṃ balaṃ dṛṣṭvā dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
     tān yodhān abravīt kruddho hatainaṃ vai sahasraśaḥ
 46 tato rājñābhyanujñātāḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahārathāḥ
     bhīmasenamukhāḥ sarve putrāṃs te pratyupādravan
 47 abhavat tumulaḥ śabdo yodhānāṃ tatra bhārata
     hastyaśvarathapattīnāṃ śastrāṇāṃ ca tatas tataḥ
 48 uttiṣṭhata praharata praitābhipatateti ca
     iti bruvāṇā anyonyaṃ jaghnur yodhā raṇājire
 49 abhrac chāyeva tatrāsīc charavṛṣṭibhir ambare
     samāvṛttair naravarair nighnadbhir itaretaram
 50 vipatākā dhvajac chatrā vyaśva sūtāyudhā raṇe
     vyaṅgāṅgāvayavāḥ petuḥ kṣitau kṣīṇā hateśvarāḥ
 51 pravarāṇīva śailānāṃ śikharāṇi dvipottamāḥ
     sārohā nihatāḥ petur vajrabhinnā ivādrayaḥ
 52 chinnabhinna viparyastair varmālaṃkāra vigrahaiḥ
     sārohās turagāḥ petur hatavīrāḥ sahasraśaḥ
 53 vipra viddhāyudhāṅgāś ca dviradāśvarathair hatāḥ
     prativīraiś ca saṃmarde pattisaṃghāḥ sahasraśaḥ
 54 viśālāyatatāmrākṣaiḥ padmendu sadṛśānanaiḥ
     śirobhir yuddhaśauṇḍānāṃ sarvataḥ saṃstṛtā mahī
 55 tathā tu vitate vyomni nisvanaṃ śuśruvur janāḥ
     vimānair apsaraḥ saṃghair gītavāditranisvanaiḥ
 56 hatān kṛttān abhimukhān vīrān vīraiḥ sahasraśaḥ
     āropyāropya gacchanti vimāneṣv apsarogaṇāḥ
 57 tad dṛṣṭvā mahad āścaryaṃ pratyakṣaṃ svargalipsayā
     prahṛṣṭamanasaḥ śūrāḥ kṣipraṃ jagmuḥ parasparam
 58 rathino rathibhiḥ sārdhaṃ citraṃ yuyudhur āhave
     pattayaḥ pattibhir nāgā nāgaiḥ saha hayair hayāḥ
 59 evaṃ pravṛtte saṃgrāme gajavājijanakṣaye
     sainye ca rajasā vyāpte sve svāñ jaghnuḥ pare parān
 60 kacākaci babhau yuddhaṃ dantā danti nakhā nakhi
     muṣṭiyuddhaṃ niyuddhaṃ ca dehapāpma vināśanam
 61 tathā vartati saṃgrāme gajavājijanakṣaye
     narāśvagajadehebhyaḥ prasṛtā lohitāpagā
     narāśvagajadehān sā vyuvāha patitān bahūn
 62 narāśvagajasaṃbādhe narāśvagajasādinām
     lohitodā mahāghorā nadī lohitakardamā
     narāśvagajadehān sā vahantī bhīru bhīṣaṇī
 63 tasyāḥ paramapāraṃ ca vrajanti vijayaiṣiṇaḥ
     gādhena ca plavantaś ca nimajjyonmajjya cāpare
 64 te tu lohitadigdhāṅgā raktavarmāyudhāmbarāḥ
     sasnus tasyām papuś cāsṛn mamluś ca bharatarṣabha
 65 rathān aśvān narān nāgān āyudhābharaṇāni ca
     vasanāny atha varmāṇi hanyamānān hatān api
     bhūmiṃ khaṃ dyāṃ diśaś caiva prāyaḥ paśyāma lohitam
 66 lohitasya tu gandhena sparśena ca rasena ca
     rūpeṇa cātiriktena śabdena ca visarpatā
     viṣādaḥ sumahān āsīt prāyaḥ sainyasya bhārata
 67 tat tu viprahataṃ sainyaṃ bhīmasenamukhais tava
     bhūyaḥ samādravan vīrāḥ sātyakipramukhā rathāḥ
 68 teṣām āpatatāṃ vegam aviṣahya mahātmanām
     putrāṇāṃ te mahat sainyam āsīd rājan parāṅmukham
 69 tat prakīrṇarathāśvebhaṃ naravāji samākulam
     vidhvastacarma kavacaṃ praviddhāyudha kārmukam
 70 vyadravat tāvakaṃ sainyaṃ loḍyamānaṃ samantataḥ
     siṃhārditaṃ mahāraṇye yathā gajakulaṃ tathā

33

"'Duryodhana said, "Listen, once more, O ruler of the Madras, to what I will say unto thee, about what happened, O lord, in the battle between the gods and the Asuras in days of yore. The great rishi Markandeya narrated it to my sire. I will now recite it without leaving out anything, O best of royal sages. Listen to that account confidingly and without mistrusting it at all. Between the gods and the Asuras, each desirous of vanquishing the other, there happened a great battle, O king, which had Taraka for its evil (root). It hath been heard by us that the Daityas were defeated by the gods. Upon the defeat of the Daityas, the three sons of Taraka, named Tarakaksha, Kamalaksha and Vidyunmalin, O king, practising the austerest penances, lived in the observance of high vows. By those penances they emaciated their bodies, O scorcher of foes. In consequence of their self-restraint, their penances, their vows and contemplation, the boongiving Grandsire became gratified with them and gave them boons. Unitedly they solicited the Grandsire of all the worlds, O king, for the boon of immunity from death at the hands of all Creatures of all times. The divine Lord and Master of all the worlds said unto them, 'There is nothing like immunity from death at the hands of all creatures. Therefore, ye Asuras, abstain from such a prayer. Solicit some other boon that may seem desirable to you.' When all of them, O king, having settled it amongst themselves after long and repeated conferences, bowed to the great Master of all the worlds and said these words, 'O god, O Grandsire, give us this boon. Residing in three cities, we will rove over this Earth, with thy grace ever before us. After a 1,000 years then, we will come together, and our three cities also, O sinless one, will become united into one. That foremost one amongst the gods who will, with one shaft, pierce those three cities united into one, will, O lord, be the cause of our destruction.' Saying unto them, 'Let it be so,' that god ascended to heaven. Those Asuras then, filled with joy at having obtained those boons and having settled it among themselves about the construction of the three cities, selected for the purpose the great Asura Maya, the celestial artificer, knowing no fatigue or decay, and worshipped by all the daityas and danavas. Then Maya, of great intelligence, by the aid of his own ascetic merit, constructed three cities, one of which was of gold, another of silver, and the third of black iron. The golden city was set in heaven, the silver city in the welkin, and the iron city was set on the Earth, all in such a way as to revolve in a circle, O lord of Earth. Each of those cities measured a hundred yojanas in breadth and a hundred in length. And they consisted of houses and mansions and lofty walls and porches. And though teeming with lordly palaces close to each other, yet the streets were wide and spacious. And they were adorned with diverse mansions and gate-ways. Each of those cities, again, O monarch, had a separate king. The beautiful city of gold belonged to the illustrious Tarakaksha: the silver city to Kamalaksha, and the iron one to Vidyunmalin. Those three Daitya kings, soon assailing the three worlds with their energy, continued to dwell and reign, and began to say, 'Who is he called the Creator?' Unto those foremost of Danavas having no heroes equal to them, came from every side millions upon millions, of proud and flesh-eating Danavas who had before been defeated by the celestials, and who now settled in the three cities, desirous of great prosperity. Unto all of them thus united, Maya became the supplier of every thing they wanted. Relying upon him, all of them resided there, in perfect fearlessness. Whoever amongst those residing in the triple city wished for any object in his heart had his wish fulfilled by Maya aided by the latter's powers of illusion. Tarakaksha had a heroic and mighty son named Hari. He underwent the austerest of penances, upon which the Grandsire became gratified with him. When the god was gratified, Hari solicited a boon of him, saying, 'Let a lake start into existence in our city, such that persons, slain by means of weapons, may, when thrown into it, come out with life, and with redoubled strength.' Obtaining this boon, the heroic Hari, son of Tarakaksha, created a lake, O lord, in his city, that was capable of reviving the dead. In whatever form and whatever guise a Daitya might have been slain, if thrown into that lake, he was restored to life, in the self-same form and guise. Obtaining alive the slain among them, the Daityas began to afflict the three worlds. Crowned with success by means of austere penances, those enhancers of the fears of the gods sustained, O king, no diminution in battle. Stupefied then by covetousness and folly, and deprived of their senses, all of them began to shamelessly exterminate the cities and towns established all over the universe. Filled with pride at the boons they had received, and driving before them, at all times and from all places, the gods with their attendants, they roamed at will over celestial forests and other realms dear to the denizens of heaven and the delightful and sacred asylums of rishis. And the wicked Danavas ceased to show any respect for anybody. While the worlds were thus afflicted, Sakra, surrounded by the Maruts, battled against the three cities by hurling his thunder upon them from every side. When, however, Purandra failed to pierce those cities made impenetrable, O king, by the Creator with his boons, the chief of celestials, filled with fear, and leaving those cities, repaired with those very gods to that chastiser of foes, viz., the Grandsire, for representing unto him the oppressions committed by the Asuras. Representing everything and bowing with their heads unto him, they asked the divine Grandsire the means by which the triple city could be destroyed. The illustrious Deity, hearing the words of Indra, told the gods, 'He that is an offender against you offends against me also. The Asuras are all of wicked souls and always hate the gods. They that give pain to you always offend against me. I am impartial to all creatures. There is no doubt in this. For all that, however, they that are unrighteous should be slain. This is my fixed vow. Those three forts are to be pierced with one shaft. By no other means can their destruction be effected. None else, save Sthanu, is competent to pierce them with one shaft. Ye Adityas, select Sthanu, otherwise called Ishana and Jishnu, who is never fatigued with work, as your warrior. It is he that will destroy those asuras.' Hearing these words of his, the gods with Sakra at their head, making Brahman take their lead, sought the protection of the Deity having the bull for his mark. Those righteous ones accompanied by rishis devoted to the severest penances and uttering the eternal words of the Vedas, sought Bhava with their whole soul. And they praised, O king, in the high words of the Vedas, that dispeller of fears in all situations of fear that Universal Soul, that Supreme Soul, that One by whom All this is pervaded with his Soul. Then the gods who, by special penances, had learnt to still all the functions of his Soul and to withdraw Soul from Matter,--they who had their soul always under control--beheld him, called Ishana,--that lord of Uma, that mass of energy, that is, who hath no equal in the universe, that source (of everything), that sinless Self. Though that Deity is one they had imagined him to be of various forms. Beholding in that high-souled one those diverse forms that each had individually conceived in own heart, all of them became filled with wonder. Beholding that Unborn one, that Lord of the universe, to be the embodiment of all creatures, the gods and the regenerate Rishis, all touched the Earth with their heads. Saluting them with the word 'Welcome' and raising them from their bent attitudes, the illustrious Sankara addressed them smilingly, saying, 'Tell us the object of your visit.' Commanded by the Three-eyed god, their hearts became easy. They then said these words unto him, 'Our repeated salutations to thee, O Lord. Salutations to thee that art the source of all the gods, to thee that art armed with the bow, to thee that art full of wrath. Salutations to thee that hadst destroyed the sacrifice of that lord of creatures (viz., Daksha) to thee that art adored by all the lords of creatures. Salutations to thee that art always praised, to thee that deservest to be praised, to thee that art Death's self. Salutations to thee that art red, to thee that art fierce, to thee that art blue-throated, to thee that art armed with the trident, to thee that art incapable of being baffled, to thee that hast eyes as beautiful as those of the gazelle, to thee that fightest with the foremost of weapons, to thee that deservest all praise, to thee that art pure, to thee that art destruction's self, to thee that art the destroyer; to thee that art irresistible, to thee that art Brahman, to thee that leadest the life of a brahmacari; to thee that art Ishana; to thee that art immeasurable, to thee that art the great controller, to thee that art robed in tatters; to thee that art ever engaged in penances, to thee that art tawny, to thee that art observant of vows, to thee that art robed in animal skins; to thee that art the sire of Kumara, to thee that art three-eyed, to thee that art armed with the foremost of weapons, to thee that destroyest the afflictions of all that seek thy shelter, to thee that destroyest all haters of brahmanas, to thee that art the lord of all trees, the lord of all men, the lord of all kine, and ever the lord of sacrifices. Salutations to thee that art always at the head of troops, to thee that art three-eyed, to thee that art endued with fierce energy. We devote ourselves to thee in thought, word and deed. Be gracious unto us.' Gratified with these adorations, the holy one, saluting them with the word 'Welcome' said unto them, 'Let your fears be dispelled. Say, what we are to do for you?'"'"

Book 8
Chapter 34

1 [s]
      tān abhidravato dṛṣṭvā pāṇḍavāṃs tāvakaṃ balam
      krośatas tava putrasya na sma rājan nyavartata
  2 tataḥ pakṣāt prapakṣāc ca prapakṣaiś cāpi dakṣiṇāt
      udasta śastrāḥ kuravo bhīmam abhyadravan raṇe
  3 karṇo 'pi dṛṣṭvā dravato dhārtarāṣṭrān parāṅmukhān
      haṃsavarṇān hayāgryāṃs tān praiṣīd yatra vṛkodaraḥ
  4 te preṣitā mahārāja śalyenāhava śobhinā
      bhīmasenarathaṃ prāpya samasajjanta vājinaḥ
  5 dṛṣṭvā karṇaṃ samāyāntaṃ bhīmaḥ krodhasamanvitaḥ
      matiṃ dadhre vināśāya karṇasya bharatarṣabha
  6 so 'bravīt sātyakiṃ vīraṃ dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ ca pārṣatam
      enaṃ rakṣata rājānaṃ dharmātmānaṃ yudhiṣṭhiram
      saṃśayān mahato muktaṃ kathaṃ cit prekṣito mama
  7 agrato me kṛto rājā chinnasarvaparicchadaḥ
      duryodhanasya prītyarthaṃ rādheyena durātmanā
  8 antam adya kariṣyāmi tasya duḥkhasya pārṣata
      hantā vāsmi raṇe karṇaṃ sa vā māṃ nihaniṣyati
      saṃgrāmeṇa sughoreṇa satyam etad bravīmi vaḥ
  9 rājānam adya bhavatāṃ nyāsabhūtaṃ dadāmi vai
      asya saṃrakṣaṇe sarve yatadhvaṃ vigatajvarāḥ
  10 evam uktvā mahābāhuḥ prāyād ādhirathiṃ prati
     siṃhanādena mahatā sarvāḥ saṃnādayan diśaḥ
 11 dṛṣṭvā tvaritam āyāntaṃ bhīmaṃ yuddhābhinandinam
     sūtaputram athovāca madrāṇām īśvaro vibhuḥ
 12 paśya karṇa mahābāhuṃ kruddhaṃ pāṇḍavanandanam
     dīrghakālārjitaṃ krodhaṃ moktu kāmaṃ tvayi dhruvam
 13 īdṛśaṃ nāsya rūpaṃ me dṛṣṭapūrvaṃ kadā cana
     abhimanyau hate karṇe rākṣase vā ghaṭotkace
 14 trailokyasya samastasya śaktaḥ kruddho nivāraṇe
     bibharti yādṛśaṃ rūpaṃ kālāgnisadṛśaṃ śubham
 15 iti bruvati rādheyaṃ madrāṇām īśvare nṛpa
     abhyavartata vai karṇaṃ krodhadīpto vṛkodaraḥ
 16 tathāgataṃ tu saṃprekṣya bhīmaṃ yuddhābhinandinam
     abravīd vacanaṃ śalyaṃ rādheyaḥ prahasann iva
 17 yad uktaṃ vacanaṃ me 'dya tvayā madrajaneśvara
     bhīmasenaṃ prati vibho tat satyaṃ nātra saṃśayaḥ
 18 eṣa śūraś ca vīraś ca krodhanaś ca vṛkodaraḥ
     nirapekṣaḥ śarīre ca prāṇataś ca balādhikaḥ
 19 ajñātavāsaṃ vasatā virāṭanagare tadā
     draupadyāḥ priyakāmena kevalaṃ bāhusaṃśrayāt
     gūḍhabhāvaṃ samāśritya kīcakaḥ sagaṇo hataḥ
 20 so 'dya saṃgrāmaśirasi sannaddhaḥ krodhamūrcchitaḥ
     kiṃkarodyata daṇḍena mṛtyunāpi vrajed raṇam
 21 cirakālābhilaṣito mamāyaṃ tu manorathaḥ
     arjunaṃ samare hanyāṃ māṃ vā hanyād dhanaṃjayaḥ
     sa me kadā cid adyaiva bhaved bhīma samāgamāt
 22 nihate bhīma sete tu yadi vā virathī kṛte
     abhiyāsyati māṃ pārthas tan me sādhu bhaviṣyati
     atra yan manyase prāptaṃ tac chīghraṃ saṃpradhāraya
 23 etac chrutvā tu vacanaṃ rādheyasya mahātmanaḥ
     uvāca vacanaṃ śalyaḥ sūtaputraṃ tathāgatam
 24 abhiyāsi mahābāho bhīmasenaṃ mahābalam
     nirasya bhīmasenaṃ tu tataḥ prāpsyasi phalgunam
 25 yas te kāmo 'bhilaṣitaś cirāt prabhṛti hṛdgataḥ
     sa vai saṃpatsyate karṇa satyam etad bravīmi te
 26 evam ukte tataḥ karṇaḥ śalyaṃ punar abhāṣata
     hantāham arjunaṃ saṃkhye māṃ vā hantā dhanaṃjayaḥ
     yuddhe manaḥ samādhāya yāhi yāhīty acodayat
 27 tataḥ prāyād rathenāśu śalyas tatra viśāṃ pate
     yatra bhīmo maheṣvāso vyadrāvayata vāhinīm
 28 tatas tūryaninādaś ca bherīṇāṃ ca mahāsvanaḥ
     udatiṣṭhata rājendra karṇa bhīma samāgame
 29 bhīmaseno 'tha saṃkruddhas tava sainyaṃ durāsadam
     nārācair vimalais tīkṣṇair diśaḥ prādrāvayad balī
 30 sa saṃnipātas tumulo bhīmarūpo viśāṃ pate
     āsīd raudro mahārāja karṇa pāṇḍavayor mṛdhe
     tato muhūrtād rājendra pāṇḍavaḥ karṇam ādravat
 31 tam āpatantaṃ saṃprekṣya karṇo vaikartano vṛṣaḥ
     ājaghānorasi kruddho nārācena stanāntare
     punaś cainam ameyātmā śaravarṣair avākirat
 32 sa viddhaḥ sūtaputreṇa chādayām āsa patribhiḥ
     vivyādha niśitaiḥ karṇa navabhir nataparvabhiḥ
 33 tasya karṇo dhanurmadhye dvidhā ciccheda patriṇā
     atha taṃ chinnadhanvānam abhyavidhyat stanāntare
     nārācena sutīkṣṇena sarvāvaraṇabhedinā
 34 so 'nyat kārmukam ādāya sūtaputraṃ vṛkodaraḥ
     rājan marmasu marmajño viddhvā suniśitaiḥ śaraiḥ
     nanāda balavan nādaṃ kampayann iva rodasī
 35 taṃ karṇaḥ pañcaviṃśatyā nārācānāṃ samārdayat
     madotkaṭaṃ vane dṛptam ulkābhir iva kuñjaram
 36 tataḥ sāyakabhinnāṅgaḥ pāṇḍavaḥ krodhamūrcchitaḥ
     saṃrambhāmarṣa tāmrākṣaḥ sūtaputra vadhecchayā
 37 sa kārmuke mahāvegaṃ bhārasādhanam uttamam
     girīṇām api bhettāraṃ sāyakaṃ samayojayat
 38 vīkṛṣya balavac cāpam ā karṇād atimārutiḥ
     taṃ mumoca maheṣvāsaḥ kruddhaḥ karṇa jighāṃsayā
 39 sa visṛṣṭo balavatā bāṇo vajrāśanisvanaḥ
     adārayad raṇe karṇaṃ vajravega ivācalam
 40 sa bhīmasenābhihato sūtaputraḥ kurūdvahā
     niṣasāda rathopasthe visaṃjñaḥ pṛtanā patiḥ
 41 tato madrādhipo dṛṣṭvā visaṃjñaṃ sūtanandanam
     apovāha rathenājau karṇam āhavaśobhinam
 42 tataḥ parājite karṇe dhārtarāṣṭrīṃ mahācamūm
     vyadrāvayad bhīmaseno yathendro dānavīṃ camūm

34

"'Duryodhana said, "After the fears of those throngs of the pitris, the gods, and the Rishis had thus been dispelled by that high-souled Deity, Brahman then offered his adorations, unto Sankara, and said these words for the benefit of the universe, 'Through thy favour, O Lord of all, the Lordship of all creatures is mine. Occupying that rank, I have given a great boon to the Danavas. It behoveth none else, save thee, O Lord of the Past and the Future, to destroy those wicked wights that show no regard for any one. Thou O god, art the only person competent to slay the foes of these denizens of heaven that have sought thy protection and that solicit thee. O lord of all the gods, show favour to these. Slay the Danavas, O wielder of the trident. O giver of honours, let the universe, through thy grace, obtain happiness. O Lord of all the worlds, thou art the one whose shelter should be sought. We all seek thy shelter.'
"'"Sthanu said, 'All your foes should be slain. But, I shall not however, slay them single-handed. The enemies of the gods are possessed of might. Therefore, all of you, united together, consume those enemies of yours in battle, with half my might. Union is great strength.'
"'"The gods said, 'Theirs (Danavas') is twice the energy and might of ourselves, we think, for we have already seen their energy and might.'
"'"The holy one said, 'Those sinful wights that have offended against ye should be slain. With half of my energy and might, slay all those enemies of yours.'
"'"The gods said, 'We will not be able, O Maheswara, to bear half of thy energy. With, on the other hand, half of our united might, do thou slay those foes.'
"'"The holy one said, 'If, indeed, ye have not the ability to bear half of my might, then, endued with half of your united energy, I will slay them.'
"'Duryodhana continued, "The celestials then, addressing the god of gods, said 'So be it' O best of kings. Taking half of their energies from all of them, he became superior in might. Indeed, in might that god became superior to all in the universe. From that time Sankara came to be called Mahadeva. And Mahadeva then said, 'Armed with bow and shaft, I will, from my car, slay in battle those foes of yours, ye denizens of heaven. Therefore, ye gods, see now to my car and bow and shaft so that I may, this very day, throw the Asuras down on the Earth.'
"'"The gods said, 'Gathering all forms that may be found in the three worlds and taking portions of each, we will each, O Lord of the gods, construct a car of great energy for thee. It will be a large car, the handiwork of Viswakarman, designed with intelligence.' Saying this, those tigers among the gods began the construction of that car. And they made Vishnu and Soma and Hutasana the arrow for Sankara's use. Agni became the staff, and Soma became the head, and Vishnu the point, O king, of that foremost of arrows. The goddess Earth, with her large cities and towns, her mountains and forests and islands, that home of diverse creatures, was made the car. The Mandara mountain was made its axle; and the great river Ganga was made its Jangha; and the points of the compass, cardinal and subsidiary became the ornaments of the car. The constellations became its shaft; the Krita age became its yoke; and that best of Snakes, viz., Vasuki, became the Kuvara of that car. Himavat and Vindhya mountains became its Apaskara and Adhishthana; and the Udaya and the Asta mountains were made the wheels of that car by those foremost ones among the gods. They made the excellent Ocean, that abode of the Danavas its other axle. The seven Rishis became the protectors of the wheels of that car. Ganga and Sarasvati and Sindhu and the Sky became its Dhura; all the other rivers and all the waters became the chords for binding the several limbs of that car. Day and Night and the other divisions of time such as Kalas and Kasthas, and the Seasons became its Amukarsha. The blazing planets and the stars became its wooden fence; Religion, Profit, and Pleasure, united together, became its Trivenu. The herbs and the creepers, decked with flowers and fruits, became its bells. Making the Sun and the Moon equal, these were made the (other two) wheels of that foremost of cars. Day and Night were made its auspicious wings on the right and left. The ten foremost of snakes having Dhritarashtra for their first, all exceedingly strong, formed the (other) shaft of that car. The Sky was made its (other) yoke, and the clouds called Samvartaka and Valahaka were the leathern strings of the yoke. The two Twilights and Dhritri and Medha and Sthiti and Sannati, and the firmament bespangled with planets and stars, were made the skins for covering that car. Those Regents of the world, viz., the Lords of the gods, of the waters, of the dead, and of treasures, were made the steeds of that car. Kalaprishtha, and Nahusha, and Karkotaka, and Dhananjaya and the other snakes became the chords for binding the manes of the steeds. The cardinal and the subsidiary directions became the reins of the steeds of that car. The Vedic sound Vashat became the goad, and Gayatri became the string attached to that goad. The four auspicious days were made the traces of the steeds, and the pitris presiding over them were made the hooks and pins. Action and truth and ascetic penances and profit were made the chords of that car. The Mind became the ground upon which that car stood, and Speech the tracks upon which it was to proceed. Beautiful banners of various hues waved in the air. With lightning and Indra's bow attached to it, that blazing car gave fierce light. That space of time which, on a former occasion, had, in the Sacrifice of the high-souled Ishana, been fixed as a Year, became the bow, and the goddess Savitri became the loud-sounding bow-string. A celestial coat of mail was made, decked with costly gems, and impenetrable and effulgent, sprung from the wheel of Time. That golden mountain, viz., the beautiful Meru, became the flagstaff, and the clouds decked with flashes of lightning became its banners. Thus equipped, that car shone brilliantly like a blazing fire in the midst of the priests officiating at a sacrifice. Beholding that car properly equipped, the gods became filled with wonder. Seeing the energies of the entire universe united together in one place, O sire, the gods wondered, and at last represented unto that illustrious Deity that the car was ready. After, O monarch, that best of cars had thus been constructed by the gods, O tiger among men, for grinding their foes, Sankara placed upon it his own celestial weapons. Making the sky its flagstaff, he placed upon it his bovine bull. The Brahmana's rod, the rod of Death, Rudra's rod, and Fever became the protectors of the sides of that car and stood with faces turned towards all sides. Atharvan and Angirasa became the protectors of the car-wheels of that illustrious warrior. The Rigveda, the Samaveda, and the Puranas stood in advance of that car. The histories and the Yajurveda became the protectors of the rear. All sacred Speeches and all the Sciences stood around it, and all hymns, O monarch, and the Vedic sound of Vashat also. And the syllable Om, O king, standing in the van of that car, made it exceedingly beautiful. Having made the Year adorned with the six seasons his bow, he made his own shadow the irrefragable string of that bow in that battle. The illustrious Rudra is Death's self. The Year became his bow; Kala Ratri the Death-night therefore, which is Rudra's shadow, became the indestructible string of that bow. Vishnu and Agni and Soma became (as already said) the arrow. The universe is said to consist of Agni and Soma. The universe is similarly said to consist of Vishnu. Vishnu is, again, the Soul of the holy Bhava of immeasurable energy. For this the touch of that bow-string became unbearable to the Asuras. And the lord Sankara cast on that arrow his own irresistible and fierce wrath, the unbearable fire of anger, viz., that which was born of wrath of Bhrigu and Angirasa. Then He called Nila Rohita (Blue and Red or smoke)--that terrible deity robed in skins,--looking like 10,000 Suns, and shrouded by the fire of superabundant Energy, blazed up with splendour. That discomfiter of even him that is difficult of being discomfited, that victor, that slayer of all haters of Brahma, called also Hara, that rescuer of the righteous and destroyer of the unrighteous, viz., the illustrious Sthanu, accompanied by many beings of terrible might and terrible forms that were endued with the speed of the mind and capable of agitating and crushing all foes, as if with all the fourteen faculties of the soul awake about him, looked exceedingly resplendent. Having his limbs for their refuge, this entire universe of mobile and immobile creatures that were present there, O king, looked beautiful, presenting a highly wonderful appearance. Beholding that car, duly equipped, he cased himself in mail and armed himself with the bow, and took up that celestial shaft born of Soma and Vishnu and Agni. The gods, O king, then commanded that foremost of celestials, viz., Wind, to breathe after that puissant Deity all the fragrance that he carries. Then Mahadeva, terrifying the very gods, and making the very Earth tremble, ascended that car resolutely. Then the great Rishis, the Gandharvas, those throngs of gods and those diverse tribes of Apsaras began to praise that Lord of the gods while he was about to ascend that car. Adored by the regenerate Rishis, and praised by the eulogists and diverse tribes of dancing Apsaras well-versed in the art of dancing, that boon-giving lord, armed with scimitar and arrow and bow, looked very beautiful. Smiling, he then asked the gods, 'Who will become my driver?' The gods answered him, saying, 'He whom thou wilt appoint, will, O Lord of the gods, without doubt, become thy driver!' Unto them the god replied, 'Reflecting yourselves, without delay make him my driver who is superior to me!' Hearing these words uttered by that high-souled Deity, the gods repaired unto the Grandsire and inclining him to grace, said these words, 'We have accomplished everything, O holy one, that thou hadst ordered us to do in the matter of afflicting the foes of celestials. The Deity having the bull for his mark has been gratified with us. A car hath been constructed by us, equipped with many wonderful weapons. We do not, however, know who is to become the driver of that foremost of cars. Therefore, let some foremost one among the gods be appointed as the driver. O holy one, it behoveth thee to make true those words that thou, O lord, hadst then said to us. Before this, O god, thou hadst even said to us that thou wouldst do us good. It behoveth thee to accomplish that promise. That irresistible and best of cars, that router of our foes, hath been constructed out of the component parts of the celestials. The Deity armed with Pinaka hath been made the warrior who is to stand on it. Striking the Danavas with fear, he is prepared for battle. The four Vedas have become the four foremost of steeds. With her mountains, the Earth has become the car of that high-souled one. The stars have become the adornments of that vehicle. (As already said) Hara is the warrior. We do not, however, see who is to become the driver. A driver should be sought for that car who is superior to all these. Equal to thee in importance is that car, O god, and Hara is the warrior. Armour, and weapons, and bow, these we have got already, O Grandsire. Except thee, we do not behold any person that can make its driver. Thou art endued with every accomplishment. Thou, O lord, art superior to all the gods. Mounting upon that car with speed, hold the reins of those foremost of steeds, for the victory of the celestials and the destruction of their foes.' It has been heard by us that bowing with their heads unto the Grandsire that Lord of the three worlds, the gods sought to gratify him for inducing him to accept the drivership.
"'"The Grandsire said, 'There is nothing of untruth in all this that ye have said, ye denizens of heaven. I will hold the reins of the steeds for Kapaddin while he will be engaged in fight.' Then that illustrious god, that Creator of the worlds, the Grandsire, was appointed by the gods as the driver of the high-souled Ishana. And when he was about to ascend quickly upon that car worshipped by all, those steeds, endued with the speed of the wind, bowed themselves with their heads to the Earth. Having ascended the car the illustrious Deity, viz., the Grandsire resplendent with his own energy, took the reins and the goad. Then the illustrious god, raising those steeds addressed that foremost one among the gods, viz., Sthanu, saying, 'Ascend.' Then, taking that arrow composed of Vishnu and Soma and Agni, Sthanu ascended the car, causing the foe to tremble by means of his bow. The great Rishis, the Gandharvas, the throngs of gods, and the diverse tribes of Apsaras, then praised that Lord of the gods after he had ascended the car. Resplendent with beauty, the boon-giving Lord, armed with scimitar, shaft, and bow, stayed on the car causing the three worlds to blaze forth with his own energy. The great Deity once more said unto the gods headed by Indra, 'Ye should never grieve, doubting my ability to destroy the Asura. Know that the Asuras have already been slain by means of this arrow'. The gods then answered, saying, 'It is true! The Asuras have already been slain.' Indeed, the gods thinking that the words which the divine Lord had said could not be untrue, became exceedingly gratified. Then that Lord of the gods proceeded surrounded by all the gods, upon that large car, O king, which had nothing to compare with it. And the illustrious Deity was adored, all the while by the attendants that always wait upon him, and by others that subsisted on meat, that were invincible in battle, and that danced in joy on the present occasion, running wildly on all sides and shouting at one another, Rishis also, of great good fortune, possessed of ascetic merit and endued with high qualities, as also the gods, wished for Mahadeva's success. When that boon-giving Lord, that dispeller of the fears of the three worlds, thus proceeded, the entire universe, all the gods, O best of men, became exceedingly gratified. And the Rishis there adored the Lord of the gods with diverse hymns, and enhancing his energy, O king, took up their station there. And millions upon millions of Gandharvas played upon diverse kinds of musical instruments at the hour of his setting out. When the boon-giving Brahman, having ascended the car, set out for the Asuras, the Lord of the Universe, smiling the while, said, 'Excellent, Excellent! Proceed, O god, to the spot where the Daityas are. Urge the steeds wakefully. Behold today the might of arms while I slay the foe in battle.' Thus addressed, Brahman urged those steeds endued with the fleetness of the wind or thought towards that spot where the triple city, O king, stood, protected by the Daityas and the Danavas. With those steeds worshipped by all the worlds, and which coursed with such speed that they seemed to devour the skies, the illustrious god quickly proceeded for the victory of the denizens of heaven. Indeed, when Bhava, riding on the car, set out towards the triple city, his bull uttered tremendous roars, filling all the points of the compass. Hearing that loud and terrible roar of the bull, many of the descendants and followers of Taraka, those enemies of the gods, breathed their last. Others amongst them stood facing the foe for battle. Then Sthanu, O king, armed with trident became deprived of his senses in wrath. All creatures became frightened, and the three worlds began to tremble. Frightful portents appeared when he was on the point of aiming that shaft. In consequence, however, of the pressure caused by the weight of Soma, Agni, and Vishnu that were in that shaft, as also of the pressure caused by the weight of Brahman and Rudra and the latter's bow, that car seemed to sink. Then Narayana, issuing out of the point of that shaft, assumed the form of a bull and raised that large car. During the time the car had sunk and the foe had began to roar, the illustrious Deity, endued with great might began, from rage, to utter loud shouts, standing, O giver of honours, on the head of his bull and the back of his steeds. At that time the illustrious Rudra was employed in eyeing the Danava city. While in that posture, O best of men, Rudra cut off the teats of the horses and clove the hoofs of the bull. Blessed be thou, from the date the hoofs of all animals of the bovine species came to be cloven. And from that time, O king, horses, afflicted by the mighty Rudra of wonderful deeds, came to be without teats. Then Sarva, having stringed his bow and aimed that shaft with which he had united the Pasupata weapon, waited thinking of the triple city. And O king, as Rudra thus stood, holding his bow, the three cities during that time became united. When the three cities, losing their separate characters became united, tumultuous became the joy of the high-souled gods. Then all the gods, the Siddhas, and the great Rishis, uttered the word Jaya, adoring Maheshwara. The triple city then appeared immediately before that god of unbearable energy, that Deity of fierce and indescribable form, that warrior who was desirous of slaying the Asuras. The illustrious deity, that Lord of the universe, then drawing that celestial bow, sped that shaft which represented the might of the whole universe, at the triple city. Upon that foremost of shafts, O thou of great good fortune, being shot, loud wails of woe were heard from those cities as they began to fall down towards the Earth. Burning those Asuras, he threw them down into the Western ocean. Thus was the triple city burnt and thus were the Danavas exterminated by Maheswara in wrath, from desire of doing good to the three worlds. The fire born of his own wrath, the three-eyed god quenched, saying, 'Do not reduce the three worlds to ashes.' After this, the gods, the Rishis, and the three worlds became all restored to their natural dispositions, and gratified Sthanu of unrivalled energy with words of high import. Receiving then the permission of the great god, the gods with the Creator at their head went away to the places they came from, their object being accomplished after such effort. Thus that illustrious Deity, that Creator of the worlds, that Lord of both the Gods and the Asuras, viz., Maheswara, did that which was for the good of all the worlds. As the illustrious Brahman, the Creator of the worlds, the Grandsire, the Supreme Deity of unfading glory, acted as the driver of Rudra, so do thou restrain the steeds of the high-souled son of Radha like Grandsire restraining those of Rudra. There is not the slightest doubt, O tiger among kings, that thou art superior to Krishna, to Karna, and to Phalguna. In battle, Karna is like Rudra, and thou art like Brahman in policy. United, ye two, therefore, are competent to vanquish my foes that are even like the Asuras. Let, O Shalya, that be done speedily today by which this Karna, grinding the Pandava troops, may be able to slay Kunti's son owning white steeds and having Krishna for the driver of his car. Upon thee depend Karna, ourselves, our kingdom, and (our) victory in battle. Hold the reins, therefore, of the excellent steeds (of Karna). There is another story which I will narrate. Listen once more to it. A virtuous brahmana had recited it in the presence of my father. Hearing these delightful words fraught with the reasons and purposes of acts, do, O Shalya, what thou mayst settle, without entertaining any scruples. In the race of the Bhrigus was Jamadagni of severe ascetic penances. He had a son endued with energy and every virtue, who became celebrated by the name of Rama. Practising the austerest penances, of cheerful soul, bound to observances and vows, and keeping his senses under control, he gratified the god Bhava for obtaining weapons. In consequence of his devotion and tranquillity of heart. Mahadeva became gratified with him. Sankara, understanding the desire cherished in his heart, showed himself unto Rama. And Mahadeva said, 'O Rama, I am gratified with thee. Blessed be thou, thy desire is known to me. Make thy soul pure. Thou wilt then have all that thou desirest. I will give thee all weapons when thou wilt become pure. Those weapons, O son, of Bhrigu, burn a person that is incompetent and that is not deserving of them.' Thus addressed by that god of gods, that deity bearing the trident, the son of Jamadagni, bending his head unto that puissant high-souled one, said, 'O god of gods, it behoveth thee to give those weapons unto me that am always devoted to thy service, when, indeed thou wilt regard me fit for holding them.'"
"'Duryodhana continued. "With penances then, and restraining his senses, and observances of vows, and worship and offerings and with sacrifices and Homa performed with mantras, Rama adored Sarva for many long years. At last Mahadeva, pleased with the high-souled son of Bhrigu's race, described him, in the presence of his divine spouse, as possessed of many virtues: 'This Rama, of firm vows is ever devoted to me.' Gratified with him, the Lord Sankara thus repeatedly proclaimed his virtues in the presence of gods and the Rishis, O slayer of foes. Meanwhile, the Daityas became very mighty. Blinded by pride and folly, they afflicted the denizens of heaven. The gods then, uniting together, and firmly resolved to slay them, strove earnestly for the destruction of those foes. They, however, failed to vanquish them. The gods then, repairing to Maheswara, the Lord of Uma, began to gratify him with devotion, saying, 'Slay our foes.' That god, having promised the destruction of their foes unto the celestials, summoned Rama the descendant of Bhrigu. And Sankara addressed Rama, saying, 'O descendant of Bhrigu, slay all the assembled foes of the gods, from desire of doing good unto all the worlds as also for my satisfaction.' Thus addressed, Rama replied unto that boon-giving Lord of Three-eyes, saying, 'What strength have I, O chief of the gods destitute as I am of weapons, to slay in battle the assembled Danavas that are accomplished in weapons and invincible in fight? Maheswara said, 'Go thou at my command. Thou shalt slay those foes. Having vanquished all those enemies, thou shalt acquire numerous merits.' Hearing these words and accepting them all, Rama, causing propitiatory rites to be performed for his success, proceeded against the Danavas. Addressing those enemies of the gods that were endued with might and possessed with folly and pride, he said, 'Ye Daityas that are fierce in battle, give me battle. I have been sent by the God of gods to vanquish you.' Thus addressed by the descendant of Bhrigu, the Daityas began to fight. The delighter of the Bhargavas, however, slaying the Daityas in battle, with strokes whose touch resembled that of Indra's thunder, came back to Mahadeva. Jamadagni's son, that foremost of brahmanas returned with many wounds on his person inflicted by the Danavas. Touched, however by Sthanu, his wounds were immediately healed. Gratified also with that feat of his, the illustrious god gave diverse kinds of boons unto the high-souled son of Bhrigu. With satisfaction in his heart, the trident-wielding God of gods said, 'The pain thou hast suffered in consequence of the fall of weapons upon thy body evidences the super-human feat that thou hast achieved, O delighter of the Bhrigus. As desired by thee, accept from me these celestial weapons.'"
"'Duryodhana continued, "Having obtained all the celestial weapons and the boons that had been desired by him, Rama bowed unto Siva with his head. Obtaining the leave also of the gods that great ascetic went away. This is the old story that the rishi had recited. The descendant of Bhrigu gave the whole science of weapons unto the high-souled Karna, O tiger among kings with delighted heart. If Karna had any fault, O lord of Earth, the delighter of Bhrigu's race would never have given him his celestial weapons. I do not think that Karna could have been born in the Suta order. I think him to be the son of a god, born in the kshatriya order. I think that he was abandoned (in infancy) in order that the race in which he was born might be ascertained (by his features and feats). By no means, O Shalya, could this Karna have been born in the Suta order. With his (natural) earring and (natural) coat of mail, this mighty car-warrior of long arms, resembling Surya himself, could not be borne by a common woman even as a she-deer can never bear a tiger. His arms are massive, each resembling the trunk of a prince of elephants. Behold his chest that is so broad and capable of resisting every foe. Karna otherwise called Vaikartana, O king, cannot be an ordinary person. Endued with great valour, this disciple of Rama, O king of kings, is a high-souled personage.'"

Book 8
Chapter 35

1 [dhṛ]
      suduṣkaram idaṃ karmakṛtaṃ bhīmena saṃjaya
      yena karṇo mahābāhū rathopasthe nipātitaḥ
  2 karṇo hy eko raṇe hantā sṛñjayān pāṇḍavaiḥ saha
      iti duryodhanaḥ sūta prābravīn māṃ muhur muhuḥ
  3 parājitaṃ tu rādheyaṃ dṛṣṭvā bhīmena saṃyuge
      tataḥ paraṃ kim akarot putro duryodhano mama
  4 [s]
      vibhrāntaṃ prekṣya rādheyaṃ sūtaputraṃ mahāhave
      mahatyā senayā rājan sodaryān samabhāṣata
  5 śīghraṃ gacchata bhadraṃ vo rādheyaṃ parirakṣata
      bhīmasenabhayāgādhe majjantaṃ vyasanārṇave
  6 te tu rājñaḥ samādiṣṭā bhīmasenajighāṃsavaḥ
      abhyavartanta saṃkruddhāḥ pataṃgā iva pāvakam
  7 śrutāyur durdharaḥ krātho vivitsur vikaṭaḥ samaḥ
      niṣaṅgī kavacī pāśī tathā nandopanandakau
  8 duṣpradharṣaḥ subāhuś ca vātavegasuvarcasau
      dhanur grāho durmadaś ca tathā sattvasamaḥ sahaḥ
  9 ete rathaiḥ parivṛtā vīryavanto mahābalāḥ
      bhīmasenaṃ samāsādya samantāt paryavārayan
      te vyamuñcañ śaravrātān nānā liṅgān samantataḥ
  10 sa tair abhyardyamānas tu bhīmaseno mahābalaḥ
     teṣām āpatatāṃ kṣipraṃ sutānāṃ te narādhipa
     rathaiḥ pañcāśatā sārdhaṃ pañcāśan nyahanad rathān
 11 vivitsos tu tataḥ kruddho bhallenāpāharac chiraḥ
     sakuṇḍala śiras trāṇaṃ pūrṇacandropamaṃ tadā
     bhīmena ca mahārāja sa papāta hato bhuvi
 12 taṃ dṛṣṭvā nihataṃ śūraṃ bhrātaraḥ sarvataḥ prabho
     abbhyadravanta samare bhīmaṃ bhīmaparākramam
 13 tato 'parābhyāṃ bhallābhyāṃ putrayos te mahāhave
     jahāra samare prāṇān bhīmo bhīmaparākramaḥ
 14 tau dharām anvapadyetāṃ vātarugṇāv iva drumau
     vikaṭaś ca samaś cobhau devagarbhasamau nṛpa
 15 tatas tu tvarito bhīmaḥ krāthaṃ ninye yamakṣayam
     nārācena sutīkṣṇena sa hato nyapatad bhuvi
 16 hāhākāras tatas tīvraḥ saṃbabhūva janeśvara
     vadhyamāneṣu te rājaṃs tadā putreṣu dhanviṣu
 17 teṣāṃ saṃlulite sainye bhīmaseno mahābalaḥ
     nandopanandau samare prāpayad yamasādanam
 18 tatas te prādravan bhītāḥ putrās te vihvalī kṛtāḥ
     bhīmasenaṃ raṇe dṛṣṭvā kālāntakayamopamam
 19 putrāṃs te nihatān dṛṣṭvā sūtaputro mahāmanāḥ
     haṃsavarṇān hayān bhūyaḥ prāhiṇod yatra pāṇḍavaḥ
 20 te preṣitā mahārāja madrarājena vājinaḥ
     bhīmasenarathaṃ prāpya samasajjanta vegitāḥ
 21 sa saṃnipātas tumulo ghorarūpo viśāṃ pate
     āsīd raudro mahārāja karṇa pāṇḍavayor mṛdhe
 22 dṛṣṭvā mama mahārāja tau sametau mahārathau
     āsīd buddhiḥ kathaṃ nūnam etad adya bhaviṣyati
 23 tato muhūrtād rājendra nātikṛcchrād dhasann iva
     virathaṃ bhīmakarmāṇaṃ bhīmaṃ karṇaś cakāra ha
 24 viratho bharataśreṣṭhaḥ prahasann anilopamaḥ
     gadāhasto mahābāhur apatat syandanottamāt
 25 nāgān saptaśatān rājānn īṣa dantān prahāriṇaḥ
     vyadhamat sahasā bhīmaḥ kruddha rūpāḥ paraṃtapaḥ
 26 dantaveṣṭeṣu netreṣu kambheṣu sa kaṭeṣu ca
     marmasv api ca marmajño ninadan vyadhamad bhṛśam
 27 tatas te prādravan bhītāḥ pratīpaṃ prahitāḥ punaḥ
     mahāmātrais tam āvavrur meghā iva divākaram
 28 tān sa saptaśatān nāgān sārohāyudha ketanān
     bhūmiṣṭho gadayā jaghne śaran meghān ivānilaḥ
 29 tataḥ subala putrasya nāgān atibalān punaḥ
     pothayām āsa kaunteyo dvāpañcāśatam āhave
 30 tathā rathaśataṃ sāgraṃ pattīṃś ca śataśo 'parān
     nyahanat pāṇḍavo yuddhe tāpayaṃs tava vāhinīm
 31 pratāpyamānaṃ sūryeṇa bhīmena ca mahātmanā
     tava sainyaṃ saṃccukoca carma vahni gataṃ yathā
 32 te bhīma bhayasaṃtrastās tāvakā bharatarṣabha
     vihāya samare bhīmaṃ dudruvur vai diśo daśa
 33 rathāḥ pañcaśatāś cānye hrādinaś carma varmiṇaḥ
     bhīmam abhyadravaṃs tūrṇaṃ śarapūgaiḥ samantataḥ
 34 tān sasūta rathān sarvān sapatākā dhvajāyudhān
     pothayām āsa gadayā bhīmo viṣṇur ivāsurān
 35 tataḥ śakuninirdiṣṭāḥ sādinaḥ śūra saṃmatāḥ
     trisāhasrā yayur bhīmaṃ śaktyṛṣṭi prāsapāṇayaḥ
 36 tān pratyudgamya yavanān aśvārohān varārihā
     vicaran vividhān mārgān ghātayām āsa pothayan
 37 teṣām āsīn mahāñ śabdas tāḍitānāṃ ca sārvaśaḥ
     asibhiś chidyamānānāṃ naḍānām iva bhārata
 38 evaṃ subala putrasya trisāhasrān hayottamān
     hatvānyaṃ ratham āsthāya kruddho rādheyam abhyayāt
 39 karṇo 'pi samare rājan dharmaputram ariṃdamam
     śaraiḥ pracchādayām āsa sārathiṃ cāpy apātayat
 40 tataḥ saṃmpradrutaṃ saṃkhye rathaṃ dṛṣṭvā mahārathaḥ
     anvadhāvat kiran bāṇaiḥ kaṅkapatrair ajihmagaiḥ
 41 rājānam abhi dhāvantaṃ śarair āvṛtya rodasī
     kruddhaḥ pracchādayām āsa śarajālena mārutiḥ
 42 saṃnivṛttas tatas tūrṇaṃ rādheyaḥ śatrukarśanaḥ
     bhīmaṃ pracchādayām āsa samantān niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ
 43 bhīmasenarathavyagraṃ karṇaṃ bhārata sātyakiḥ
     abhyardayad ameyātmā pārṣṇigrahaṇakāraṇāt
     abhyavartata karṇas tam ardito 'pi śarair bhṛśam
 44 tāv anyonyaṃ samāsādya vṛṣābhau sarvadhanvinām
     visṛjantau śarāṃś citrān vibhrājetāṃ manasvinau
 45 tābhyāṃ viyati rājendra vitataṃ bhīmadarśanam
     krauñcapṛṣṭhāruṇaṃ raudraṃ bāṇajālaṃ vyadṛśyata
 46 naiva sūryaprabhāṃ khaṃ vā na diśaḥ pradiśaḥ kutaḥ
     prājñāsiṣma vayaṃ tābhyāṃ śarair muktaiḥ sahasraśaḥ
 47 madhyāhne tapato rājan bhāskarasya mahāprabhāḥ
     hṛtāḥ sarvāḥ śaraughais taiḥ karṇam ādhavayos tadā
 48 saubalaṃ kṛtavarmāṇaṃ drauṇim ādhirathiṃ kṛpam
     saṃsaktān pāṇḍavair dṛṣṭvā nivṛttāḥ kuravaḥ punaḥ
 49 teṣām āpatatāṃ śabdas tīvra āsīd viśāṃ pate
     uddhūtānāṃ yathā vṛṣṭyā sāgarāṇāṃ bhayāvahaḥ
 50 te sene bhṛśasaṃvigne dṛṣṭvānyonyaṃ mahāraṇe
     harṣeṇa mahatā yukte parigṛhya parasparam
 51 tataḥ pravavṛte yuddhaṃ madhyaṃ prāpte divākare
     yādṛśaṃ na kadācid dhi dṛṣṭapūrvaṃ na ca śrutam
 52 balaughas tu samāsādya balaughaṃ sahasā raṇe
     upāsarpata vegena jalaugha iva sāgaram
 53 āsīn ninādaḥ sumahān balaughānāṃ parasparam
     garjatāṃ sāgaraughāṇāṃ yathā syān nisvano mahān
 54 te tu sene samāsādya vegavatyau parasparam
     ekībhāvam anuprāpte nadyāv iva samāgame
 55 tataḥ pravavṛte yuddhaṃ ghorarūpaṃ viśāṃ pate
     kurūṇāṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ ca lipsatāṃ sumahad yaśaḥ
 56 kurūṇāṃ garjatāṃ tatra aviccheda kṛtā giraḥ
     śrūyante vividhā rājan nāmāny uddiśya bhārata
 57 yasya yad dhi raṇe nyaṅgaṃ pitṛto mātṛto 'pi vā
     karmataḥ śīlato vāpi sa tac chrāvayate yudhi
 58 tān dṛṣṭvā samare śūrāṃs tarjayānān parasparam
     abbhavan me matī rājann eṣām astīti jīvitam
 59 teṣāṃ dṛṣṭvā tu kruddhānāṃ vapūṃṣy amitatejasām
     abhavan me bhayaṃ tīvraṃ katham etad bhaviṣyati
 60 tatas te pāṇḍavā rājan kauravāś ca mahārathāḥ
     tatakṣuḥ sāyakais tīkṣṇair nighnanto hi parasparam

35

"'Duryodhana said, "Even thus did that illustrious Deity, that Grandsire of all the worlds, viz., Brahman, act as driver on that occasion and even thus did Rudra become the warrior. The driver of the car, O hero, should be superior to the warrior on it. Therefore, O tiger among men, do thou hold the reins of the steeds in this battle. As on that occasion the Grandsire had been selected with care by all the celestials, indeed, O great king, as one greater than Sankara, so thou that art superior to Karna art now selected by us with care. Like the Grandsire holding the reins of Rudra's steeds, do thou hold, without delay, the reins of Karna's steeds in battle, O thou of great splendour."
"'Shalya said, "O foremost of men, many a time have I heard this excellent and celestial history, recited to me, of those two lions among gods. Indeed, I have heard how the Grandsire acted as the driver of Bhava and how the Asuras also, O Bharata, were all destroyed with one shaft. Krishna also had knowledge of all this before, the knowledge, viz., of how the illustrious Grandsire had become the driver on that occasion of yore. Indeed, Krishna knoweth the past and the future with all their details. Knowing this fact, he became the driver, O Bharata, of Partha like the Self-create becoming the driver of Rudra. If the Suta's son, by some means, succeeds in slaying the son of Kunti, Keshava, beholding Partha slain, will fight himself. That bearer of the conch, the discus, and the mace, will then consume thy army. There is no king here that will stay in the ranks in front of that illustrious one of Vrishni's race when he will be excited with wrath.'"
"Sanjaya said, 'Unto the ruler of the Madras who was speaking in that strain, that chastiser of foes, viz., thy mighty-armed son of cheerful soul replied, saying, "Do not, O mighty-armed one, think disparagingly of Karna, otherwise called Vaikartana, in battle,--that warrior who is the foremost of all wielders of arms and who is acquainted with the meaning of the whole body of our scriptures. Hearing the terrible and loud twang of his bow and the sound of his palms, the Pandava troops fly away on all sides. Thou hast witnessed it with thy own eyes, O mighty-armed one, how Ghatotkaca, screened by his illusions and displaying hundreds of still slain that night (by Karna). Feeling a great fear all these days Vibhatsu could never stand, fronting Karna. The mighty Bhimasena also, moved hither and thither by the horn of Karna's bow, was, O king, addressed in very harsh words such as 'Fool' and 'Glutton.' The two brave sons of Madri also were defeated by Karna in great battle, though, from some object he had in view, he did not, O sire, slay them then. That foremost one of Vrishni's race, viz., the heroic Satyaki, the chief of the Satwata clan, was vanquished by Karna and made carless. Others, such as all the Srinjayas headed by Dhrishtadyumna, have been repeatedly defeated in battle by Karna the great car-warrior who has achieved all these feats and who excited with wrath, is competent to slay Purandara himself armed with the thunderbolt in fight. Thyself also, O hero, art acquainted with every weapon. Thou art, again, the master of all branches of learning. There is none on Earth who is thy equal in might of arms. Irresistible in prowess, thou art like a dart (Shalya) unto thy enemies. It is for this, O king, that thou O slayer of foes, art called 'Shalya.' Encountering the might of thy arms, all the Satwatas were unable to get the better of it. Is Krishna superior to thee in might of arms, O king? Indeed, as Krishna is to bear the burthen of the Pandava troops upon the slaughter of Partha, even so art thou to bear the burthen of this vast (Kaurava) force if Karna lays down his life. Why should he be able to resist my troops and why shouldst not thou be able to slay the hostile troops, O sire? For thy sake, O sire, I would willingly follow the footsteps of my (slain) brothers and the other heroic kings of the Earth."
"'Shalya said, "O son of Gandhari, when thou, O giver of honours, describest me before thy troops to be superior to the son of Devaki, I am exceedingly gratified with thee. I accept the drivership of the celebrated son of Radha when he will fight with that foremost of the sons of Pandu, as thou desirest. I have, however, O hero, a compact to make with Vaikartana, and that is this: I will utter whatever words I may wish, in this one's presence.'"
"Sanjaya continued, 'Thy son then, O king, with Karna, O sire, answered the ruler of the Madras, saying, "Let it be so" in the presence of all the kshatriyas. Assured by Shalya's acceptance of the drivership, Duryodhana, filled with joy, embraced Karna. Eulogised (by bards and panegyrists around), thy son then once more addressed Karna, saying, "Slay all the Parthas in battle, like the great Indra slaying the Danavas." Shalya having accepted the office of holding the reins of his steeds, Karna, with a cheerful heart, once more addressed Duryodhana, saying, "The ruler of the Madras does not say very cheerfully what he says. O king, solicit him once more in sweet words." Thus addressed, the mighty king Duryodhana, possessed of great wisdom and accomplished in everything, once more spoke unto that lord of Earth, viz., Shalya, the ruler of Madras, in a voice deep as that of the clouds and filling the whole region there with the sound of that voice: "O Shalya, Karna thinks that he should fight with Arjuna today. O tiger among men hold the reins of Karna's steeds in battle. Having slain all the other warriors Karna desires to slay Phalguna. I solicit thee, O king, repeatedly, in the matter of holding the reins of his steeds. As Krishna, that foremost of all drivers, is the counsellor of Partha, even so do thou protect the son of Radha today from every danger.'"
"Sanjaya continued, 'Embracing thy son then, Shalya the ruler of the Madras, joyfully answered that slayer of foes, viz., Duryodhana, saying, "If this is what is thou thinkest, O royal son of Gandhari, O thou of handsome features, I shall, for that, accomplish everything that may be agreeable to thee. O chief of the Bharatas, for whatever acts I may be fit, employing myself therein with my whole heart, I will bear the burthen of those acts of thine. Let Karna, however, and thyself pardon me all those words, agreeable or disagreeable, that I may speak unto Karna from desire of his good.'"
"'Karna said, "O ruler of the Madras, be thou ever engaged in our good as Brahman in that of Ishana, as Keshava in that of Partha."
"'Shalya said, "These four kinds of conduct--self-rebuke and self-praise, speaking ill of others, and adulation of others, are never practised by those that are respectable. That, however, O learned one, which I shall say, for inspiring thy confidence is fraught with self-adulation. For all that, listen to it duly. O puissant one, like Matali himself, I am fit to act as the driver of even Indra in watchfulness, in managing the steeds, in knowledge of coming danger and of the means of avoiding it, and in competence to avoid it in practice. When thou wilt be engaged in battle with Partha, I will hold the reins of thy steeds. Let thy anxiety be dispelled, O Suta's son."'"

(My humble salutations to the lotus feet of Sreeman Brahmasri K M Ganguliji for the collection )