srimahabharat - (Book 8) Karna Parva - chapters 61 to 80

 

The Sacred  Scripture of

 great Epic Sree Mahabharatam:

The Mahabharata

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

 

Book 8
Chapter 61

 

 

 

1 [s]
      tatrākarod duṣkaraṃ rājaputro; duḥśāsanas tumule yudhyamānaḥ
      ciccheda bhīmasya dhanuḥ kṣureṇa; ṣaḍbhiḥ śaraiḥ sārathim apy avidhyat
  2 tato 'bhinad bahubhiḥ kṣipram eva; vareṣubhir bhīmasenaṃ mahātmā
      sa vikṣaran nāga iva prabhinno; gadām asmai tumule prāhiṇod vai
  3 tayāharad daśa dhanvantarāṇi; duḥśāsanaṃ bhīmasenaḥ prasahya
      tayā hataḥ patito vepamāno; duḥśāsano gadayā vegavatyā
  4 hayāḥ sasūtāś ca hatā narendra; cūrṇīkṛtaś cāsya rataḥ patantyā
      vidhvastavarmābharaṇāmbara srag; viceṣṭamāno bhṛśavedanārtaḥ
  5 tataḥ smṛtvā bhīmasenas tarasvī; sāpatnakaṃ yat prayuktaṃ sutais te
      rathād avaplutya gataḥ sa bhūmau; yatnena tasmin praṇidhāya cakṣuḥ
  6 asiṃ samuddhṛtya śitaṃ sudhāraṃ; kaṇṭhe samākramya ca vepamānam
      utkṛtya vakṣaḥ patitasya bhūmāv; athāpibac choṇitam asya koṣṇam
      āsvādya cāsvādya ca vīkṣamāṇaḥ; kruddho 'tivelaṃ prajagāda vākyam
  7 stanyasya mātur madhusarpiṣo vā; mādhvīka pānasya ca satkṛtasya
      divyasya vā toyarasasya pānāt; payo dadhibhyāṃ mathitāc ca mukhyāt
      sarvebhya evābhyadhiko raso 'yaṃ; mato mamādyāhita lohitasya
  8 evaṃ bruvāṇaṃ punar ādravantam; āsvādya valgantam atiprahṛṣṭam
      ye bhīmasenaṃ dadṛśus tadānīṃ; bhayena te 'pi vyathitā nipetuḥ
  9 ye cāpi tatrāpatitā manuṣyās; teṣāṃ karebhyaḥ patitaṃ ca śastram
      bhayāc ca saṃcukruśur uccakais te; nimīlitākṣā dadṛśuś ca tan na
  10 ye tatra bhīmaṃ dadṛśuḥ samantād; dauḥśāsanaṃ tadrudhiraṃ pibantam
     sarve palāyanta bhayābhipannā; nāyaṃ manuṣya iti bhāṣamāṇāḥ
 11 śṛṇvatāṃ lokavīrāṇām idaṃ vacanam abravīt
     eṣa te rudhiraṃ kaṇṭhāt pibāmi puruṣādhama
     brūhīdānīṃ susaṃrabdhaḥ punar gaur iti gaur iti
 12 pramāṇa koṭyāṃ śayanaṃ kālakūṭasya bhojanam
     daśanaṃ cāhibhiḥ kaṣṭaṃ dāhaṃ ca jatu veśmani
 13 dyūtena rājyaharaṇam araṇye vasatiś ca yā
     iṣvastrāṇi ca saṃgrāmeṣv asukhāni ca veśmani
 14 duḥkhāny etāni jānīmo na sukhāni kadā cana
     dhṛtarāṣṭrasya daurātmyāt saputrasyā sadā vayam
 15 ity uktvā vacanaṃ rājañ jayaṃ prāpya vṛkodaraḥ
     punar āha mahārāja smayaṃs tau keśavārjunau
 16 duḥśāsane yad raṇe saṃśrutaṃ me; tad vai sarvaṃ kṛtam adyeha vīrau
     adyaiva dāsyāmy aparaṃ dvitīyaṃ; duryodhanaṃ yajñapaśuṃ viśasyā
     śiromṛditvā ca padā durātmanaḥ; śāntiṃ lapsye kauravāṇāṃ samakṣam
 17 etāvad uktvā vacanaṃ prahṛṣṭo; nanād acoccai rudhirārdragātraḥ
     nanarta caivātibalo mahātmā; vṛtraṃ nihatyeva sahasranetraḥ

 

61

"Dhritarashtra said, 'When Bhima and Pandu's son Yudhishthira were engaged in battle, when my troops were being slaughtered by the Pandus and the Srinjayas, when, indeed, my vast army being broken and routed repeatedly became cheerless, tell me, O Sanjaya, what the Kauravas did.'
"Sanjaya said, 'Beholding the mighty-armed Bhima, the Suta's son of great valour, with eyes red in wrath, O king, rushed towards him. Seeing thy army fly away from Bhimasena, the mighty Karna, O king, rallied it with great efforts. The mighty-armed Karna, having rallied thy son's host, proceeded against the Pandavas, those heroes difficult of defeat in battle. The great car-warriors of the Pandavas also, shaking their bows and shooting their shafts, proceeded against the son of Radha. Bhimasena, and the grandson of Sini, and Shikhandi and Janamejaya, and Dhrishtadyumna of great strength, and all the Prabhadrakas, and those tigers among men, the Pancalas, filled with rage and inspired with desire of victory, rushed in that battle from every side against thy army. Similarly, the great car-warriors of thy army, O king, quickly proceeded against the Pandava host, desirous of slaughtering it. Teeming with cars and elephants and horses, and abounding with foot-soldiers and standards, the two armies then, O tiger among men, assumed a wonderful aspect. Shikhandi proceeded against Karna, and Dhrishtadyumna proceeded against thy son Duhshasana, accompanied by a large force. Nakula proceeded against Vrishasena, while Yudhishthira against Citrasena. Sahadeva, O king, in that battle, proceeded against Uluka. Satyaki proceeded against Shakuni, and the sons of Draupadi against the other Kauravas. The mighty car-warrior Ashvatthama proceeded, with great care, against Arjuna. Sharadvata's son Kripa proceeded against the mighty bowman Yudhamanyu, while Kritavarma of great strength proceeded against Uttamauja. The mighty-armed Bhimasena, O sire, alone and unsupported, resisted all the Kurus and thy sons at the head of their division. The slayer of Bhishma, Shikhandi, then, O monarch, with his winged arrows, resisted Karna, careering fearlessly in that battle. Held in check, Karna then, his lips trembling in rage, assailed Shikhandi with three arrows in the midst of his eyebrows. With those three arrows sticking on his forehead, Shikhandi looked highly beautiful like a silver mountain with three elevated crests. Deeply pierced by the Suta's son in that encounter, the mighty bowman Shikhandi pierced Karna, in return, with ninety keen shafts. The mighty car-warrior Karna then, slaying Shikhandi's steeds and next his driver with three arrows, cut off his standard with a razor-faced arrow. That mighty car-warrior then, that scorcher of foes, filled with rage, jumped down from his steedless car and hurled a dart at Karna. Cutting off that dart with three shafts in that encounter, Karna then, O Bharata, pierced Shikhandi with nine keen arrows. Avoiding then the shafts sped from Karna's bow, that best of men, Shikhandi, exceedingly mangled, retreated speedily from that spot. Then Karna, O monarch, began to scatter the troops of the Pandavas, like a mighty wind scattering a heap of cotton. Meanwhile Dhrishtadyumna, O monarch, afflicted by thy son, pierced Duhshasana, in return, with three arrows in the centre of the chest. Then Duhshasana, O sire, pierced his assailant's left arm with a broad-headed shaft, sharp and straight and equipped with wings of gold. Thus pierced, Dhrishtadyumna, filled with wrath and the desire to retaliate, sped a terrible shaft, O Bharata, at Duhshasana. Thy son, however, O king, with three shafts of his, cut off that impetuous arrow sped by Dhrishtadyumna as it coursed towards him. Approaching Dhrishtadyumna then, he struck him in the arms and the chest with seventeen other broad-headed shafts adorned with gold. Thereat Prishata's son, filled with rage, cut off Duhshasana's bow, O sire, with a sharp razor-headed arrow, at which all the troops there uttered a loud shout. Taking up then another bow, thy son, as if smiling, held Dhrishtadyumna in check with showers of arrows from every side. Beholding the prowess of that high-souled son of thine, the combatants, as also the siddhas and the apsaras, became all filled with wonder. We then saw the mighty Dhrishtadyumna thus assailed by Duhshasana to resemble a huge elephant, held in check by a lion. Then many Pancala car-warriors and elephants and horses, O elder brother of Pandu, desirous of rescuing the commander (of the Pandava army) encompassed thy son. The battle that commenced, O scorcher of foes, between thy warriors and the enemy, presented as frightful a sight as that which may be seen at the destruction of all creatures at the end of the Yuga.
"'Vrishasena, staying by the side of his father, having pierced Nakula with five arrows made wholly of iron, pierced him once again with three other arrows. The heroic Nakula then, as if smiling, deeply pierced Vrishasena in the chest with a cloth-yard shaft of great keenness. Thus pierced by his mighty foe, that scorcher of foes, viz., Vrishasena, pierced his assailant with twenty arrows and was himself pierced by him with five. Then those two bulls among men shrouded each other with thousands of arrows, at which the divisions that supported them broke. Beholding the troops of Dhritarashtra's son flying away, the Suta's son, following them, O king, began to forcibly stop them. After Karna had gone away, Nakula proceeded against the Kauravas. Karna's son also, avoiding Nakula, proceeded quickly, O sire, to where his father, the son of Radha, was for protecting his car-wheel.
"'The angry Uluka was held in check by Sahadeva. Having slain his four steeds, the valiant Sahadeva then despatched his foe's driver to the abode of Yama. Uluka then, that delighter of his father, jumping down from his car, O king, quickly proceeded and entered the division of the Trigartas. Satyaki, having pierced Shakuni with twenty keen arrows, easily cut off the standard of Subala's son with a broad-headed arrow. The valiant son of Subala, filled with rage, O king, in that encounter, pierced Satyaki's armour and then cut off his golden standard. Then Satyaki pierced him in return with many keen arrows, and struck his driver, O monarch, with three arrows. With great speed then, he despatched with other shafts the steeds of Shakuni to Yama's abode. Speedily alighting then, O bull among men, from his car, Shakuni, that mighty car-warrior, quickly ascended the car of Uluka. The latter then bore away with great speed his father from Sini's grandson, that warrior skilled in battle. Then Satyaki, O king, rushed in that battle against thy army with great impetuosity, at which that army broke. Shrouded with the arrows of Sini's grandson, thy army, O monarch, fled away on all sides with great speed, and fell down deprived of life.
"'Thy son resisted Bhimasena in that battle, in a trice Bhima made that ruler of men steedless and driverless and carless and standardless, at which the (Pandava) troops became highly glad. Then thy son, O king, went away from Bhimasena's presence. The whole Kuru army, at this, rushed against Bhimasena. Tremendous became the din made by those combatants inspired with the desire of slaying Bhimasena. Yudhamanyu, piercing Kripa, quickly cut off his bow. Then Kripa, that foremost of all wielders of weapons, taking up another bow, felled Yudhamanyu's standard and driver and umbrella on the Earth. At this, the mighty car-warrior Yudhamanyu retreated on his car, driving it himself. Uttamauja covered the terrible son of Hridika, endued with terrible prowess, with a thick shower of arrows like a cloud pouring torrents of rain on a mountain. The battle between them, O scorcher of foes, became so awful that its like, O monarch, I had never seen before. Then Kritavarma, O king, in that encounter, suddenly pierced Uttamauja in the chest, at which the latter sat down on the terrace of his car. His driver then bore away that foremost of car-warriors. Then the whole Kuru army rushed at Bhimasena. Duhshasana and Subala's son, encompassing the son of Pandu with a large elephant force, began to strike him with small arrows. Then Bhima, causing the wrathful Duryodhana to turn his back on the field by means of hundreds of arrows, quickly rushed towards that elephant force. Beholding that elephant-force advance impetuously against him, Vrikodara became filled with great rage and invoked his celestial weapons. And he began to strike elephants with elephants like Indra striking the Asuras. While engaged in slaughtering those elephants, Vrikodara, in that battle, covered the welkin with his shafts like myriads of insects covering a fire. Like the wind scattering masses of clouds, Bhima quickly scattered and destroyed crowds of elephants united together in thousands. Covered all over with networks of gold, as also with many gems, the elephants looked exceedingly beautiful in that battle like clouds charged with lightning. Slaughtered by Bhima, those elephants, O king, began to fly away. Some amongst them, with their hearts pierced, fell down on the Earth. With those fallen and failing elephants adorned with gold, the Earth looked beautiful there, as if strewn with broken mountains. With the fallen elephant-warriors of blazing resplendence and adorned with gems, the Earth looked beautiful as if strewn with planets of exhausted merit. Then elephants, with their temples, frontal globes, and trunks deeply pierced, fled in hundreds in that battle, afflicted with the shafts of Bhimasena. Some amongst them, huge as hills, afflicted with fear and vomiting blood, ran away, their limbs mangled with arrows, and looked on that account, like mountains with liquid metals running down their sides. People then beheld the two arms of Bhima, resembling two mighty snakes, smeared with sandal-paste and other pounded unguents, continually employed in drawing the bow. Hearing the sound of his bow-string and palms that resembled the peal of thunder, those elephants, ejecting urine and excreta, ran away in fear. The feats of the single-handed Bhima of great intelligence, on that occasion, shone like those of Rudra, himself, while engaged in destroying all creatures.'"

 

 

Book 8
Chapter 62

 

 

 

 

1 [s]
      duḥśāsane tu nihate putrās tava mahārathāḥ
      mahākrodhaviṣā vīrāḥ samareṣv apalāyinaḥ
      daśa rājan mahāvīryo bhīmaṃ prācchādayañ śaraiḥ
  2 kavacī niṣaṅgī pāśī daṇḍadhāro dhanurdharaḥ
      alolupaḥ śalaḥ saṃdho vātavegasuvarcasau
  3 ete sametya sahitā bhrātṛvyasanakarśitāḥ
      bhīmasenaṃ mahābāhuṃ mārgaṇaiḥ samavārayan
  4 sa vāryamāṇo viśikhaiḥ samantāt tair mahārathaiḥ
      bhīmaḥ krodhābhiraktākṣaḥ kruddhaḥ kāla ivābabhau
  5 tāṃs tu bhallair mahāvegair daśabhir daśabhiḥ śitaiḥ
      rukmāṅgado rukmapuṅkhaiḥ pārtho ninye yamakṣayam
  6 hateṣu teṣu vīreṣu pradudrāva balaṃ tava
      paśyataḥ sūtaputrasya pāṇḍavasya bhayārditam
  7 tataḥ karṇo mahārāja praviveśa mahāraṇam
      dṛṣṭvā bhīmasya vikrāntam antakasya prajāsv iva
  8 tasya tv ākāra bhāvajñaḥ śalyaḥ samitiśobhanaḥ
      uvāca vacanaṃ karṇāṃ prapta kālam ariṃdama
      mā vyathāṃ kuru rādheya naitat tvayy upapadyate
  9 ete dravanti rājāno bhīmasenabhayārditāḥ
      duryodhanaś ca saṃmūḍho bhrātṛvyasanaduḥkhitaḥ
  10 duḥśāsanasya rudhire pīyamāne mahātmanā
     vyāpanna cetasaś caiva śokopahatamanyavaḥ
 11 duryodhanam upāsante parivārya samantataḥ
     kṛpaprabhṛtayaḥ karṇahataśeṣāś ca sodarāḥ
 12 pāṇḍavā labdhalakṣāś ca dhanaṃjaya purogamāḥ
     tvām evābhimukhāḥ śūrā yuddhāya samupāsthitāḥ
 13 sa taṃ puruṣaśārdūla pauruṣe mahati sthitaḥ
     kṣatradharmaṃ puraskṛtya pratyudyāhi dhanaṃjayam
 14 bhāro hi dhārtarāṣṭreṇa tvayi sarvaḥ samarpitaḥ
     tam udvaha mahābāho yathāśakti yathābalam
     jaye syād vipulā kīrtir dhruvaḥ svargaḥ parājaye
 15 vṛṣasenaś ca rādheya saṃkruddhas tanayas tava
     tvayi mohasamāpanne pāṇḍavān abhidhāvati
 16 etac chrutvā tu vacanaṃ śalyasyāmita tejasaḥ
     hṛdi mānuṣyakaṃ bhāvaṃ cakre yuddhāya susthiram
 17 tataḥ kruddho vṛṣaseno 'bhyadhāvad; ātasthivāṃsaṃ svarathaṃ hatārim
     vṛkodaraṃ kālam ivātta daṇḍaṃ; gadāhastaṃ pothamānaṃ tvadīyān
 18 tam abhyadhāvan nakulaḥ pravīro; roṣād amitraṃ pratudan pṛṣatkaiḥ
     karṇasya putraṃ samare prahṛṣṭaṃ; jiṣṇur jighāṃsur maghaveva jambham
 19 tato dhvajaṃ sphāṭikacitrakambuṃ; ciccheda vīro nakulaḥ kṣureṇa
     karṇātmajasyeṣv asanaṃ ca citraṃ; bhallena jāmbūnadapaṭṭa naddham
 20 athānyad ādāya dhanuḥ suśīghraṃ; karṇātmajaḥ pāṇḍavam abhyavidhyat
     divyair mahāstrair nakulaṃ mahāstro; duḥśāsanasyāpacitiṃ yiyāsuḥ
 21 tataḥ kruddho nakulas taṃ mahātmā; śarair maholkā pratimair avidhyat
     divyairastrair abhyavidhyac ca so 'pi; karṇasyā putro nakulaṃ kṛtāstraḥ
 22 karṇasyā putro nakulasya rājan; sarvān aśvān akṣiṇod uttamāstraiḥ
     vanāyujān sukumārasya śubhrān; alaṃkṛtāñ jātarūpeṇa śīghrān
 23 tato hatāśvād avaruhya yānād; ādāya carma ruciraṃ cāṣṭa candram
     ākāśasaṃkāśam asiṃ gṛhītvā; poplūyamānaḥ khagavac cacāra
 24 tato 'ntarikṣe nṛvarāśvanāgaṃś; ciccheda mārgān vicaran vicitrān
     te prāpatann asinā gāṃ viśastā; yathāśvamedhe paśavaḥ śamitrā
 25 dvisāhasrā viditā yuddhaśauṇḍā; nānādeśyāḥ subhṛtāḥ satyasaṃdhāḥ
     ekena śīghraṃ nakulena kṛttāḥ; sārepsunā ivottama candanās te
 26 tam āpatantaṃ nakulaṃ so 'bhipatya; samantataḥ sāyakair abhyavidhyat
     sa tudyamāno nakulaḥ pṛṣatkair; vivyādha vīraṃ sa cukopa viddhaḥ
 27 taṃ karṇa putro vidhamantam ekaṃ; narāśvamātaṅgarathapravekān
     krīḍantam aṣṭādaśabhiḥ pṛṣatkair; vivyādha vīraṃ sa cukopa viddhaḥ
 28 tato 'bhyadhāvat samare jighāṃsuḥ; karṇātmajaṃ pāṇḍusuto nṛvīraḥ
     tasyeṣubhir vyadhamat karṇa putro; mahāraṇe carma sahasratāram
 29 tasyāyasaṃ niśitaṃ tīkṣṇadhāram; asiṃ vikośaṃ gurubhārasāham
     dviṣac charīrāpaharaṃ sughoram; ādhunvataḥ sarpam ivograrūpam
 30 kṣipraṃ śaraiḥ ṣaḍbhir amitrasāhaś; cakarta khaḍgaṃ niśitaiḥ sughoraiḥ
     punaś ca pītair niśitaiḥ pṛṣatkaiḥ; stanāntare gāḍham athābhyavidhyat
 31 sa bhīmasenasya ratahṃ hatāśvo; mādrī sutaḥ karṇasutābhitaptaḥ
     āpupluve siṃha ivācalāgraṃ; saṃprekṣamāṇasya dhanaṃjayasya
 32 nakulam atha viditvā chinnabāṇāsanāsiṃ; viratham ariśarārtaṃ karṇa putrāstra bhagnam
     pavanadhuta patākā hrādino valgitāśvā; varapuruṣaniyattās te rathāḥ śīghram īyuḥ
 33 drupada suta variṣṭhāḥ pañca śaineya ṣaṣṭhā; drupada duhitṛputrāḥ pañca cāmitrasāhāḥ
     dviradarathanarāśvān sūdayantas tvadīyān; bhujaga patinikāśair mārgaṇair āttaśastrāḥ
 34 atha tava rathamukhyās tān pratīyus tvaranto; hṛdika suta kṛpau ca drauṇiduryodhanau ca
     śakuniśukavṛkāś ca krātha devāvṛdhau ca; dviradajaladaghoṣaiḥ syandanaiḥ kārmukaiś ca
 35 tava naravaravaryās tān daśaikaṃ ca vīrān; pravara śaravarāgryais tāḍayanto 'bhyarundhan
     nava jaladasavarṇair hastibhir tān udīyur; giriśikharanikāśair bhīmavegaiḥ kuṇindāḥ
 36 sukalpitā haimavatā madotkaṭā; raṇābhikāmaiḥ kṛtibhiḥ samāsthitāḥ
     suvarṇajālāvatatā babhur gajās; tathā yathā vai jaladāḥ savidyutaḥ
 37 kuṇinda putro daśabhir mahāyasaiḥ; kṛpaṃ sasūtāśvam apīḍayad bhṛśam
     tataḥ śaradvat suta sāyakair hataḥ; sahaiva nāgena papāta bhūtale
 38 kuṇinda putrāvarajas tu tomarair; divākarāṃśu pratimair ayo mayaiḥ
     rathaṃ ca vikṣobhya nanāda nardatas; tato 'sya gāndhārapatiḥ śiro 'harat
 39 tataḥ kuṇindeṣu hateṣu teṣv atha; prahṛṣṭarūpās tava te mahārathāḥ
     bhṛśaṃ pradadhmur lavanāmbusaṃbhavān; parāṃś ca bāṇāsanapāṇayo 'bhyayuḥ
 40 athābhavad yuddham atīva dāruṇaṃ; punaḥ kurūṇāṃ saha pāṇu sṛñjayaiḥ
     śarāsi śaktyṛṣṭi gadā paraśvadhair; narāśvanāgāsu haraṃ bhṛśākulam
 41 rathāśvamātaṅgapadātibhis tataḥ; parasparaṃ viprahatāpatan kṣitau
     yathā savidyutstanitā balāhakāḥ; samāsthitā digbhya ivogramārutaiḥ
 42 tataḥ śatānīka hatān mahāgajāṃs; tathā rathān pattigaṇāṃś ca tāvakān
     jaghāna bhojaś ca hayān athāpatan; viśastra kṛttāḥ kṛtavarmaṇā dvipāḥ
 43 athāpare drauṇiśarāhatā dvipās; trayaḥ sasarvāyudha yodhaketavaḥ
     nipetur urvyāṃ vyasavaḥ prapātitās; tathā yathā vajrahatā mahācalāḥ
 44 kuṇinda rājāvarajād anantaraḥ; stanāntare patrivarair atāḍayat
     tavātmajaṃ tasya tavātmajaḥ śaraiḥ; śitaiḥ śarīraṃ bibhide dvipaṃ ca tam
 45 sa nāgarājaḥ saha rājasūnunā; papāta raktaṃ bahu sarvataḥ kṣaran
     śacīśa vajraprahato 'mudāgame; yathā jalaṃ gairikaparvatas tathā
 46 kuṇinda putra prahito 'paradvipaḥ; śukaṃ sasūtāśvarathaṃ vyapothayat
     tato 'patat krātha śarābhidāritaḥ; saheśvaro vajrahato yathā giriḥ
 47 rathī dvipasthena hato 'patac charaiḥ; krāthādhipaḥ parvatajena durjayaḥ
     sa vājisūteṣv asanas tathāpatad; yathā mahāvātahato mahādrumaḥ
 48 vṛko dvipasthaṃ girirājavāsinaṃ; bhṛśaṃ śarair dvādaśabhiḥ parābhinat
     tato vṛkaṃ sāśvarathaṃ mahājavaṃ; tvaraṃś caturbhiś caraṇe vyapothayat
 49 sa nāgarājaḥ saniyantṛko 'patat; parāhato babhru suteṣu bhir bhṛśam
     sa cāpi devāvṛdha sūnur arditaḥ; papāta nunnaḥ sahadeva sūnunā
 50 viṣāṇa potrāparagātraghātinā; gajena hantuṃ śakuneḥ kuṇindajaḥ
     jagāma vegena bhṛśārdayaṃś ca taṃ; tato 'sya gāndhārapatiḥ śiro 'harat
 51 tataḥ śatānīka hatā mahāgajā; hayā rathāḥ pattigaṇāś ca tāvakāḥ
     suparṇavātaprahatā yathā nagās; tathāgatā gām avaśā vicūrṇitāḥ
 52 tato 'bhyavidhyad bahubhiḥ śitaiḥ śaraiḥ; kuṇinda putro nakulātmajaṃ smayan
     tato 'sya kāyān nicakarta nākuliḥ; śiraḥ kruṣeṇāmbuja saṃnibhānanam
 53 tataḥ śatānīkam avidhyad āśugais; tribhiḥ śitaiḥ karṇasuto 'rjunaṃ tribhiḥ
     tribhiś ca bhīmaṃ nakulaṃ ca saptabhir; janārdanaṃ dvādaśabhiś ca sāyakaiḥ
 54 tad asya karmātimanuṣya karmaṇaḥ; samīkṣya hṛṣṭāḥ kuravo 'bhyapūjayan
     parākramajñās tu dhanaṃjayasya te; huto 'yam agnāv iti taṃ tu menire
 55 tataḥ kirīṭī paravīra ghātī; hatāśvam ālokya narapravīram
     tam abhyadhāvad vṛṣasenam āhave; sasūtajasya pramukhe sthitaṃ tadā
 56 tam āpatantaṃ naravīram ugraṃ; mahāhave bāṇasahasradhāriṇam
     abhyāpatat karṇasuto mahāratho; yathaiva cendraṃ namuciḥ purātane
 57 tato 'dbhutenaika śatena pārthaṃ; śarair viddhvā sūtaputrasya putraḥ
     nanāda nādaṃ sumahānubhāvo; viddhveva śakraṃ namuciḥ purā vai
 58 punaḥ sa pārthaṃ vṛṣasena ugrair; bāṇair avidhyad bhujamūlamadhye
     tathaiva kṛṣṇaṃ navabhiḥ samārdayat; punaś ca pārthaṃ daśabhiḥ śitāgraiḥ
 59 tataḥ kirīṭī raṇamūrdhni kopāt; kṛtvā triśākhāṃ bhrukuṭiṃ lalāṭe
     mumoca bāṇān viśikhān mahātmā; vadhāya rājan sūtaputrasya saṃkhye
 60 vivyādha cainaṃ daśabhiḥ pṛṣatkair; marmasv asaktaṃ prasabhaṃ kirīṭī
     ciccheda cāsyeṣv asanaṃ bhujau ca; kṣurair caturbhiḥ śira eva cograiḥ
 61 sa pārtha bāṇābhihataḥ papāta; rathād vibāhur viśirā dharāyām
     supuṣpitaḥ parṇadharo 'tikāyo; vāteritaḥ śāla ivādriśṛṅgāt
 62 taṃ prekṣya bāṇābhihataṃ patantaṃ; rathāt sutaṃ sūtajaḥ kṣiprakārī
     rathaṃ rathenāśu jagāma vegāt; kirīṭinaḥ putra badhābhitaptaḥ

 

 

62

"Sanjaya said, 'The handsome Arjuna then, on that foremost car of his, unto which were yoked white steeds, and which was urged by Narayana himself, appeared on the scene. Like the tempest agitating the ocean, Vijaya, O foremost of kings, in that battle, agitated that host of thine teeming with horsemen. When the white-steeded Arjuna was otherwise engaged, thy son Duryodhana, filled with rage and surrounded by half his troops, approached suddenly, and encompassed the advancing Yudhishthira inspired with the desire of revenge. The Kuru king then pierced the son of Pandu with three and seventy razor-headed arrows. At this, Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, became inflamed with ire, and quickly struck thy son with thirty broad-headed arrows. The Kaurava troops then rushed impetuously for seizing Yudhishthira. Understanding the wicked intentions of the enemy, the great car-warriors of the Pandava army, uniting together, rushed towards Yudhishthira, the son of Kunti, for rescuing him. Indeed, Nakula and Sahadeva and Dhrishtadyumna, the son of Prishata, surrounded by a full Akshauhini of troops, thus proceeded towards Yudhishthira. Bhimasena also, in that battle, crushing the great car-warriors of thy army, proceeded towards the king surrounded by foes. Karna, otherwise called Vaikartana, O king, shooting dense showers of arrows, checked, single-handed, all those mighty bowmen thus advancing (to the rescue). Though they shot dense showers of arrows and hurled innumerable lances, fighting with determination, yet they were unable even to look at the son of Radha. Indeed, the son of Radha, that master of all weapons offensive and defensive, by shooting dense showers of shafts checked all those great bowmen. The high-souled Sahadeva, however, quickly approaching (the spot where Duryodhana was), and invoking without loss of time a (celestial) weapon, pierced Duryodhana with twenty arrows. Thus pierced by Sahadeva, the Kuru king, covered with blood, looked beautiful, like a huge elephant of split temples. Beholding thy son deeply pierced with many arrows of great energy, that foremost of car-warriors, viz., the son of Radha, filled with rage, rushed to that spot. Seeing Duryodhana reduced to that plight, Karna, invoking his weapons quickly, began to slaughter the troops of Yudhishthira and Prishata's son. Thus slaughtered by the high-souled Karna, Yudhishthira's troops, O king, afflicted with the arrows of the Suta's son, soon fled away. Showers of shafts fell together. Indeed, those sped subsequently from the bow of the Suta's son touched with their heads the wings of those sped before. In consequence of those falling showers, of shafts, O monarch, colliding with one another, a conflagration seemed to blaze forth in the welkin. Soon Karna shrouded the ten points of the compass, O king, with arrows capable of piercing the bodies of foes, as if with advancing flights of locusts. Displaying the highest weapons, Karna began to wave with great force his two arms smeared with red sandal-paste and adorned with jewels and gold. Then stupefying all sides, O king, with his shafts, Karna deeply afflicted Yudhishthira the just. Filled with rage at this, Dharma's son Yudhishthira struck Karna with fifty keen shafts. In consequence then of the darkness caused by those showers of arrows, the battle became awful to look at. Loud cries of woe arose from among thy troops, O monarch, whilst they were being slaughtered by Dharma's son, O sire, with diverse kinds of keen shafts equipped with Kanka feathers and whetted on stone, with numerous broad-headed arrows, and with diverse kinds of darts and swords and clubs. Thither where Pandu's son of virtuous soul cast his eyes with the desire of producing evil, thither thy army broke, O bull of Bharata's race. Inflamed with great rage, Karna also, of immeasurable soul, inspired with the desire of retaliating, his face flushed in anger, rushed in that battle against Pandu's son, king Yudhishthira the just, shooting cloth-yard shafts and crescent-shaped arrows and those equipped with heads like the calf's tooth. Yudhishthira also pierced him with many whetted arrows equipped with wings of gold. As if smiling the while, Karna pierced the royal son of Pandu in the chest with three broad-headed arrows, whetted on stone, and equipped with Kanka feathers. Deeply afflicted therewith, king Yudhishthira the just, sitting down on the terrace of his car, ordered his driver to retreat. Thereupon all the Dhartarashtras, with their king, set up a loud shout, saying, "Seize! Seize!" and all of them then pursued the (Pandava) king. Then seventeen hundred Kekaya troops, skilled in smiting, united with a body of the Pancala troops, O king, checked the Dhartarashtras. During the progress of that fierce and terrible battle, Duryodhana and Bhima, those two warriors endued with great might, encountered each other.'"

 

 

Book 8
Chapter 63

 

 

1 [s]
      vṛṣasenaṃ hataṃ dṛṣṭvā śokāmarṣa samanvitaḥ
      muktvā śokodbhavaṃ vāri netrābhyāṃ sahasā vṛṣaḥ
  2 rathena karṇas tejasvī jagāmābhimukho ripūn
      yuddhāyāmarṣa tāmrākṣaḥ samāhūya dhanaṃjayam
  3 tau rathau sūryasaṃkāśau vaiyāghraparivāraṇau
      sametau dadṛśus tatra dvāv ivārkau samāgatau
  4 śvetāśvau puruṣādityāv āsthitāv arimardanau
      śuśubhāte mahātmānau candrādityau yathā divi
  5 tau dṛṣṭvā vismayaṃ jagmuḥ sarvabhūtāni māriṣa
      trailokyavijaye yattāv indra vairocanāv iva
  6 rathajyā talanirhrādair bāṇaśaṅkharavair api
      tau rathāv abhidhāvantau samālokya mahīkṣitām
  7 dhvajau ca dṛṣṭvā saṃsaktau vismayaḥ samapadyata
      hastikakṣyāṃ ca karṇasya vānaraṃ ca kirīṭinaḥ
  8 tau rathau saṃprasaktau ca dṛṣṭvā bhārata pārthivāḥ
      siṃhanāda ravāṃś cakruḥ sādhuvādāṃś ca puṣkalān
  9 śrutvā tu dvairathaṃ tābhyāṃ tatra yodhāḥ samantataḥ
      cakrur bāhuvalam caiva tathā celā valaṃ mahat
  10 ājagmuḥ kuravas tatra vāditrānugatās tadā
     karṇaṃ praharṣayantaś ca śaṅkhān dadhmuś ca puṣkalān
 11 tathaiva pāṇḍavāḥ sarve harṣayanto dhanaṃjayam
     tūryaśaṅkhaninādena diśaḥ sarvā vyanādayan
 12 kṣveḍitāsphoṭitotkruṣṭais tumulaṃ sarvato 'bhavat
     bāhughoṣāś ca vīrāṇāṃ karṇārjuna samāgame
 13 tau dṛṣṭvā puruṣavyāghrau rathasthau rathināṃ varau
     pragṛhītamahācāpau śaraśaktigadāyudhau
 14 varmiṇau baddhanistriṃśo śetāśvau śaṅkhaśobhinau
     tūṇīravarasaṃpannau dvāv api sma sudarśanau
 15 raktacandana digdhāṅgau samadau vṛṣabhāv iva
     āśīviṣasamaprakhyau yama kālāntakopamau
 16 indra vṛtrāv iva kruddhau sūryā cāndramasa prabhau
     mahāgrahāv iva krūrau yugānte samupasthitau
 17 devagarbhau devasamau devatulyau ca rūpataḥ
     sametau puruṣavyāghrau prekṣya karṇa dhanaṃjayau
 18 ubhau varāyudhadharāv ubhau raṇakṛtaśramau
     ubhau ca bāhuśabdena nādayantau nabhastalam
 19 ubhau viśruta karmāṇau pauruṣeṇā balena ca
     ubhau ca sadṛśau yuddhe śambarāmara rājayoḥ
 20 kātavīrya samau yuddhe tathā dāśarabheḥ samau
     viṣṇuvīryasamau vīrye tathā bava samau yudhi
 21 ubhau śvetahayau rājan rathapravara vāhinau
     sārathī pravarau caiva tayor āstāṃ mahābalau
 22 tau tu dṛṣṭvā mahārāja rājamānau mahārathau
     siddhacāraṇasaṃghānāṃ vismayaḥ samapadyata
 23 dhārtarāṣṭrās tataḥ karṇaṃ sabalā bharatarṣabha
     parivāvrur mahātmānaṃ kṣipram āhavaśobhinam
 24 tathaiva pāṇḍavā hṛṣṭā dhṛṣṭadyumnapurogamāḥ
     parivavrur mahātmānaṃ pārtham apratimāṃ yudhi
 25 tāvakānāṃ raṇe karṇo glaha āsīd viśāṃ pate
     tathaiva pāṇḍaveyānāṃ glahaḥ pārtho 'bhavad yudhi
 26 ta eva sabhyās tatrāsān prekṣakāś cābhavan sma te
     tatraiṣāṃ glahamānānāṃ dhruvau jayaparājayau
 27 tābhyāṃ dyūtaṃ samāyattaṃ vijayāyetarāya vā
     asmākaṃ paṇḍavānāṃ ca sthitānāṃ raṇamūrdhani
 28 tau tu sthitau mahārāja samare yuddhaśālinau
     anyonyaṃ pratisaṃrabdhāv anyonyasyā jayaiṣiṇau
     anyonyaṃ pratisaṃrabdhāv anyonyasya jayaiṣiṇau
 29 tāv ubhau pratihīrṣetām indra vṛtrāv ivābhitaḥ
     bhīmarūpā dharāv āstaṃ mahādhūmāv iva grahau
 30 tato 'ntarikṣe sākṣepā vivādā bharatarṣabha
     mitho bhedāś ca bhūtānām āsan karṇājunāntare
     vyāśrayanta diśo bhinnāḥ sarvalokāś ca māriṣa
 31 devadānavagandharvāḥ piśāccoraga rākṣasāḥ
     pratipakṣa grahaṃ cakruḥ karṇārjuna samāgame
 32 dyaur āsītk karṇato vyagrā sanakṣatrā viśāṃ pate
     bhūmir viśālā pārthasya mātāputrasya bhārata
 33 saritaḥ sāgarāś caiva girayaś ca narottama
     vṛkṣāś cauṣadhayas tatra vyāśrayanti kirīṭinam
 34 asurā yātudhānāś ca gruhyakāś ca paraṃtapa
     karṇataḥ samapadyanta khe carāṇi vayāṃsi ca
 35 ratnāni nidhayaḥ sarve vedāś cākhyānapāñcamāḥ
     sopavedopaniṣadaḥ sarahasyāḥ sasaṃgrahāḥ
 36 vāsukiś citrasenaś ca takṣākaś copatakṣakaḥ
     parvatāś ca tathā sarve kādraveyāś ca sānvayāḥ
     viṣavanto mahāroṣā nāgāś cārjunato 'bhavan
 37 airāvatāḥ saurabheyā vaiśāleyāś ca bhoginaḥ
     ete 'bhavann arjunataḥ kṣudra sarpās tu karṇataḥ
 38 īhāmṛgā vyāḍa mṛgā maṅgalyāś ca mṛgadvijāḥ
     pārthasya vijayaṃ rājan sarva evābhisaṃśritāḥ
 39 vasavo marutaḥ sādhyā rudrā viśve 'śvinau tathā
     agnir indraś ca somaś ca pavanaś ca diśo daśa
     dhanaṃjayam upājagmur ādityāḥ karṇato 'bhavan
 40 devās tu pitṛbhiḥ sārdhāṃ sagaṇārjunato 'bhavan
     yamo vaiśravaṇaś caiva varuṇaś ca yato 'rjunaḥ
 41 deva brahma nṛparṣīṇāṃ gaṇāḥ pāṇḍavato 'bhavan
     tumburu pramukhā rājan gandharvāś ca yato 'rjunaḥ
 42 prāveyāḥ sāha mauneyair gandharvāpsarasāṃ gaṇāḥ
     īhāmṛgavyāḍa mṛgair dvipāś ca rathapattibhiḥ
 43 uhyamānās tathā meghair vāyunā ca manīṣiṇaḥ
     didṛkṣavaḥ samājagmuḥ karṇārjuna samāgamam
 44 devadānavagandharvā nāgā yakṣāḥ patatriṇaḥ
     maharṣayo veda vidaḥ pitaraś ca svadhā bhujaḥ
 45 tapo vidyās tathauṣadhyo nānārūpāmbara tviṣaḥ
     antarikṣe mahārāja vinadanto 'vatasthire
 46 brahmā brahmarṣibhiḥ sārdhaṃ prajāpatibhir eva ca
     bhavenāvasthito yānaṃ divyaṃ taṃ deśam ābhyayāt
 47 dṛṣṭvā prajāpatiṃ devāḥ svayaṃ bhuvam upāgaman
     samo 'stu deva vijaya etayor narasiṃhayoḥ
 48 tad upaśrutya maghavā praṇipatya pitāmaham
     karṇājuna vināśena mā naśyatv akhilaṃ jagat
 49 svayambho brūhi tad vākyaṃ samo 'stu vijayo 'nayoḥ
     tat tathāstu namas te 'stu prasīda bhagavan mama
 50 brahmeśānāv atho vākyam ūcatus tridaśeśvaram
     vijayo dhruva evāstu vijayasya mahātmanaḥ
 51 manasvī balavāñ śūraḥ kṛtāstraś ca tapodhanaḥ
     bibharti ca mahātejā dhanurvedam aśeṣataḥ
 52 atikramec ca māhātmyād diṣṭam etasya paryayāt
     atikrānte ca lokānām abhāvo niyato bhavet
 53 na vidyate vyavasthānaṃ kṛṣṇayoḥ kruddhayoḥ kva cit
     sraṣṭārau hy asataś cobhau sataś ca puruṣarṣabhau
 54 naranārāyaṇāv etau purāṇāv ṛṣisattamau
     aniyattau niyantārāv abhītau sma paraṃtapau
 55 karṇo lokān ayaṃ mukhyān prāptnotu puruṣarṣabhaḥ
     vīro vaikartanaḥ śūro vijayas tv astu kṛṣṇayoḥ
 56 vasūnāṃ ca salokatvaṃ marutāṃ vā samāpnuyāt
     sahito droṇa bhīṣmābhyāṃ nākaloke mahīyatām
 57 ity ukto devadevābhyāṃ sahasrākṣo 'bravīd vacaḥ
     āmantrya sarvabhūtāni brahmeśānānuśāsanāt
 58 śrutaṃ bhavadbhir yāt proktaṃ bhagavādbhyāṃ jagad dhitam
     tat tathā nānyathā tad dhi tiṣṭhadhvaṃ gatamanyavaḥ
 59 iti śrutvendra vacanāṃ sarvabhūtāni māriṣa
     vismitāny abhavan rājan pūjayāṃ cakrire ca tat
 60 vyasṛjāṃś ca sugandhīni nānārūpāṇi khāt tathā
     puṣpavarṣāṇi bibudhā deva tūryāṇy avādayan
 61 didṛkṣavaś cāpratimaṃ dvairathaṃ narasiṃhayoḥ
     devadānavagandharvāḥ sarva evāvatasthire
     rathau ca tau śvetahayau yuktaketū mahāsvanau
 62 samāgatā lokavīrāḥ śaṅkhān dadhmuḥ pṛthak pṛthak
     vāsudevārjunau vīrau karṇa śalyau ca bhārata
 63 tad bhīru saṃtrāsa karaṃ yuddhaṃ samabhavat tadā
     anyonyaspardhinor vīrye śakraśambarayor iva
 64 tayor dhvajau vītamālau śuśubhāte rathasthitau
     pṛthag rūpau samārchantau krodhaṃ yuddhe parasparam
 65 karṇasyāśīviṣanibhā ratnasāravatī dṛḍhā
     puraṃdara dhanuḥprakhyā hastikakṣyā vyarājata
 66 kapiśreṣṭhas tu pārthasya vyāditāsyo bhayaṃkaraḥ
     bhīṣayann eva daṃṣṭrābhir durnirīkṣyo ravir yathā
 67 yudddhābhilāṣuko bhūtvā dhvajo gāṇḍīvadhanvanaḥ
     karṇa dhvajam upātiṣṭhat so 'vadīd abhinardayan
 68 utpatya ca mahāvegaḥ kakṣyām abhyahanat kapi
     nakhaiś ca daśanairś caiva garuḍaḥ pannagaṃ yathā
 69 sukiṅkiṇīkābharaṇā kālapāśopamāyasī
     abhyadravat susaṃkruddhā nāgakakṣyā mahākapim
 70 ubhayor uttame yuddhe dvairathe dyūta āhṛte
     prakurvāte dhvajau yuddhaṃ pratyaheṣan hayān hayāḥ
 71 avidhyat puṇḍarīkākṣaḥ śalyaṃ nayanasāyakaiḥ
     sa cāpi puṇḍarīkākṣaṃ tathaivābhisamaikṣata
 72 tatrājayad vāsudevaḥ śalyaṃ nayanasāyakaiḥ
     karṇaṃ cāpy ajayad dṛṣṭyā kuntīputro dhanaṃjayaḥ
 73 athābravīt sūtaputraḥ śalyam ābhāṣya sasmitam
     yadi pārtho raṇe hanyād adya mām iha karhi cit
     kim uttaraṃ tadā te syāt sakhe satyaṃ bravīhi me
 74 [ṣalya]
     yadi karṇa raṇe hanyād adya tvāṃ śvetavāhanaḥ
     ubhāv ekarathenāhaṃ hanyāṃ mādhava pāṇḍavau
 75 [s]
     evam eva tu goviṃdam arjunaḥ pratyabhāṣata
     taṃ prahasyābravīt kṛṣṇaḥ pārthaṃ param idaṃ vacaḥ
 76 pated divākaraḥ sthānāc chīryetānekadhā kṣitiḥ
     śaityam āgnir iyān na tvā karṇo hanyād dhanaṃjayam
 77 yadi tv evaṃ kathaṃ cit syāl lokaparyasanaṃ yathā
     hanyāṃ karṇaṃ tathā śalyaṃ bāhubhyām eva saṃyuge
 78 iti kṛṣṇa vacaḥ śrutvā prahasan kapiketanaḥ
     arjunaḥ pratyuvācedaṃ kṛṣṇam akliṣṭakāriṇam
     mamāpy etāv aparyāptau karṇa śalyau janārdana
 79 sapatākā dhvajaṃ karṇaṃ saśalya rathavājinam
     sacchatra kavacaṃ caiva saśakti śarakārmukam
 80 draṣṭāsy adya śaraiḥ karṇaṃ raṇe kṛttam anekadhā
     adyainaṃ sarathaṃ sāśvaṃ saśakti kavacāyudham
     na hi me śāmyate vairaṃ kṛṣṇāṃ yat prāhasat purā
 81 adya draṣṭāsi govindakarṇam unmathitaṃ mayā
     vāraṇeneva mattena puṣpitaṃ jagatī ruham
 82 adya tā madhurā vācaḥ śrotāsi madhusūdana
     adyābhimanyu jananīm anṛṇaḥ sāntvayiṣyasi
     kuntīṃ pitṛṣvasāraṃ ca saṃprahṛṣṭo janārdana
 83 adya bāṣpamukhīṃ kṛṣṇāṃ sāntvayiṣyasi mādhava
     vāgbhiś cāmṛtakalpābhir dharmarājaṃ yudhiṣṭhiram

 

63

"Sanjaya said, 'Meanwhile Karna also began, with his arrowy showers, to afflict the mighty car-warriors of the Kaikayas, viz., those great bowmen that stood before him. Indeed, the son of Radha despatched to Yama's abode full five hundred of those warriors that were employed in checking him in that battle. Beholding the son of Radha to be irresistible in that battle, those warriors, afflicted with the arrows of their assailant, repaired to the presence of Bhimasena. Breaking that car-force into many parts by means of his arrows, Karna, singly and riding on that same car of his, pursued Yudhishthira, who then, exceedingly mangled with arrows and almost insensible, was proceeding slowly for reaching the Pandava encampment with Nakula and Sahadeva on his two sides. Having approached the king, the Suta's son, from desire of doing good to Duryodhana, pierced the son of Pandu with three formidable arrows. In return, the king pierced Radha's son in the centre of the chest and then his driver with three shafts. Then those two scorchers of foes, viz., the twin sons of Madri, those two protectors of Yudhishthira's car-wheels, rushed towards Karna so that the latter might not succeed in slaying the king. Then Nakula and Sahadeva, both shooting showers of shafts with great care, covered the son of Radha therewith. The valiant son of the Suta, however, in return, pierced those two high-souled chastisers of foes with two broad-headed arrows of great sharpness. The son of Radha then slew Yudhishthira's excellent steeds, white as ivory and fleet as the mind, and having black hair in their tails. Then, smiling the while, the Suta's son, that great bowman, with another broadheaded shaft, felled the head-gear of Kunti's son. Similarly, the valiant Karna, having slain the steeds of Nakula, cut off the car shafts and bow of that intelligent son of Madri. Those two steedless and carless sons of Pandu,--those two brothers,--thereupon ascended the car of Sahadeva. Beholding those two brothers made carless, that slayer of hostile heroes, viz., their maternal uncle, the ruler of the Madras, moved by compassion, addressed the son of Radha and said, "Thou art to fight today with Pritha's son Phalguna. Why dost thou then, with rage inflamed to such a pitch, battle with Dharma's royal son? Thou art suffering thy weapons to be exhausted. Thy own armour is being weakened. With thy shafts reduced, and without quivers, with thy driver and steeds fatigued, and thyself mangled by foes with weapons, when thou wilt approach Partha, O son of Radha, thou wilt be an object of derision and mirth." Though thus addressed by the ruler of the Madras, Karna still, filled with rage, continued to assail Yudhishthira in battle. And he continued to pierce the two sons of Madri by Pandu with many keen arrows. Smiling the while, by means of his shafts he made Yudhishthira turn his face from the battle. Then Shalya, laughing, once more said unto Karna as the latter, excited with great wrath and resolved upon Yudhishthira's destruction stood on his car, these words, "Him for whose sake Dhritarashtra's son always honours thee, slay that Partha, O son of Radha. What wouldst thou gain by slaying Yudhishthira? The two Krishnas are blowing their conchs, whose loud blare is being heard. The twang also of Arjuna's bow is being heard, like the roar of the clouds in the season of rains. There, Arjuna, striking down the foremost of our car-warriors with his arrowy down-pours, is devouring all our troops. Behold him, O Karna, in this battle. The two that are protecting his rear are Yudhamanyu and Uttamauja. The brave Satyaki is protecting his left wheel, and Dhrishtadyumna is protecting his right wheel. There, Bhimasena is fighting with the royal son of Dhritarashtra. Act in such way, O son of Radha, that Bhima may not be able to slay the king today in the sight of us all,--that the king may, indeed, escape him. Behold, Duryodhana is brought under the power of Bhimasena, that ornament of battle. Approaching if thou canst rescue him, it will, indeed, be a very wonderful feat. Going thither, rescue the king, for a great peril has overtaken him. What wilt thou gain by slaying the sons of Madri or king Yudhishthira?" Hearing these words of Shalya, O lord of Earth, and beholding Duryodhana overpowered by Bhima in that dreadful battle, the valiant son of Radha, thus urged by the words of Shalya and exceedingly desirous of rescuing the king, left Ajatasatru and the twin sons of Madri by Pandu, and rushed for rescuing thy son. He was borne by his steeds that were fleet as birds and that were urged by the ruler of the Madras. After Karna had gone away, Kunti's son Yudhishthira retreated, borne, O sire, by the fleet steeds of Sahadeva. With his twin brothers accompanying him, that ruler of men, quickly repairing in shame to the (Pandava) camp, his body exceedingly mangled with shafts, alighted from the car and hastily sat down on an excellent bed. The, arrows then being extracted from his body, the royal son of Pandu, his heart exceedingly afflicted with sorrow's dart, addressed his two brothers, viz., those two mighty car-warriors, the sons of Madri, saying, "Repair quickly to the division of Bhimasena. Roaring like a cloud, Vrikodara is engaged in battle." Riding another car, Nakula, that bull among car-warriors, and Sahadeva of great energy,--those two brothers, those two crushers of foes,--both endued with great might, then proceeded towards Bhima, borne by steeds of the utmost fleetness. Indeed, the brothers having together repaired to Bhimasena's division, took up their places there.'"

 

 

 

Book 8
Chapter 64

 

 

 

1 [s]
      tad deva nāgāsurasiddhasaṃghair; gandharvayakṣāpsarasāṃ ca saṃghaiḥ
      brahmarṣirājarṣisuparṇajuṣṭaṃ; babhau viyad vismayanīya rūpam
  2 nānadyamānaṃ ninadair manojñair; vāditragītastutibhiś ca nṛttaiḥ
      sarve 'ntarikṣe dadṛśur manuṣyāḥ; khasthāṃś ca tān vismayanīya rūpān
  3 tataḥ prahṛṣṭāḥ kuru pāṇḍuyodhā; vāditrapatrāyudha siṃhanādaiḥ
      ninādayanto vasudhāṃ diśaś ca; svanena sarve dviṣato nijaghnuḥ
  4 nānāśvamātaṅgarathāyutākulaṃ; varāsi śaktyṛṣṭi nipātaduḥsaham
      abhīrujuṣṭaṃ hatadehasaṃkulaṃ; raṇājiraṃ lohitaraktam ābabhau
  5 tathā pravṛtte 'strabhṛtāṃ parābhave; dhanaṃjayaś cādhirathiś ca sāyakaiḥ
      diśaś ca sainyaṃ ca śitair ajihmagaiḥ; parasparaṃ prorṇuvatuḥ sma daṃśitau
  6 tatas tvadīyāś ca pare ca sāyakaiḥ; kṛte 'ndhakāre vividur na kiṃ cana
      bhayāt tu tāv eva rathau samāśrayaṃs; tamonudau khe prasṛtā ivāṃśavaḥ
  7 tato 'stram astreṇa parasparasya tau; vidhūya vātāv iva pūrvapaścimau
      ghanāndhakāre vitate tamonudau; yathoditau tadvad atīva rejatuḥ
  8 na cābhimantavyam iti pracoditāḥ; pare tvadīyāś ca tadāvatasthire
      mahārathau tau parivārya sarvataḥ; surāsurā vāsava śambarāv iva
  9 mṛdaṅgabherīpaṇavānakasvanair; ninādite bhārata śaṅkhanisvanaiḥ
      sasiṃha nādau babhatur narottamau; śaśāṅkasūryāv iva meghasaṃplave
  10 mahādhanur maṇḍalā madhyagāv ubhau; suvarcasau bāṇasahasraraśminau
     didhakṣamāṇau sacarācaraṃ jagad; yugāsta sūryāv iva duḥsahau raṇe
 11 ubhāv ajeyāv ahitāntakāv ubhau; jighāṃsatus tau kṛtinau parasparam
     mahāhave vīra varau samīyatur; yathendra jambhāv iva karṇa pāṇḍavau
 12 tato mahāstrāṇi mahādhanurdharau; vimuñcamānāv iṣubhir bhayānakaiḥ
     narāśvanāgānamitau nijaghnatuḥ; parasparaṃ jaghnatur uttameṣubhiḥ
 13 tato visasruḥ punar arditāḥ śarair; narottamābhyāṃ kurupāṇḍavāśrayāḥ
     sanāgapattyaśvarathā diśo gatās; tathā yathā siṃhabhayād vanaukasaḥ
 14 tatas tu duryodhana bhojasaubalāḥ; kṛpaś ca śāradvata sūnunā saha
     mahārathāḥ pañca dhanaṃjayācyutau; śaraiḥ śarīrāntakarair atāḍayan
 15 dhanūṃṣi teṣām iṣudhīn hayān dhvajān; rathāṃś ca sūtāṃś ca dhanaṃjayaḥ śaraiḥ
     samaṃ ca ciccheda parābhinac ca tāñ; śarottamair dvādaśabhiś ca sūtajam
 16 athābhyadhāvaṃs tvaritāḥ śataṃ rathāḥ; śataṃ ca nāgārjunam ātatāyinaḥ
     śakās tukhārā yavanāś ca sādinaḥ; sahaiva kāmbojavarair jighāṃsavaḥ
 17 varāyudhān pāṇigatān karaiḥ saha; kṣurair nyakṛntaṃs tvaritāḥ śirāṃsi ca
     hayāṃś ca nāgāṃś ca rathāṃś ca yudhyatāṃ; dhanaṃjayaḥ śatrugaṇaṃ tam akṣiṇot
 18 tato 'ntarikṣe suratūrya nisvanāḥ; sasādhu vādā hṛṣitaiḥ samīritāḥ
     nipetur apy uttamapuṣpapṛṣṭayaḥ; surūpa gandhāḥ pavaneritāḥ śivāḥ
 19 tad adbhutaṃ devamanuṣyasākṣikaṃ; samīkṣya bhūtāni visiṣmiyur nṛpa
     tavātmajaḥ sūta sūtaś ca na vyathāṃ; na vismayaṃ jagmatur ekaniścayau
 20 athābravīd droṇasutas tavātmajaṃ; karaṃ kareṇa pratipīḍya sāntvayan
     prasīda duryodhana śāmya pāṇḍavair; alaṃ virodhena dhig astu vigraham
 21 hato gurur brahma samo mahāstravit; tathaiva bhīṣma pramukhā nararṣabhāḥ
     ahaṃ tv avadhyo mama cāpi mātulaḥ; praśādhi rājyaṃ sāha pāṇḍavair ciram
 22 dhanaṃjayaḥ sthāsyati vārito mayā; janārdano naiva virodham icchati
     yudhiṣṭhiro bhūtahite sadā rato; vṛkodaras tadvaśagas tathā yamau
 23 tvayā ca pārthaiś ca paraspareṇa; prajāḥ śivaṃ prāpnuyur icchati tvayi
     vrajantu śeṣāḥ svapurāṇi pārthivā; nivṛttavairāś ca bhavantu sainikāḥ
 24 na ced vacaḥ śroṣyasi me narādhipa; dhruvaṃ prataptāsi hato 'ribhir yudhi
     idaṃ ca dṛṣṭaṃ jagatā saha tvayā; kṛtaṃ yad ekena kirīṭimālinā
     yathā na kuryād balabhinna cāntako; na ca pracetā bhagavān na yakṣarāṭ
 25 ato 'pi bhūyāṃś ca guṇair dhanaṃjayaḥ; sa cābhipatsyaty akhilaṃ vaco mama
     tavānuyātrāṃ ca tathā kariṣyati; prasīda rājañ jagataḥ śamāya vai
 26 mamāpi mānaḥ paramaḥ sadā tvayi; bravīmy atas tvāṃ paramāc ca sauhṛdāt
     nivārayiṣyāmi hi karṇam apy ahaṃ; yadā bhavān sapraṇayo bhaviṣyati
 27 vadanti mitraṃ sahajaṃ vicakṣaṇās; tathaiva sāmnā ca dhanena cārjitam
     pratāpataś copanataṃ caturvidhaṃ; tad asti sarvaṃ tvayi pāṇḍaveṣu ca
 28 nisargatas te tava vīra bāndhavāḥ; punaś ca sāmnā ca samāpnuhi sthiram
     tvayi prasanne yadi mitratām iyur; dhruvaṃ narendrendra tathā tvam ācara
 29 sa evam uktaḥ suhṛdā vaco hitaṃ; vicintya niḥśvasya ca durmanābravīt
     yathā bhavān āha sakhe tathaiva tan; mamāpi ca jñāpayato vacaḥ śṛṇu
 30 nihatya duḥśāsanam uktavān bahu; prasahya śārdūlavad eṣa durmatiḥ
     vṛkodaras tad dhṛdaye mama sthitaṃ; na tatparokṣaṃ bhavataḥ kutaḥ śamaḥ
 31 na cāpi karṇaṃ guruputra saṃstavād; upāramety arhasi vaktum acyuta
     śrameṇa yukto mahatādya phalgunas; tam eṣa karṇaḥ prasābhaṃ haniṣyati
 32 tam evam uktvābhyanunīya cāsakṛt; tavātmajaḥ svān anuśāsti sainikān
     samāghnatābhidravatāhitān imān; sabāṇaśabdān kim u joṣam āsyate

 

64

"Sanjaya said, 'Meanwhile Drona's son, surrounded by a large car-force, O king, suddenly proceeded to that spot where Partha was. Like the continent withstanding the surging ocean, the heroic Partha having Saurin (Krishna) for his help-mate withstood the impetuously rushing Ashvatthama. Then, O monarch, the valiant son of Drona, filled with rage, covered both Arjuna and Vasudeva with his shafts. Beholding the two Krishnas shrouded with arrows, the great car-warriors (of the Pandava army), as also the Kurus that witnessed it, wondered exceedingly. Then Arjuna, as if smiling, invoked into existence a celestial weapon. The brahmana Ashvatthama, however, O Bharata, baffled that weapon in that battle. Indeed, all those weapons that Arjuna sped from desire of slaying the son of Drona were baffled by the latter, that great bowman, in that encounter. During the progress of that awful encounter of weapons, O king, we beheld the son of Drona to resemble the Destroyer himself, with gaping mouth. Having covered all the points of the compass, cardinal and subsidiary, with straight arrows, he pierced Vasudeva with three arrows in the right arm. Then Arjuna, slaying all the steeds of his high-souled assailant, caused the Earth in that battle to be covered with a river of blood that was exceedingly awful that led towards the other world, and that had diverse kinds of creatures floating on it. All the spectators beheld a large number of car-warriors along with their cars, belonging to the division of Ashvatthama, slain and destroyed by means of the arrows sped from Partha's bow. Ashvatthama also, slaying his enemies, caused a terrible river of blood to flow there that led to Yama's domains. During the progress of that fierce and awful battle between Drona's son and Partha, the combatants fought without showing any regard for one another, and rushed hither and thither. In consequence of cars having their steeds and drivers slain, and steeds having their riders slain, and elephants having their riders and guides slain, an awful carnage, O king, was made by Partha in that battle! Car-warriors, deprived of life with shafts sped from Partha's bow, fell down. Steeds freed from their trappings ran hither and thither. Beholding those feats of Partha, that ornament of battle, that valiant son of Drona quickly approached the former, that foremost of victorious men, shook his formidable bow decked with gold, and then pierced him from every side with many sharp arrows. Once more bending the bow, O king, the son of Drona cruelly struck Arjuna, aiming at the chest, with a winged arrow. Deeply pierced by Drona's son, O Bharata, in that encounter, the wielder of gandiva, that hero of great intelligence forcibly covered the son of Drona with showers of arrows, and then cut off his bow. His bow cut off Drona's son then, taking up a spiked mace whose touch resembled that of thunder's, hurled it, in that encounter, at the diadem-decked Arjuna. The son of Pandu, however, O king, as if smiling the while, suddenly cut off that spiked mace decked with gold, as it advanced towards him. Thus cut off with Partha's shafts, it fell down on the Earth, like a mountain, O king, broken into pieces, struck with the thunderbolt. Filled with rage at this, Drona's son, that great car-warrior, began to cover Vibhatsu, aided by the energy of the aindra weapon. Beholding that shower of arrows spread over the welkin through the aindra weapon, Partha, endued with great activity, O king, taking up his bow gandiva, and fixing on his bowstring a mighty weapon created by Indra, destroyed that aindra-shower of arrows. Having baffled that arrowy shower caused by the aindra weapon, Partha soon covered the car of Drona's son (with his own arrows). The son of Drona, however, overwhelmed with Partha's shafts, penetrated through that shower of arrows shot by the son of Pandu, and approaching the latter, invoked a mighty weapon and suddenly pierced Krishna with hundred shafts and Arjuna with three hundred small arrows. Then Arjuna pierced the son of his preceptor with a hundred arrows in all his vital limbs. And then he poured many arrows on the steeds and driver and the bowstring of Drona's son in the very sight of thy warriors. Having pierced Drona's son in every vital part, Pandu's son, that slayer of hostile heroes, then felled his adversary's driver from the car-niche with a broad-headed arrow. Drona's son, however, himself, taking up the reins, covered Krishna with many arrows. The activity of prowess that we then beheld in Drona's son was exceedingly wonderful, since he guided his steeds while he fought with Phalguni. That feat of his in battle, O king, was applauded by all the warriors. Then Vibhatsu, otherwise called Jaya, smiling the while, quickly cut off the traces of Ashvatthama's steeds in that battle, with a razor-faced arrow. Already afflicted by the energy of Arjuna's shafts, the steeds of Drona's son thereupon ran away. Then a loud noise arose from thy troops, O Bharata! Meanwhile the Pandavas, having obtained the victory, and desiring to improve it, rushed against thy troops, shooting from all sides sharp arrows at them. The vast Dhartarashtra host, then, O king, was repeatedly broken by the heroic Pandavas inspired with desire of victory, in the very sight, O monarch, of thy sons, conversant with all modes of warfare, and of, Shakuni the son of Subala, and of Karna, O king! Though sought to be stopped, O king, by thy sons, that great army, afflicted on all sides, stayed not on the field. Indeed, a confusion set in among the vast terrified host of thy son in consequence of many warriors flying away on all sides. The Suta's son loudly cried out, saying "Stay, Stay!" but thy army, slaughtered by many high-souled warriors, did not stay on the field. Loud shouts were uttered then, O monarch, by the Pandavas, inspired with this desire of victory, on beholding the Dhartarashtra host flying away on all sides. Then Duryodhana addressing Karna from affection, "Behold, O Karna, how our army, exceedingly afflicted by the Pandavas, though thou art here, is flying away from battle! Knowing this, O thou of mighty arms, do that which is suited to the hour, O chastiser of foes! Thousands of (our) warriors, routed by the Pandavas, are O hero, calling after thee only, O best of men!" Hearing these grave words of Duryodhana, the son of Radha, as if smiling, said these words unto the ruler of the Madras, "Behold the prowess of my arms and the energy of my weapons, O ruler of men! Today I will slay all the Pancalas and the Pandavas in battle! Cause the steeds to proceed with my car, O tiger among men! Without doubt, everything will be as I have said!" Having said these words, the Suta's son of great valour, that hero, taking up his ancient and foremost of bows called Vijaya, stringed it and rubbed the string repeatedly. Bidding the troops stay on the field after having assured them upon his truth and by an oath, the mighty Karna of immeasurable soul fixed on his bow-string the weapon known by the name of Bhargava. From that weapon flowed, O king, millions and millions of keen arrows in that great battle. Entirely shrouded with those blazing and terrible arrows winged with feathers of Kankas and peacocks, the Pandava army could not see anything. Loud wails of woe arose from among the Pancalas, O king, afflicted, in that battle, with the mighty Bhargava weapon. In consequence then of elephants, O king, and steeds, by thousands, and cars, O monarch, and men, falling on all sides, deprived of life, the Earth began to tremble. The vast force of the Pandavas became agitated from one extremity to another. Meanwhile Karna, that scorcher of foes, that foremost of warriors, that tiger among men, while consuming his foes, looked resplendent like a smokeless fire. Thus slaughtered by Karna, the Pancalas and the Cedis began to lose their senses all over the field like elephants during the conflagration in a forest. Those foremost of men, O tiger among men, uttered loud roars like those of the tiger. Loud became the wails of woe, like those of living creatures at the universal dissolution that were uttered by those crying combatants struck with panic and running wildly on all sides, O king, of the field of battle and trembling with fear. Beholding them thus slaughtered, O sire, by the Suta's son, all creatures, even beasts and birds, were filled with fear. The Srinjayas then, thus slaughtered in battle by the Suta's son, repeatedly called upon Arjuna and Vasudeva like the spirits of the dead within Yama's dominions calling upon Yama to rescue them. Hearing those wails of the troops slaughtered with Karna's shafts, and beholding the terrible bhargava weapon invoked into existence Kunti's son Dhananjaya said unto Vasudeva these words, "Behold, O Krishna of mighty arms, the prowess of the bhargava weapon! It cannot, by any means, be baffled! Behold the Suta's son also, O Krishna, filled with rage in this great battle and resembling the Destroyer himself, in prowess and employed in achieving such a fierce feat! Urging his steeds incessantly, he is repeatedly casting angry glances upon me! I will never be able to fly away from Karna in battle! The person that is living, may, in battle, meet with either victory or defeat. To the man, however, that is dead, O Hrishikesha, even death is victory. How can defeat be his that is dead?" Thus addressed by Partha, Krishna replied unto that foremost of intelligent men and chastiser of foes, these words that were suitable to the occasion, "The royal son of Kunti hath been deeply wounded and mangled by Karna. Having seen him first and comforted him, thou wilt then, O Partha, slay Karna?" Then Keshava proceeded, desirous of beholding Yudhishthira, thinking that Karna meanwhile, O monarch, would be overwhelmed with fatigue! Then Dhananjaya, himself desirous of beholding the king afflicted with arrows, quickly proceeded on that car, avoiding the battle, at Keshava's command. While the son of Kunti was thus proceeding from desire of seeing king Yudhishthira the just, he cast his eyes on every part of the army but failed to find his eldest brother anywhere on the field. The son of Kunti proceeded, O Bharata, having fought with the son of his preceptor Drona, and having vanquished that hero incapable of being resisted by the wielder of the thunderbolt himself.'"

 

 

 

Book 8
Chapter 65

 

 

 

 

 1 [s]
      tau śaṅkhabherī ninade samṛddhe; samīyatuḥ śvetahayau narāgryau
      vaikartanaḥ sūtaputro 'rjunaś ca; durmantrite tava putrasya rājan
  2 yathā gajau haimavatau prabhinnau; pragṛhya dantāv iva vāśitārthe
      tathā samājagmatur ugravegau; dhanaṃjayaś cādhirathiś ca vīrau
  3 balāhakeneva yathābalāhako; yadṛcchayā vā giriṇā girir yathā
      tathā dhanurjyātalanemi nisvanau; samīyatus tāv iṣuvarṣavarṣiṇau
  4 pravṛddhaśṛṅgadruma vīrud oṣadhī; pravṛddhanānāvidha parvataukasau
      yathācalau vā galitau mahābalau; tathā mahāstrair itaretaraṃ ghnataḥ
  5 sa saṃnipātas tu tayor mahān abhūt; sureśa vairoccanayor yathā purā
      śarair vibhugnāṅganiyantṛvāhanaḥ; suduḥsaho 'nyaiḥ paṭu śoṇitodakaḥ
  6 prabhūtapadmotpala matsyakacchapau; mahāhradau paṇṣi gaṇānunāditau
      susaṃnikṛṣṭāv aniloddhatau yathā; tathā rathau tau dhvajinau samīyatuḥ
  7 ubhau mahendrasya sāmāna vikramāv; ubhau mahendrapratimau mahārathau
      mahendravajrapratimaiś ca sāyakair; mahendra vṛtrāv iva saṃprajahratuḥ
  8 sanāgapattyaśvarathe ubhe bale; vicitravarṇābharaṇāmbara sraje
      cakampatuś connamataḥ sma vismayād; viyad gatāś cārjuna karṇa saṃyuge
  9 bhujāḥ savajrāṅgulayaḥ samucchritāḥ; sasiṃha nādā hṛṣitair didṛkṣubhiḥ
      yadārjunaṃ mattam iva dvipo dvipaṃ; samabhyayād ādhirathir jighāṃsayā
  10 abhyakrośan somakās tatra pārthaṃ; varasva yāhy arjuna vidhya karṇam
     chindhy asya mūrdhānam alaṃ cireṇa; śraddhāṃ ca rājyād dhṛtarāṣṭra sūnoḥ
 11 tathāsmākaṃ bahavas tatra yodhāḥ; karṇaṃ tadā yāhi yāhīty avocan
     jahy arjunaṃ karṇa tataḥ sacīrāḥ; punar vanaṃ yāntu cirāya pārthāḥ
 12 tataḥ karṇaḥ prathamaṃ tatra pārthaṃ; maheṣubhir daśabhiḥ paryavidhyat
     tam arjunaḥ pratyavidhyac chitāgraiḥ; kakṣāntare daśabhir atīva kruddhaḥ
 13 parasparaṃ tau viśikhaiḥ sutīkṣṇais; tatakṣatuḥ sūtaputro 'rjunaś ca
     parasparasyāntarepsū vimarde; subhīmam abhyāyayatuḥ prahṛṣṭau
 14 amṛṣyamāṇaś ca mahāvimarde; tatrākrudhyad bhīmaseno mahātmā
     athābravīt pāṇinā pāṇim āghnan; saṃdaṣṭauṣṭha nṛtyati vādayann iva
     kathaṃ nu tvāṃ sūtaputraḥ kirīṭin; maheṣubhir daśabhir avidhyad agre
 15 yayā dhṛtyā sarvabhūtāny ajaiṣīr; grāsaṃ dadad vahnaye khāṇḍave tvam
     tayā dhṛtyā sūtaputraṃ jahi tvam; ahaṃ vainaṃ gadayā pothayiṣye
 16 athābravīd vāsudevo'pi pārthaṃ; dṛṣṭvā ratheṣūn pratihanyamānān
     amīmṛdat sarvathā te 'dya karṇo; hy astrair astrāṇi kim idaṃ kirīṭin
 17 sa vīra kiṃ muhyasi nāvadhīyase; nadanty ete kuravaḥ saṃprahṛṣṭāḥ
     karṇaṃ puraskṛtya vidur hi sarve; tvad astram astrair vinipātyamānam
 18 yayā dhṛtyā nihataṃ tāmasāstraṃ; yuge yuge rākṣasāś cāpi ghorāḥ
     dambhodbhavāś cāsurāś cāhaveṣu; tayā dhṛtyā tvaṃ jahi sūtaputram
 19 anenā vāsya kṣura neminādya; saṃchinddhi mūrdhānam areḥ prasahya
     mayā nisṛṣṭena sudarśanena; vajreṇa śakro namucer ivāreḥ
 20 kirāta rūpī bhagavān yayā ca; tvayā mahatyā paritoṣito 'bhūt
     tāṃ tvaṃ dhṛtiṃ vīra punar gṛhītvā; sahānubandhaṃ jahi sūtaputram
 21 tato mahīṃ sāgaramekhalāṃ taṃ; sapattanāṃ grāmavatīṃ samṛddhām
     prayaccha rājñe nihatāri sāṃghāṃ; yaśaś ca pārthātulam āpnuhi tvam
 22 saṃcodito bhīma janārdanabhyaṃ; smṛtvā tadātmānam avekṣya sattvam
     mahātmanaś cāgamane viditvā; prayojanaṃ keśavam ity uvāca
 23 prāduṣkaromy eṣa mahāstram ugraṃ; śivāya lokasya vadhāya sauteḥ
     tan me 'nujanātu bhavān surāś ca; brahmā bhuvo brahma vidaś ca sarve
 24 ity ūcivān brāhmam asahyam astraṃ; prāduścakre manasā saṃvidheyam
     tato diśaś ca pradiśaś ca sarvāḥ; samāvṛṇot sāyakair bhūri tejāḥ
     sa sarjabāṇān bharatarṣabho 'pi; śataṃ śatānekavad āśu vegān
 25 vaikartanenāpi tathājimadhye; sahasraśo bāṇagaṇā visṛṣṭāḥ
     te ghoṣiṇaḥ pāṇḍavam abhyupeyuḥ; pajanya muktā iva vāridhārāḥ
 26 sa bhīmāsenaṃ ca janārdanaṃ ca; kirīṭinaṃ cāpy amanuṣyakarmā
     tribhis tribhir bhīmabalo nihatyā; nanāda ghoraṃ mahatā svareṇa
 27 sa karṇa bāṇābhihataḥ kirīṭī; bhīmaṃ tathā prekṣya janārdanaṃ ca
     amṛṣyamāṇaḥ punār eva pārthaḥ; śarān daśāṣṭau ca samudbabarha
 28 suṣeṇam ekena śareṇa viddhvā śalyāṃ; caturbhis tribhir eva karṇam
     tataḥ sumuktair daśabhir jaghāna; sabhā patiṃ kāñcanavarma nāddham
 29 sā rājaputro viśirā vibāhur; vivāji sūto vidhanur viketuḥ
     tato rathāgrād apatat prabhagnaḥ; paraśvadhaiḥ śāla ivābhikṛttaḥ
 30 punaś ca karṇaṃ tribhir aṣṭabhiś ca; dvābhyāṃ caturbhir daśabhiś ca viddhvā
     cātuḥ śatan dviradān sāyudhīyān; hatvā rathān aṣṭa śataṃ jaghāna
     sahasram aśvāṃś ca punaś ca sādīn; aṣṭau sahasrāṇi ca pātti vīrān
 31 dṛṣṭvāji mukhyāv atha yudhyamānau; didṛkṣavaḥ śūra varāv arighnau
     karṇaṃ ca pārthaṃ ca niyāmya vāhān; khasthā mahīsthāś ca janāvatasthuḥ
 32 tato dhanurjyā sahasātikṛṣṭā; sughoṣam ācchidyata pāṇḍavasya
     tasmin kṣaṇe sūtaputras tu pārthaṃ; samāccinot kṣudrakāṇāṃ śatena
 33 nirmuktasarpapratimaiś ca tīkṣṇais; tailapradhautaiḥ khaga pātravājaiḥ
     ṣaṣṭyā nārācair vāsudevaṃ bibheda; tadantaraṃ somakāḥ prādravanta
 34 tato dhanurjyām avadhamya śīghraṃ; śarān astān ādhirather vidhamya
     susaṃrabdhaḥ karṇa śarakṣatāṅgo; raṇe pārthaḥ somakān pratyagṛhṇāt
     na pakṣiṇaḥ sāmpatanty antarikṣe; kṣepīyasāstreṇa kṛte 'ndhakāre
 35 śalyaṃ ca pārtho daśabhiḥ pṛṣatkair; bhṛśaṃ tanutre prahasann avidhyat
     tataḥ kārṇaṃ dvādaśabhiḥ sumuktair; viddhvā punaḥ saptabhir abhyavidhyat
 36 sa pārtha bāṇāsanaveganunnair; dṛḍhāhataḥ patribhir ugravegaiḥ
     vibhinnagātraḥ kṣatajokṣitāṅgaḥ; karṇo babhau rudra ivātateṣuḥ
 37 tatas tribhiś ca tridāśādhipopamaṃ; śarair bibhedādhirathir dhanaṃjayam
     śarāṃs tu pañca jvalitān ivoragān; pravīrayām āsa jighāṃsur accyute
 38 te varma bhittvā puruṣottamasya; suvarṇacitraṃ nyapatan sumuktāḥ
     vegena gām āviviśuḥ suvegāḥ; snātvā ca karṇābhimukhāḥ pratīyuḥ
 39 tān pañca bhallais tvaritaiḥ sumuktais; tridhā tridhaikaikam athoccakarta
     dhanaṃjayas te nyapatan pṛthivyāṃ; mahāhayas takṣaka putra pakṣāḥ
 40 tataḥ prajajvāla kirīṭamālī; krodhena kakṣaṃ pradahann ivāgniḥ
     sa karṇam ākarṇavikṛṣṭasṛṣṭaiḥ; śaraiḥ śarīrāntakarair jvaladbhiḥ
     marmasv avidhyat sa cacāla duḥkhād; dhairyāt tu tasthāv atimātradhairyaḥ
 41 tataḥ śaraughaiḥ pradiśo diśaś ca; raviprabhā karṇa rathaś ca rājan
     adṛśya āsīt kupite dhanaṃjaye; tuṣāranīhāravṛtaṃ yathā nabhaḥ
 42 sacakrarakṣān atha pādarakṣān; puraḥsarān pṛṣṭhagopāṃś ca sarvān
     duryodhanenānumatān arighnān; samuccitān surathān sārabhūtān
 43 dvisāhasrān samare savyasācī; kurupravīrān ṛṣabhaḥ kurūṇām
     kṣaṇena sarvān sarathāśvasūtān; nināya rājan kṣāyam ekavīraḥ
 44 athāpalāyanta vihāya karṇaṃ; tavātmajāḥ kuravaś cāvaśiṣṭāḥ
     hatān avakīrya śarakṣatāṃś ca; lālapyamānāṃs tanayān pitṝṃś ca
 45 sā sarvataḥ prekṣya diśo viśūnyā; bhayāvadīrṇaiḥ kurubhir vihīnaḥ
     na vivyathe bhārata tatra karṇaḥ; pratīpam evārjunam abhyadhāvat

 

65

"Sanjaya said, 'Having vanquished the son of Drona and achieved a mighty and heroic feat that is exceedingly difficult of accomplishment, Dhananjaya, irresistible by foes, and with bow outstretched in his hands, cast his eyes among his own troops. The brave Savyasaci, gladdening those warriors of his that were still battling at the head of their divisions and applauding those among them that were celebrated for their former achievements, caused the carwarriors of his own army to continue to stand in their posts. Not seeing his brother Yudhishthira of Ajamida's race, the diadem-decked Arjuna, adorned, besides, with a necklace of gold, speedily approached Bhima and enquired of him the whereabouts of the king, saying, "Tell me, where is the king?" Thus asked, Bhima said, "King Yudhishthira the just, hath gone away from this place, his limbs scorched with Karna's shafts. It is doubtful whether he still liveth!" Hearing those words, Arjuna said, "For this reason go thou quickly from the spot for bringing intelligence of the king, that best of all the descendants of Kuru! Without doubt, deeply pierced by Karna with shafts, the king hath gone to the camp! In that fierce passage at arms, though deeply pierced by Drona with keen shafts, the king endued with great activity, had still stayed in battle, expectant of victory, until Drona was slain! That foremost one among the Pandavas, possessed of great magnanimity, was greatly imperilled by Karna in today's battle! For ascertaining his condition, quickly go hence, O Bhima! I will stay here, checking all our foes!" Thus addressed, Bhima said, "O thou of great glory, go thyself for ascertaining the condition of the king, that bull amongst the Bharatas! If, O Arjuna, I go there, many foremost of heroes will then say that I am frightened in battle!" Then Arjuna said unto Bhimasena, "The samsaptakas are before my division! Without slaying those assembled foes first, it is impossible for me to stir from this place!' Then Bhimasena said unto Arjuna, 'Relying upon my own might, O foremost one among the Kurus, I will fight with all the samsaptakas in battle! Therefore, O Dhananjaya, do thou go thyself!'"
"Sanjaya continued, 'Hearing in the midst of foes, those words of his brother Bhimasena that were difficult of accomplishment, Arjuna, desiring to see the king, addressed the Vrishni hero, saying, "Urge the steeds, O Hrishikesha, leaving this sea of troops! I desire, O Keshava to see king Ajatasatru!'"
"Sanjaya continued, 'Just as he was on the point of urging the steeds, Keshava, that foremost one of the Dasharhas, addressed Bhima, saying, "This feat is not at all wonderful for thee, O Bhima! I am about to go (hence). Slay these assembled foes of Partha!" Then Hrishikesha proceeded with very great speed to the spot where king Yudhishthira was, O king, borne by those steeds that resembled Garuda, having stationed Bhima, that chastiser of foes, at the head of the army and having commanded him, O monarch, to fight (with the samsaptakas). Then those two foremost of men, (Krishna and Arjuna), proceeding on their car, approached the king who was lying alone on his bed. Both of them, alighting from that car, worshipped the feet of king Yudhishthira the just. Beholding that bull of tigers among men safe and sound, the two Krishnas became filled with joy, like the twin Ashvinis on seeing Vasava. The king then congratulated them both like Vivasvat congratulating the twin Ashvinis, or like Brihaspati congratulating Sankara and Vishnu after the slaughter of the mighty asura Jambha. King Yudhishthira the just, thinking that Karna had been slain, became filled with joy, and that scorcher of foes thereupon addressed them in these words in a voice choked with delight.'"

 

Book 8
Chapter 66

 

 

 

1 [s]
      tato 'payātāḥ śarapāta mātram; avasthitāḥ kuravo bhinnasenāḥ
      vidyut prakāśaṃ dadṛśuḥ samantād; dhanaṃjayāstraṃ samudīryamāṇam
  2 tad arjunāstraṃ grasate sma vīrān; viyat tathākāśam ananta ghoṣam
      kruddhena pārthena tadāśu sṛṣṭaṃ; vadhāya karṇasya mahāvimarde
  3 rāmād upāttena mahāmahimnā; ātharvaṇenāri vināśanena
      tad arjunāstraṃ vyadhamad dahantaṃ; pārthaṃ ca bāṇair niśitair nijaghne
  4 tato vimardaḥ sumahān babhūva; tasyārjunasyādhiratheś ca rājan
      anyonyam āsādayatoḥ pṛṣatkair; viṣāṇa ghātair dvipayor ivograiḥ
  5 tato ripughnaṃ samadhatta karṇaḥ; susaṃśitaṃ sarpamukhaṃ jvalantam
      raudraṃ śaraṃ saṃyati supradhautaṃ; pārthārtham atyartha cirāya guptam
  6 sadārcitaṃ candanacūrṇaśāyinaṃ; suvarṇanālī śayanaṃ mahāviṣam
      pradīptam airāvata vaṃśasaṃbhavaṃ; śiro jihīrṣur yudhi phalgunasya
  7 tam abravīn madrarājo mahātmā; vaikartanaṃ prekṣya hi saṃhiteṣum
      na kārṇa grīvām iṣur eṣa prāpsyate; saṃlakṣya saṃdhatsva śaraṃ śiroghnam
  8 athābravīt krodhasaṃraktanetraḥ; karṇaḥ śalyaṃ saṃdhiteṣuḥ prasahya
      na saṃdhatte dviḥ śaraṃ śalya karṇo; na mādṛśāḥ śāṭhya yuktā bhavanti
  9 tathaivam uktvā visasārja taṃ śaraṃ; balāhakaṃ varṣaghanābhipūjitam
      hato 'si vai phalguna ity avocat; tatas tvarann ūrjitam utsasarja
  10 saṃdhīyamānaṃ bhujagaṃ dṛṣṭvā karṇena mādhavaḥ
     ākramya syandanaṃ padbhyāṃ balena balināṃ varaḥ
 11 avagāḍhe rathe bhūmau jānubhyām agaman hayāḥ
     tataḥ śaraḥ so bhyahanat kirīṭaṃ tasya dhīmataḥ
 12 athārjunasyottamagātrabhūṣaṇaṃ; dharāviyaddyosalileṣu viśrutam
     balāsstra sargottama yatnamanyubhiḥ; śareṇa mūrdhnaḥ sā jahāra sūtajaḥ
 13 divākarendu jvalanagrahatviṣāṃ; suvarṇamuktā maṇijālabhūṣitam
     puraṃdarārthaṃ tapasā prayatnataḥ; svayaṃ kṛtaṃ yad bhuvanasya sūnunā
 14 mahārharūpaṃ dviṣatāṃ bhayaṃkaraṃ; vibhāti cātyartha sukhaṃ sugandhi tat
     nijaghnuṣe devaripūn sureśvaraḥ; svayaṃ dadau yat sumanāḥ kirīṭine
 15 harāmbupākhaṇḍala vittagoptṛbhiḥ; pināka pāśāśani sāyakottamaiḥ
     surottamair apy aviṣahyam ardituṃ; prasāhya nāgena jahāra yad vṛṣaḥ
 16 tad uttameṣūn mathitaṃ viṣāgninā; pradīptam arciṣmad abhikṣiti priyam
     papāta pārthasya kirīṭam uttamaṃ; divākaro 'stād iva parvatāj jvalan
 17 tataḥ kirīṭaṃ bahuratnamaṇḍitaṃ; jahāra nāgo 'rjuna mūrdhato balāt
     gireḥ sujātāṅkura puṣpitadrumaṃ; mahendravajraḥ śikharaṃ yathottamam
 18 mahī viyad dyauḥ salilāni vāyunā; yathā vibhinnāni vibhānti bhārata
     tathaiva śabdo bhuvaneṣv abhūt tadā; janā vyavasyan vyathitāś ca caskhaluḥ
 19 tataḥ sāmudgrathya sitena vāsasā; svamūrdha jānavyathitaḥ sthito 'rjunaḥ
     vibhāti saṃpūrṇamarīcci bhāsvatā; śiro gatenodaya parvato yathā
 20 balāhakāḥ karṇa bhujeritas tato; hutāśanārka pratimadyutir mahān
     mahoragaḥ kṛtavairo 'rjunena; kirīṭam āsādya samutpapāta
 21 tam abravīd viddhi kṛtāgasaṃ me; kṛṣṇādya mātur vadhajātavairam
     tataḥ kṛṣṇaḥ pārtham uvāca saṃkhye; mahoragaṃ kṛtavairaṃ jahi tvam
 22 sa evam ukto madhusūdanena; gāṇḍīvadhanvā ripuṣūgra dhanvā
     uvāca ko nv eṣa mamādya nāgaḥ; svayaṃ ya āgād garuḍasya vaktram
 23 [kṛsṇa]
     yo 'sau tvayā khāṇḍāve citrabhānuṃ; saṃtarpayānena dhanurdhareṇa
     viyad gato bāṇanikṛtta deho; hy anekarūpo nihatāsya mātā
 24 tatas tu jiṣṇuḥ parihṛtya śeṣāṃś; ciccheda ṣaḍbhir niśitaiḥ sudhāraiḥ
     nāgaṃ viyat tiryag ivotpatantaṃ; sa chinnagātro nipapāta bhūmau
 25 tasmin muhūrte daśabhiḥ pṛṣātkaiḥ; śilāśitair barhiṇavājitaiś ca
     vivyādha karṇaḥ puruṣapravīraṃ; dhanaṃjayaṃ tiryag avekṣamāṇām
 26 tato 'rjuno dvādaśabhir vimuktair; ākarṇamuktair niśitaiḥ samarpya
     nārācam āśīviṣatulyavegām; ākarṇā pūrṇāyatam utsasarja
 27 sa citra varmeṣu varo vidārya; prāṇān nirasyann iva sādhu muktaḥ
     karṇasya pītvā rudhiraṃ viveśa; vasuṃdharāṃ śoṇitavāja digdhaḥ
 28 tato vṛṣo bāṇanipāta kopito; mahorago daṇḍavighaṭṭito yathā
     tathāśu kārī vyasṛjac charottamān; mahāviṣaḥ sarpa ivottamaṃ viṣam
 29 janardanaṃ dvādaśabhiḥ parābhinan; navair navatyā ca śarais tathārjunam
     śareṇa ghoreṇa punaś ca pāṇḍavaṃ; vibhidya karṇo 'bhyanadaj jahāsa ca
 30 tam asya harṣaṃ mamṛṣe na pāṇḍavo; bibheda marmāṇi tato 'sya marmavit
     paraṃ śaraiḥ patribhir indra vikramas; tathā yathendro balam ojasāhanat
 31 tataḥ śarāṇāṃ navatīr navārjunaḥ; sasarja karṇe 'ntakadaṇḍasaṃnibhāḥ
     śarair bhṛśāyasta tanuḥ pravivyathe; tathā yathā vajravidārito 'calaḥ
 32 maṇipravekottama vajrahāṭakair; alaṃ kṛtaṃ cāsya varāṅgabhūṣaṇam
     praviddhamurvyāṃ nipapāta patribhir; dhanaṃjayenottama kuṇḍale 'pi ca
 33 mahādhanaṃ śilpivaraiḥ prayatnataḥ; kṛtaṃ yad asyottama varma bhāsvaram
     sudīrgha kālena tad asya pāṇḍavaḥ; kṣaṇena bāṇair bahudhā vyaśātayat
 34 sa taṃ vivarmāṇam athottameṣubhiḥ; śaraiś caturbhiḥ kupitaḥ parābhinat
     sa vivyathe 'tyartham ariprahārito; yathāturaḥ pitta kaphānila vraṇaiḥ
 35 mahādhanur maṇḍalaniḥsṛtaiḥ śitaiḥ; kriyā prayatnaprahitair balena ca
     tatakṣa karṇaṃ bahubhiḥ śarottamair; bibheda marmasv api cārjunas tvaran
 36 dṛḍhāhataḥ patribhir ugravegaiḥ; pārthena karṇo vividhaiḥ śitāgraiḥ
     babhau girir gairikadhāturaktaḥ; kṣaran prapātair iva raktam ambhaḥ
 37 sāśvaṃ tu karṇaṃ sarathaṃ kirīṭī; sāmācinod bhārata vatsadantaiḥ
     pracchādayām āsa diśaś ca bāṇaiḥ; sarvaprayatnāt tapanīyapuṅkhaiḥ
 38 sa vatsadantaiḥ pṛthu pīnavakṣāḥ; samāccitaḥ smādhirathir vibhāti
     supuṣpitāśoka palāśaśālmālir; yathācalaḥ spandana candanāyutaḥ
 39 śaraiḥ śarīre bahudhā samarpitair; vibhāti karṇaḥ samare viśāṃ pate
     mahīruhair ācitasānu kandaro; yathā mahendraḥ śubhakarṇikāravān
 40 sa bāṇasaṃghān dhanuṣā vyavāsṛjan; vibhāti karṇaḥ śarajālaraśmivān
     salohito raktagabhasti maṇḍalo; divākaro 'stābhimukho yathātathā
 41 bāhvantarād ādhirather vimuktān; bāṇān mahāhīn iva dīpyamānān
     vyadhvaṃsayann arjuna bāhumuktāḥ; śarāḥ samāsādya diśaḥ śitāgrāḥ
 42 tataś cakramapatat tasya bhūmau; sa vihvalaḥ sāmare sūtaputraḥ
     ghūrṇe rathe brāhmaṇasyābhiśāpād; ramād upātte 'pratibhāti cāstre
 43 amṛṣyamāṇo vyasanāni tāni; hastau vidhunvan sa vigarhamāṇaḥ
     dharmapradhānān abhipāti dharma; ity abruvan dharmavidaḥ sadaiva
     mamāpi nimno 'dya na pāti bhaktān; manye na nityaṃ paripāti dhārmaḥ
 44 evaṃ bruvan praskhalitāśvasūto; vicālyamāno 'rjuna śastrapātaiḥ
     marmābhighātāc calitaḥ kriyāsu; punaḥ punar dharmam agarhad ājau
 45 tataḥ śarair bhīmatarair āvidhyat tribhir āhave
     haste karṇas tadā pārtham abhyavidhyac ca sāptabhiḥ
 46 tato 'rjunaḥ sāpta daśa tigmatejān ajihmagān
     indrāśanisamān ghorān asṛjat pāvakopamān
 47 nirbhidya te bhīmavegā nyapatan pṛthivītale
     kampitātmā tathā karṇaḥ śaktyā ceṣṭām adarśayat
 48 balenātha sa saṃstabhya brahmāstraṃ samudairayat
     aindrāstram arjunaś cāpi tad dṛṣṭvābhinyamantrayat
 49 gāṇḍīvaṃ jyāṃ ca bāṇāṃś ca anumantrya dhanaṃjayaḥ
     asṛjac charavarṣāṇi varṣāṇīva puraṃdaraḥ
 50 tatas tejomayā bāṇā rathāt pārthasya niḥsṛtāḥ
     prādurāsan mahāvīryāḥ karṇasya ratham antikāt
 51 tān karṇas tv agrato 'bhyastān moghāṃś cakre mahārathaḥ
     tato 'bravīd vṛṣṇi vīras tasminn astre vināśite
 52 visṛjāstraṃ paraṃ pārtha rādheyo grasate śarān
     brahmāstram arjunaś cāpi saṃmantryātha prayojayat
 53 hādayitvā tato bāṇaiḥ karṇāṃ prabhrāmya cārjunaḥ
     tasya karṇaḥ śaraiḥ kruddhaś ciccheda jyāṃ sutejanaiḥ
 54 tato jyām avadhāyānyām anumṛjyā ca pāṇḍavaḥ
     śarair avākirat karṇaṃ dīpyamānaiḥ sahasraśaḥ
 55 tasya jyāc chedanaṃ karṇo jyāvadhānaṃ ca saṃyuge
     nānvabudhyata śīghratvāt tad adbhutam ivābhavat
 56 astrair astrāṇi rādheyaḥ pratyahan savyasācinaḥ
     cakre cābhyaddhikaṃ pārthāt svavīryaṃ pratidārśayan
 57 tataḥ kṛṣṇo 'rjunaṃ dṛṣṭvā karṇāstreṇābhipīḍitam
     abhyasyety abravīt pārtham ātiṣṭhāstram anuttamam
 58 tato 'nyam āgnisadṛśaṃ śaraṃ sarpaviṣopamam
     aśmasāramayaṃ divyam anumantrya dhanaṃjayaḥ
 59 raudram asstraṃ samādāya kṣeptu kāmaḥ kirīṭivān
     tato 'grasan mahī cakraṃ rādheyasya mahāmṛdhe
 60 grasta cakras tu rādheyaḥ kopād aśrūṇy avartayat
     so 'bravīd arjunaṃ cāpi muhūrtaṃ kṣama pāṇḍava
 61 madhye cakram avagrastaṃ dṛṣṭvā daivād idaṃ mama
     pārtha kāpuruṣācīrṇam ābhisaṃdhiṃ vivarjaya
 62 prakīrṇakeśaṃ vimukhe brāhmāṇe ca kṛtāñjalau
     śaraṇā gate nyastaśastre tathā vyasanage 'rjuna
 63 abāṇe bhraṣṭakavace bhraṣṭa bhagnāyudhe tathā
     na śūrāḥ praharanty ājau na rājñe pārthivās tathā
     tvaṃ ca śūro 'si kaunteya tasmāt kṣama muhūrtakam
 64 yāvac cakram idaṃ bhūmer uddharāmi dhanaṃjaya
     na māṃ rathastho bhūmiṣṭham asajjaṃ hantum arhasi
     na vāsudevāt tvatto vā pāṇḍaveya vibhemy aham
 65 tvaṃ hi kṣatriya dāyādo mahākulavivardhanaḥ
     smṛtvā dharmopadeśaṃ tvaṃ muhūrtaṃ kṣama pāṇḍava

 

66

"'Yudhishthira said, "Welcome, O thou that hast Devaki for thy mother, and welcome to thee, O Dhananjaya! The sight of both of you, O Acyuta and Arjuna, is exceedingly agreeable! I see that without being wounded yourselves, you two, his foes, have slain the mighty car-warrior Karna! He was in battle like unto a snake of virulent poison. He was accomplished in all weapons. The leader of all the Dhartarashtras, he was their armour and protector! While fighting he was always protected by Vrishasena and by Sushena, both of whom are great bowmen! Of great energy, he had received lessons from Rama in weapons! He was invincible in battle! The foremost one in all the world, as a car-warrior he was celebrated throughout all the worlds. He was the saviour of the Dhartarashtras, and the proceeder in their van! A slayer of hostile troops, he was the crusher of large bands of foes. Ever engaged in Duryodhana's good, he was always prepared to inflict woe on us! He was invincible in battle by the very gods with Vasava at their head. In energy and might he was equal unto the god of fire and the god of wind. In gravity he was unfathomable as the Nether world. The enhancer of the joys of friends, he was like the Destroyer himself unto foes! Having slain Karna (who was even so) in dreadful battle, by good luck it is that you two have come, like a couple of celestials after vanquishing an Asura! Today, O Acyuta and Arjuna, a great battle was fought between myself exerting with might and that hero resembling the Destroyer himself, while seeking to exterminate all creatures! My standard was cut down, and my two Parshni drivers also were slain by him. I was also made steedless and carless by him in the very sight of Yuyudhana, of Dhrishtadyumna, of the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva), of the heroic Shikhandi, as also in the very sight of the sons of Draupadi, and all the Pancalas! Having vanquished those innumerable foes, Karna of mighty energy then vanquished me, O thou of mighty arms, although I exerted myself resolutely in battle! Pursuing me then and without doubt, vanquishing all my protectors, that foremost of warriors addressed me in diverse harsh speeches. That I am still alive, O Dhananjaya, is due to the prowess of Bhimasena. What more need I say? I am unable to bear that humiliation! For thirteen years, O Dhananjaya, through fear of Karna, I did not obtain any sleep by night or any comfort by day! Filled with hatred of Karna, I burn, O Dhananjaya! Like the bird Vaddhrinasa I fled from Karna, knowing that the time for my own destruction had come. The whole of my time had passed in the thought as to how I would accomplish the destruction of Karna in battle! Awake or asleep, O son of Kunti, I always beheld Karna (with my mind's eye). Wherever I was, the universe appeared to me to be full of Karna! Inspired with the fear of Karna, wherever I used to go, O Dhananjaya, thither I beheld Karna standing before my eyes! Vanquished in battle, with my steeds and car, by that hero who never retreated from battle, alive I was let off by him! What use have I of life or of kingdom either, since Karna, that ornament of battle, today cried fie on me? That which I had never before met with at the hands of Bhishma or Kripa or Drona in battle, that I met with today at the hands of the Suta's son, that mighty car-warrior! It is for this, O son of Kunti, that I ask thee today about thy welfare! Tell me in detail how thou hast slain Karna today! In battle Karna was equal unto Sakra himself. In prowess he was equal unto Yama. In weapons he was equal unto Rama. How then hath he been slain? He was regarded as a mighty car-warrior, conversant with all modes of warfare. He was the foremost of all bowmen, and the one man amongst all men! O prince, the son of Radha was always worshipped by Dhritarashtra and his son, for thy sake! How then hath he been slain by thee? In all engagements, Dhritarashtra's son, O Arjuna, used to regard Karna as thy death, O bull among men! How then, O tiger among men, hath that Karna been slain by thee in battle? Tell me, O son of Kunti, how that Karna hath been slain by thee! How, while he was engaged in battle, didst thou, O tiger among men, strike off his head in the very sight of all his friends like a tiger tearing off the head of a ruru deer? That Suta's son who in battle searched all the points of the compass for finding thee, that Karna who had promised to give a car with six bulls of elephantine proportions unto him that would point thee out, I ask: doth that Karna of wicked soul lie today on the bare ground, slain with thy keen arrows equipped with kanka feathers? Having slain the Suta's son in battle, thou hast accomplished a deed highly agreeable to me! Encountering him in battle, hast thou really slain that Suta's son, who, filled with arrogance and pride and bragging of his heroism, used to search everywhere on the field of battle for thee? Hast thou, O sire, really slain in battle that sinful wretch who used to always challenge thee and who was desirous for thy sake of giving unto others a magnificent car, made of gold along with a number of elephants and bulls and steeds? Hast thou really slain today that sinful wight who was exceedingly dear to Suyodhana, and who, intoxicated with pride of heroism, used always to brag in the assembly of the Kurus? Encountered in battle, doth that wretch lie today on the field, his limbs exceedingly mangled with sky-ranging shafts sped by thee from thy bow and all steeped in blood? Have the two arms of Dhritarashtra's son been (at last) broken? Have those words been unfulfilled, uttered from folly by him who, filled with pride, used to always boast in the midst of the kings for gladdening Duryodhana, saying, 'I will slay Phalguna'? O son of Indra, hath that Karna of little understanding been slain by thee today, that Suta's son who made the vow that he would not wash his feet as long as Partha lived? That Karna of wicked understanding who in the assembly; before the Kuru chiefs, had addressed Krishna, saying, 'Why, O Krishna, dost thou not abandon the Pandavas that are divested of might, exceedingly weak, and fallen?' That Karna who had vowed for thy sake, saying that he would not return from battle without having slain Krishna and Partha. I ask, doth that Karna of sinful understanding lie today on the field, his body pierced with shafts? Thou knowest the nature of the battle that took place when the Srinjayas and the Kauravas encountered each other, the battle in which I was brought to that distressful plight. Encountering that Karna, hast thou slain him today? O Savyasaci, hast thou today, with blazing shafts sped from gandiva, cut off from the trunk of that Karna of wicked understanding his resplendent head decked with earrings? Pierced with Karna's shafts today, I had, O hero, thought of thee (that thou wouldst slay him)! Hast thou then, by the slaughter of Karna, made that thought of mine true? In consequence of the protection granted him by Karna, Suyodhana, filled with pride, always recked us little. Displaying thy prowess, hast then today destroyed that refuge of Suyodhana? That Suta's son of wicked soul, that Karna of great wrath, who had formerly, in the presence of the Kauravas and in the midst of the assembly called us sesame seeds without kernel, encountering that Karna in battle, hast thou slain him today? That Suta's son of wicked soul who had, laughing the while, commanded Duhshasana to forcibly drag Yajnasena's daughter won in gambling by Subala's son, hath he been slain today by thee? That Karna of little understanding who, having been counted as only half a car-warrior during the tale of rathas and atirathas, had upbraided that foremost of all wielders of weapons on Earth, our grandsire Bhishma, hath he been slain by thee? Extinguish, O Phalguna, this fire in my heart that is born of vindictiveness and is fanned by the wind of humiliation, by telling me that thou hast slain Karna today, having encountered him in battle! The news of Karna's slaughter is exceedingly agreeable to me. Tell me, therefore, how the Suta's son hath been slain! Like the divine Vishnu waiting for the arrival of Indra with the intelligence of Vritra's slaughter, I had so long waited for thee, O hero!"'"

 

 

Book 8
Chapter 67

 

 

 

1 [s]
      athābravīd vāsudevo rathastho; rādheya diṣṭyā smarasīha dharmam
      prāyeṇa nīcā vyasaneṣu magnā; nindanti daivaṃ kukṛtaṃ na tat tat
  2 yad draupadīm ekavastrāṃ sabhāyām; ānāyya tvaṃ caiva suyodhanaś ca
      duḥśāsanaḥ śakuniḥ saubalaś ca; na te karṇa pratyabhāt tatra dharmaḥ
  3 yadā sabhāyāṃ kaunteyam anakṣajñaṃ yudhiṣṭhiram
      akṣajñaḥ śakunir jetā tadā dharmaḥ kva te gataḥ
  4 yadā rajasvalāṃ kṛṣṇāṃ duḥśāsana vaśe sthitām
      sabhāyāṃ prāhasaḥ karṇa kva te dharmas tadā gataḥ
  5 rājyalubdhaḥ punaḥ karṇa samāhvayasi pāṇḍavam
      gāndhārarājam āśritya kva te dharmas tadā gataḥ
  6 evam ukte tu rādheye vāsudevena pāṇḍavam
      manyur abhyāviśat tīvraḥ smṛtvā tat tad dhanaṃjayam
  7 tasyā krodhena sarvebhyaḥ srotobhyas tejaso 'rciṣaḥ
      prādurāsan mahārāja tad adbhutam ivābhavat
  8 taṃ samīkṣya tataḥ karṇo brahmāstreṇa dhanaṃjayam
      abhyavarṣat punar yatnam akarod rathasarjane
      tad astram astreṇāvārya prajahārāsya pāṇḍavaḥ
  9 tato 'nyad astraṃ kaunteyo dayitaṃ jātavedasaḥ
      mumoca karṇam uddiśya tat prajajvāla vai bhṛśam
  10 vāruṇena tataḥ karṇaḥ śamayām āsa pāvakam
     jīmūtaiś ca diśaḥ sarvāś cakre timiradurdināḥ
 11 pāṇḍaveyas tv asaṃbhrānto vāyavyāstreṇa vīryavān
     apovāha tadābhrāṇi rādheyasya prapaśyataḥ
 12 taṃ hastikakṣyā pravaraṃ ca bāṇaiḥ; suvarṇamuktā maṇivajra mṛṣṭam
     kālaprayatnottama śilpiyatnaiḥ; kṛtaṃ surūpaṃ vitamaskam uccaiḥ
 13 ūrjaḥ karaṃ tava sainyasya nityam; amitravitrāsanam īḍya rūpam
     vikhyātam ādityasamasya loke; tviṣā samaṃ pāvakabhānu candraiḥ
 14 tataḥ kṣureṇādhiratheḥ kirīṭī; suvarṇapuṅkhena śitena yattaḥ
     śriyā jvalantaṃ dhvajam unmamātha; mahārathasyādhirather mahātmā
 15 yaśaś ca dharmaś ca jayaś ca māriṣa; priyāṇi sarvāṇi ca tena ketunā
     tadā kurūṇāṃ hṛdayāni cāpatan; babhūva hāheti ca nisvano mahān
 16 atha tvaran karṇavadhāya pāṇḍavo; mahendravajrānala daṇḍasaṃnibham
     ādatta pārtho 'ñjalikaṃ niṣaṅgāt; sahasraraśmer iva raśmim uttamam
 17 marmac chidaṃ śoṇitamāṃsadigdhaṃ; vaiśvānarārka pratimaṃ mahārham
     narāśvanāgāsu haraṃ tryaratniṃ; ṣaḍ vājam ajño gatim ugravegam
 18 sahasranetrāśani tulyatejasaṃ; samānakravyādam ivātiduḥsaham
     pināka nārāyaṇa cakrasaṃnibhaṃ; bhayaṃkaraṃ prāṇabhṛtāṃ vināśanam
 19 yuktvā mahāstreṇa pareṇa mantravid; vikṛṣya gāṇḍīvam uvāca sasvanam
     ayaṃ mahāstro 'pratimo dhṛtaḥ śaraḥ; śarīrabhic cāsu haraś ca durhṛdaḥ
 20 tapo 'sti taptaṃ guravaś ca toṣitā; mayā yad iṣṭaṃ suhṛdāṃ tathā śrutam
     anena satyena nihantv ayaṃ śaraḥ; sudaṃśitaḥ karṇam ariṃ mamājitah
 21 ity ūccivāṃs taṃ sā mumoca bāṇaṃ; dhanaṃjayaḥ karṇavadhāya ghoram
     kṛtyām atharvāṅgirasīm ivogrāṃ; dīptām asahyāṃ yudhi mṛtyunāpi
 22 bruvan kirīṭī tam atiprahṛṣṭo; ayaṃ śaro me vijayāvaho 'stu
     jighāṃsur arkendusama prabhāvaḥ; karṇaṃ samāptiṃ nayatāṃ yamāya
 23 teneṣu varyeṇa kirīṭamālī; prahṛṣṭarūpo vijayāvahena
     jighāṃsur arkendur samaprabheṇa; cakre viṣaktaṃ ripum ātatāyī
 24 tad udyatāditya samānavarcasaṃ; śaran nabho madhyaga bhāskaropamam
     varāṅgam urvyām apatac camūpater; divākaro 'stād iva raktamaṇḍalaḥ
 25 tad asya dehī satataṃ sukhoditaṃ; svarūpam atyartham udārakarmaṇaḥ
     pareṇa kṛcchreṇa śarīram atyajad; gṛhaṃ maharddhīva sasaṅgam īśvaraḥ
 26 śarair vibhugnaṃ vyasu tad vivarmaṇaḥ; papāta karṇasya śarīram ucchritam
     sravad vraṇaṃ gairikatoya visravaṃ; girer yathā vajrahataṃ śiras tathā
 27 dehāt tu karṇasya nipātitasya; tejo dīptaṃ khaṃ vigāhyācireṇa
     tad adbhutaṃ sarvamanuṣyayodhāḥ; paśyanti rājan nihate sma karṇe
 28 taṃ somakāḥ prekṣya hataṃ śayānaṃ; prītā nādaṃ saha sainyair akurvan
     tūryāṇi cājaghnur atīva hṛṣṭā; vāsāṃsi caivādudhuvur bhujāṃś ca
     balānvitāś cāpy apare hy anṛtyann; anyonyam āśliṣya nadanta ūcuḥ
 29 dṛṣṭvā tu karṇaṃ bhuvi niṣṭanantaṃ; hataṃ rathāt sāyakenāvabhinnam
     mahānilenāgnim ivāpaviddhaṃ; yajñāvasāne śayane niśānte
 30 śarair ācitasarvāṅgaḥ śoṇitaughapariplutaḥ
     vibhāti dehaḥ karṇasya svaraśmibhir ivāṃśumān
 31 pratāpya senām āmitrīṃ dīptaiḥ śaragabhasstibhiḥ
     balinārjuna kālena nīto 'staṃ karṇa bhāskaraḥ
 32 astaṃ gacchanty athādityaḥ prabhām ādāya gacchati
     evaṃ jīvitam ādāya karṇasyeṣur jagāma ha
 33 aparāhṇe parāhṇasya sūtaputrasya māriṣa
     chinnam añjalikenājau sotsedham apatac chiraḥ
 34 upary upari sainyānāṃ tasya śatros tad añjasā
     śiraḥ karṇasya sotsedham iṣuḥ so 'pāharad drutam
 35 [s]
     karṇaṃ tu śūraṃ patitaṃ pṛthivyāṃ; śarācitaṃ śoṇitadigdha gātram
     dṛṣṭvā śayānaṃ bhuvi madrarājaś; chinnadhvajenāpayayau rathena
 36 karṇe hate kuravaḥ prādravanta; bhayārditā gāḍhaviddhāś ca saṃkhye
     avekṣamāṇā muhur arjunasya; dhvajaṃ mahāntaṃ vapuṣā jvalantam
 37 sahasranetra pratimānakarmaṇaḥ; sahasrapatra pratimānanaṃ śubham
     sahasraraśmir dinasaṃkṣaye yathā; tathāpatat tasya śiro vasuṃdharām

 

67

"Sanjaya said, 'Hearing these words of the righteous king who had been filled with anger, that high-souled atiratha, Jishnu of infinite energy, replied unto the invincible Yudhishthira of great might, saying, "While battling with the samsaptakas today, Drona's son who always proceedeth at the head of the Kuru troops, O king, suddenly came before me, shooting shafts that resembled snakes of virulent poison. Beholding my car, of rattle deep as the roar of clouds, all the troops began to encompass it. Slaying full five hundred of those, I then, O foremost of kings, proceeded against Drona's son. Approaching me, O king, that hero with great resolution rushed against me like a prince of elephants against a lion, and desired to rescue, O monarch, the Kaurava car-warriors that were being slaughtered by me. Then, in that battle, O Bharata, the preceptor's son, that foremost of heroes among the Kurus, incapable of being made to tremble, began to afflict me and Janardana with whetted shafts resembling poison or fire. While engaged in battle with me, eight carts, each drawn by eight bullocks, carried his hundreds of arrows. He shot them all at me, but like a wind destroying the clouds I destroyed with my shafts that arrowy shower of his. He then shot at me, with skill and force and resolution, thousands of other arrows, all sped from his bow-string stretched to his very ear, even like a black cloud in the season of rains pouring in torrents the water with which it is charged. So quickly did Drona's son career in that battle that we could not discern from which side, the left or the right, he shot his arrows, nor could we notice when he took up his arrows and when he let them off. Indeed, the bow of Drona's son was seen by us to be incessantly drawn to a circle. At last, the son of Drona pierced me with five whetted arrows and Vasudeva also with five whetted arrows. Within the twinkling of an eye, however, I afflicted him with the force of thunderbolts. Exceedingly afflicted with those shafts sped by me, he soon assumed the form of a porcupine. All his limbs became bathed in blood. Beholding his troops, those foremost of warriors all covered with blood and overwhelmed by me, he then entered the car-division of the Suta's son. Seeing the troops overwhelmed by me in battle, and struck with fear, and beholding the elephants and steeds flying away, that grinder (of hostile hosts), viz., Karna approached me quickly with fifty great carwarriors. Slaying them all and avoiding Karna, I have quickly come hither for seeing thee. All the Pancalas are afflicted with fear at sight of Karna like kine at the scent of a lion. The Prabhadrakas also, O king, having approached Karna, are like persons that have entered the wide open jaws of Death. Karna has already despatched to Yama's abode full seventeen hundred of those distressed car-warriors. Indeed, O king, the Suta's son did not become cheerless till he had a sight of us. Thou hadst first been engaged with Ashvatthama and exceedingly mangled by him. I heard that after that thou wert seen by Karna. O thou of inconceivable feats, I thought that thou must have, O king, been enjoying rest (in the camp), having come away from the cruel Karna. I have seen, O son of Pandu, the great and wonderful (Bhargava) weapon of Karna displayed in the van of battle. There is now no other warrior among the Srinjayas that is able to resist the mighty car-warrior Karna. Let Sini's grandson Satyaki and Dhrishtadyumna, O king, be the protectors of my car-wheels. Let the heroic princes Yudhamanyu and Uttamauja protect my rear. O thou of great glory, encountering that heroic and invincible car-warrior, viz., the Suta's son, staying in the hostile army, like Sakra encountering Vritra, O foremost of kings, I will, O Bharata, fight with the Suta's son if he can be found in this battle today. Come and behold me and the Suta's son contending with each other in battle for victory. There, the Prabhadrakas are rushing towards the face of a mighty bull. There, O Bharata, 6,000 princes are sacrificing themselves in battle today, for the sake of heaven. If, putting forth my strength, I do not, O king, slay Karna today with all his relatives while engaged in battle with him, then that end will be mine, O lion among kings, which is his that does not accomplish a vow taken by him. I beg of thee, bless me, saying that victory will be mine in battle. Yonder, the Dhartarashtras are about to devour Bhima. I will, O lion among kings, slay the Suta's son and his troops and all our foes!"'"

 

Book 8
Chapter 68

 

 

 

1 [s]
      śalyas tu karṇārjunayor vimarde; balāni dṛṣṭvā mṛditāni bāṇaiḥ
      duryodhanaṃ yāntam avekṣamāṇo; saṃdarśayad bhārata yuddhabhūmim
  2 nipātitasyandanavājināgaṃ; dṛṣṭvā balaṃ tad dhatasūtaputram
      duryodhano 'śruprati pūrṇanetro; muhur muhur nyaśvasad ārtarūpaḥ
  3 karmaṃ tu śūraṃ patitaṃ pṛthivyāṃ; śarācitaṃ śoṇitadigdha gātram
      yadṛcchayā sūryam ivāvanisthaṃ; didṛkṣavaḥ saṃparivārya tasthuḥ
  4 prahṛṣṭavitrasta viṣaṇṇavismṛtās; tathāpare śokagatā ivābhavan
      pare tvadīyāś ca paraspareṇa; yathā yathaiṣāṃ prakṛtis tathābhavan
  5 praviddha varmābharaṇāmbarāyudhaṃ; dhanaṃjayenābhihataṃ hataujasam
      niśamya karṇaṃ kuravaḥ pradudruvur; hatarṣabhā gāva ivākulākulāḥ
  6 kṛtvā vimardaṃ bhṛśam arjunena; karṇaṃ hataṃ kesariṇeva nāgam
      dṛṣṭvā śayānaṃ bhuvi madrarājo; bhīto 'pasarpat sarathaḥ suśīghram
  7 madrādhipaś cāpi vimūḍhacetās; tūrṇaṃ rathenāpahṛta dhvajena
      duryodhanasyāntikam etya śīghraṃ; saṃbhāṣya duḥkhārtam uvāca vākyam
  8 viśīrṇanāgāśvarathapravīraṃ; balaṃ tvadiyaṃ yama rāṣṭrakalpam
      anyonyam āsādya hataṃ mahadbhir; narāśvanāgair girikūṭa kalpaiḥ
  9 naitādṛśaṃ bhārata yuddham āsīd; yathādya karṇārjunayor babhūva
      grastau hi karṇena sametya kṛṣṇāv; anye ca sarve tava śatravo ye
  10 daivaṃ tu yat tat svavaśaṃ pravṛttaṃ; tat pāṇḍavān pāti hinasti cāsmān
     tavārtha siddhyarthakarā hi sarve; prasahya vīrā nihatā dviṣadbhiḥ
 11 kubera vaivasvatavāsavānāṃ; tulyaprabhāvāmbupateś ca vīrāḥ
     vīryeṇa śauryeṇa balena caiva; tais taiś ca yuktā vipulair guṇaughaiḥ
 12 avadhyakalpā nihatā narendrās; tavārtha kāmā yudhi pāṇḍaveyaiḥ
     tan mā śuco bhārata diṣṭam etat; paryāya siddhir na sadāsti siddhiḥ
 13 etad vaco madrapater niśamya; svaṃ cāpanītaṃ manasā nirīkṣya
     duryodhano dīnamanā visaṃjñaḥ; punaḥ punar nyaśvasad ārtarūpaḥ
 14 taṃ dhyānamūkaṃ kṛpaṇaṃ bhṛśārtam; ārtāyanir dīnam uvāca vākyam
     paśyedam ugraṃ naravāji nāgair; āyodhanaṃ vīra hataiḥ prapannam
 15 mahīdharābhaiḥ patitair mahāgajaiḥ; sakṛt praviddhaiḥ śaraviddha marmabhiḥ
     tair vihvaladbhiś ca gatāsubhiś ca; pradhvasta yantrāyudha varma yodhaiḥ
 16 vajrāpaviddhair iva cācalendrair; vibhinnapāṣāṇa mṛgadrumauṣadhaiḥ
     praviddha ghaṇṭāṅkuśa tomaradhvajaiḥ; sahema mālai rudhiraughasaṃplutaiḥ
 17 śarāvabhinnaiḥ patitaiś ca vājibhiḥ; śvasadbhir anyaiḥ kṣatajaṃ vamadbhiḥ
     dīnaiḥ stanadbhiḥ parivṛttanetrair; mahīṃ daśadbhiḥ kṛpaṇaṃ nadadbhiḥ
 18 tathāpaviddhair gajavājiyodhair; mandāsubhiś caiva gatāsubhiś ca
     narāśvanāgaiś ca rathaiś ca marditair; mahī mahāvaitaraṇīva durdṛśā
 19 gajair nikṛttāparahastagātrair; udvepamānaiḥ patitaiḥ pṛthivyām
     yaśasvibhir nāgarathāśvayodhibhiḥ; padātibhiś cābhimukhair hataiḥ paraiḥ
     viśīrṇavarmābharaṇāmbarāyudhair; vṛtā niśāntair iva pāvakair mahī
 20 śaraprahārābhihatair mahābalair; avekṣyamāṇaiḥ patitaiḥ sahasraśaḥ
     pranaṣṭasaṃjñaiḥ punar ucchvasadbhir; mahī babhūvānugatair ivāgnibhiḥ
     divaś cyutair bhūr atidīptam adbhir; naktaṃ grahair dyaur amaleva dīptaiḥ
 21 śarās tu karṇārjuna bāhumuktā; vidārya nāgāśvamanuṣyadehān
     prāṇān nirasyāśu mahīm atīyur; mahoragā vāsam ivābhito 'straiḥ
 22 hatair manuṣyāśvagajaiś ca saṃkhye; śarāvabhinnaiś ca rathair babhūva
     dhanaṃjayasyādhiratheś ca mārge; gajair agamyā vasudhātidurgā
 23 rathair vareṣūn mathitaiś ca yodhaiḥ; saṃsyūta sūtāśvavarāyudhadhvajaiḥ
     viśīrṇaśastrair vinikṛttabandhurair; nikṛttacakrākṣa yugatriveṇubhiḥ
 24 vimuktayantrair nihatair ayomayair; hatānuṣaṅgair viniṣaṅga bandhuraiḥ
     prabhagnanīḍair maṇihemamaṇḍitaiḥ; stṛtā mahī dyaur iva śāradair ghanaiḥ
 25 vikṛṣyamaṇair javanair alaṃkṛtair; hateśvarair ājirathaiḥ sukalpitaiḥ
     manuṣyamātaṅgarathāśvarāśibhir; drutaṃ vrajanto bahudhā vicūrṇitāḥ
 26 sahema paṭṭāḥ parighāḥ paraśvadhāḥ; kaḍaṅga rāyo musalāni paṭṭiśāḥ
     petuś ca khaḍgā vimalā vikośā; gadāś ca jāmbūnadapaṭṭa baddhāḥ
 27 cāpāni rukmāṅgada bhūṣaṇāni; śarāś ca kārtasvaracitrapuṅkhāḥ
     ṛṣṭyaś ca pītā vimalā vikośāḥ; prāsāḥ sakhaḍgāḥ kanakāvabhāsāḥ
 28 chattrāṇi vālavyajanāni śaṅkhāḥ; srajaś ca puṣpottama hemacitrāḥ
     kuthāḥ patākāmbara veṣṭitāś ca; kirīṭamālā mukuṭāś ca śubhrāḥ
 29 prakīrṇakā viprakīrṇāḥ kuthāś ca; pradhānamuktā taralāś ca hārāḥ
     āpīḍa keyūravarāṅgadāni; graiveya niṣkāḥ sasuvarṇa sūtrāḥ
 30 maṇyuttamā vajrasuvarṇamuktā; ratnāni coccāvacamaṅgalāni
     gātrāṇi cātyanta sukhocitāni; śirāṃsi cendu pratimānanāni
 31 dehāṃś ca bhogāṃś ca paricchadāṃś ca; tyaktvā manojñāni sukhāni cāpi
     svadharmaniṣṭhāṃ mahatīm avāpya; vyāptāṃś ca lokān yaśasā samīyuḥ
 32 ity evam uktvā virarāma śalyo; duryodhanaḥ śokaparīta cetāḥ
     hā karṇa hā karṇa iti bruvāṇa; ārto visaṃjño bhṛśam aśrunetraḥ
 33 taṃ droṇaputra pramukhā narendrāḥ; sarve samāśvāsya saha prayānti
     nirīkṣamāṇā muhur arjunasya; dhvajaṃ mahāntaṃ yaśasā jvalantam
 34 narāśvamātaṅgaśarīrajena; raktena siktā rudhireṇa bhūmiḥ
     raktāmbarasrak tapanīyayogān; nārī prakāśā iva sarvagamyā
 35 pracchannarūpā rudhireṇa rājan; raudre muhūrte 'tivirājamānāḥ
     naivāvatasthuḥ kuravaḥ samīkṣya; pravrājitā devalokāś ca sarve
 36 vadhena karṇasya suduḥkhitās te; hā karṇa hā karṇa iti bruvāṇāḥ
     drutaṃ prayātāḥ śibirāṇi rājan; divākaraṃ raktam avekṣamāṇāḥ
 37 gāṇḍīvamuktais tu suvarṇapuṅkhaiḥ; śitaiḥ śaraiḥ śoṇitadigdha vājaiḥ
     śaraiś citāṅgo bhuvi bhāti karṇo; hato 'pi san sūrya ivāṃśumālī
 38 karṇasya dehaṃ rudhirāvasiktaṃ; bhaktānukampī bhagavān vivasvān
     spṛṣṭvā karair lohitaraktarūpaḥ; siṣṇāsur abhyeti paraṃ samudram
 39 itīva saṃcintya surarṣisaṃghāḥ; saṃprathitā yānti yathāniketam
     saṃcintayitvā ca janā visasrur; yathāsukhaṃ khaṃ ca mahītalaṃ ca
 40 tad adbhutaṃ prāṇabhṛtāṃ bhayaṃkaraṃ; niśamya yuddhaṃ kuruvīramukhyayoḥ
     dhanaṃjayasyādhiratheś ca vismitāḥ; praśaṃsamānāḥ prayayus tadā janāḥ
 41 śaraiḥ saṃkṛttavarmāṇaṃ vīraṃ śivasane hatam
     gatāsum api rādheyaṃ naiva lakṣmīr vyamuñcata
 42 nānābharaṇavān rājan mṛṣṭajāmbūnadāṅgadaḥ
     hato vaikartanaḥ śete pādapo 'ṅkuravān iva
 43 kanakottama saṃkāśaḥ pradīpta iva pāvakaḥ
     saputraḥ puruṣavyāghraḥ saṃśāntaḥ pārtha tejasā
     pratāpya pāṇḍavān rājan pāñcālāṃś cāstratejasā
 44 dadānīty eva yo 'vocan na nātīty arthito 'rthibhiḥ
     sadbhiḥ sadā satpuruṣaḥ sa hato dvairathe vṛṣaḥ
 45 yasya brāhmaṇasāt sarvam ātmārthaṃ na mahātmanaḥ
     nādeyaṃ brāhmaṇeṣv āsīd yasya svam api jīvitam
 46 sadā nṝṇāṃ priyo dātā priya dāno divaṃ gataḥ
     ādāya tava putrāṇāṃ jayāśāṃ śarma varma ca
 47 hate sma karṇe sarito na sravanti; jagāma cāstaṃ kaluṣo divākaraḥ
     grahaś ca tiryag jvalitārkavarṇo; yamasya putro 'bhyudiyāya rājan
 48 nabhaḥ paphālātha nanādacorvī; vavuś ca vātāḥ paruṣātivelam
     diśaḥ sadhūmāś ca bhṛśaṃ prajajvalur; mahārṇavāś cukṣubhire ca sasvanāḥ
 49 sakānanāḥ sādri cayāś cakampuḥ; pravivyathur bhūtagaṇāś ca māriṣa
     bṛhaspatī rohiṇīṃ saṃprapīḍya; babhūva candrārkasamānavarṇaḥ
 50 hate karṇe na diśo viprajajñus; tamovṛtā dyaur vicacāla bhūmiḥ
     papāta colkā jvalanaprakāśā; niśācarāś cāpy abhavan prahṛṣṭāḥ
 51 śaśiprakāśānanam arjuno yadā; kṣureṇa karṇasya śiro nyapātayat
     athāntarikṣe divi ceha cāsakṛd; babhūva hāheti janasya nisvanaḥ
 52 sa devagandharvamanuṣyapūjitaṃ; nihatya karṇaṃ ripum āhave 'rjunaḥ
     rarāja pārthaḥ parameṇa tejasā; vṛtraṃ nihatyeva sahasralocanaḥ
 53 tato rathenāmbudavṛndanādinā; śaran nabho madhyaga bhāskaratviṣā
     patākinā bhīma nināda ketunā; himendu śaṅkhasphaṭikāvabhāsinā
     suvarṇamuktā maṇivajra vidrumair; alaṃkṛtenāpratimāna raṃhasā
 54 narottamau pāṇḍava keśi mardanāv; udāhitāv agnidivākaropamau
     raṇājire vītabhayau virejatuḥ; samānayānāv iva viṣṇuvāsavau
 55 tato dhanurjyātalanemi nisvanaiḥ; prasahya kṛtvā ca ripūn hataprabhān
     saṃsādhayitvaiva kurūñ śaraughaiḥ; kapidhvajaḥ pakṣivaradhvajaś ca
     prasahya śaṅkhau dhamatuḥ sughoṣau; manāṃsy ariṇām avasādayantau
 56 suvarṇajālāvatatau mahāsvanau; himāvadātau parigṛhya pāṇibhiḥ
     cucumbatuḥ śaṅkhavarau nṛṇāṃ varau; varānanābhyāṃ yugapac ca dadhmatuḥ
 57 pāñcajanyasya nirghoṣo devadattasya cobhayoḥ
     pṛthivīm antarikṣaṃ ca dyām apaś cāpy apūrayat
 58 tau śaṅkhaśabdena ninādayantau; vananai śailān sarito diśaś ca
     vitrāsayantau tava putra senāṃ; yudhiṣṭhiraṃ nandayataḥ sma vīrau
 59 tataḥ prayātāḥ kuravo javena; śrutvaiva śaṅkhasvanam īryamāṇam
     vihāya madrādhipatiṃ patiṃ ca; duryodhanaṃ bhārata bhāratānām
 60 mahāhave taṃ bahu śobhamānaṃ; dhanaṃjayaṃ bhūtagaṇāḥ sametāḥ
     tadānvamodanta janārdanaṃ ca; prabhākarāv abhyuditau yathaiva
 61 samācitau karṇa śaraiḥ paraṃtapāv; ubhau vyabhātāṃ samare 'cyutārjunau
     tamo nihatyābhyuditau yathāmalau; śaśāṅkasūryāv iva raśmimālinau
 62 vihāya tān bāṇagaṇān athāgatau; suhṛdvṛtāv apratimāna vikramau
     sukhaṃ praviṣṭau śibiraṃ svam īśvarau; sadasya hutāv iva vāsavācyutau
 63 sadevagandharvamanuṣyacāraṇair; maharṣibhir yakṣamahoragair api
     jayābhivṛddhyā parayābhipūjitau; nihatya karṇaṃ paramāhave tadā

 

68

"Sanjaya said, 'Hearing that Karna of mighty energy was still alive, Pritha's son Yudhishthira of immeasurable energy, exceedingly angry with Phalguna and burning with the shafts of Karna, said these words unto Dhananjaya, "O sire, thy army is fled and hath been beaten in a way that is scarcely honourable! Inspired with fear and deserting Bhima, thou hast come hither since thou hast been unable to slay Karna. Thou hast, by entering her womb, rendered the conception of Kunti abortive. Thou hast acted improperly by deserting Bhima, because thou wert unable to slay the Suta's son. Thou hadst, O Partha, said unto me in the Dwaita woods that thou wouldst, on a single car, slay Karna. Why, then, through fear of Karna hast come hither, avoiding Karna and deserting Bhima? If in the Dwaita woods thou hadst said unto me, 'O king, I shall not be able to fight with Karna,' we would then, O Partha, have made other arrangements suitable to the circumstances. Having promised me the slaughter of Karna, thou hast not, O hero, kept that promise. Bringing us into the midst of foes, why hast thou broken us into pieces by throwing us down on a hard soil? Expecting diverse good things and benefits from thee, O Arjuna, we have always uttered blessings on thee. All those expectations, however, O prince, have proved vain like those of persons expectant of fruit getting instead of a tree burthened only with flowers! Like a fish-hook hid within a piece of meat, or poison overlaid with food, thou didst, for disappointing us at last, point out destruction in the shape of kingdom unto ourselves covetous of kingdom! For these thirteen years, O Dhananjaya, we have, from hope, lived relying on thee, like seeds sown on earth in expectation of the showers sent by the gods in season! Even these were the words that a voice in the skies had said unto Pritha on the seventh day after thy birth, O thou of foolish understanding! 'This son of thine that is born will have the prowess of Vasava himself! He will vanquish all his heroic foes! Endued with superior energy, he will at Khandava vanquish all the celestials united together and diverse other creatures. This one will subjugate the Madras, the Kalingas, and the Kaikeyas. This one will, in the midst of many kings, slay the Kurus. There will be no bowman superior to him, and no creature will ever be able to vanquish him. With his senses under control, and having obtained mastery over all branches of knowledge, this one, by merely desiring it, will bring all creatures under subjection to himself. This high-souled son that is born of thee, O Kunti, will in beauty be the rival of Soma, in speed of the god of wind, in patience of Meru, in forgiveness of Earth, in splendour of Surya, in prosperity of the Lord of treasures, in courage of Sakra, and in might of Vishnu. He will be the slayer of all foes like Vishnu, the son of Aditi. Endued with immeasurable energy, he will be celebrated for the destruction he will deal to foes and the success he will win for friends. He will, besides, be the founder of a race!' Even thus, in the skies, on the summit of the Satasringa mountains, in the hearing of many ascetics, that voice spoke. All that, however, hath not come to pass. Alas, it shows that the gods even may speak untruths! Hearing also the words of praise always uttered about thee by many foremost of Rishis, I never expected that Suyodhana would win success and prosperity or that thou thyself wouldst be afflicted with the fear of Karna! Thou ridest upon an excellent car constructed by the celestial artificer himself, with axles that do not creak, and with standard that bears the ape. Thou bearest a sword attached to thy belt of gold and silk. This thy bow Gandiva is full six cubits long. Thou hast Keshava for thy driver. Why, then, through fear of Karna hast thou come away from battle, O Partha? If, O thou of wicked soul, thou hadst given this bow to Keshava and become his driver, then Keshava could have (by this time) slain the fierce Karna like the lord of the Maruts (Sakra) slaying with his thunder the Asura Vritra. If thou art unable to resist the fierce son of Radha today, as he is careering in battle, give this thy Gandiva today to some other king, that may be thy superior in (the use and knowledge of) weapons. If that be done, the world will not then behold us bereft of sons and wives, deprived of happiness in consequence of the loss of kingdom, and sunk, O son of Pandu, in an unfathomable hell of great misery. It would have been better for thee if thou hadst never been born in the womb of Kunti, or having taken thy birth there, if thou hadst come out on the fifth month an abortion, than to have, O prince, thus come away from battle, O thou of wicked soul! Fie on thy Gandiva, fie on the might of thy arms, fie on thy inexhaustible arrows! Fie on thy banner with the gigantic ape on it, and fie on thy car given thee by the god of fire!"'"

 

 

 

Book 8
Chapter 69

 

 

 

 

1 [s]
      tathā nipātite karṇe tava sainye ca vidrute
      āśliṣya pārthaṃ dāśārho harṣād vacanam abravīt
  2 hato balabhidā vṛtras tvayā karṇo dhanaṃjaya
      vadhaṃ vai karṇa vṛtrābhyāṃ kathayiṣyanti mānavāḥ
  3 vajriṇā nihato vṛtraḥ smayuge bhūri tejasā
      tvayā tu nihataḥ karṇo dhanuṣā niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ
  4 tam imaṃ vikramaṃ loke prathitaṃ te yaśo vaham
      nivedayāvaḥ kaunteya dharmarājāya dhīmate
  5 vadhaṃ karṇasya saṃgrāme dīrghakālacikīrṣitam
      nivedya dharmarājasya tvam ānṛṇyaṃ gamiṣyasi
  6 tathety ukte keśavas tu pārthena yadupuṅgavaḥ
      paryavartayad avyagro rathaṃ rathavarasya tam
  7 dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ yudhāmanyuṃ mādrīputrau vṛkodaram
      yuyudhānaṃ ca govinda idaṃ vacanam abravīt
  8 parān abhimukhā yattās tiṣṭhadhvaṃ bhadram astu vaḥ
      yāvad āvedyate rājñe hataḥ karṇo 'rjunena vai
  9 sa taiḥ śūrair anujñāto yayau rājaniveśanam
      pārtham ādāya govindo dadarśa ca yudhiṣṭhiram
  10 śayānaṃ rājaśārdūlaṃ kāñcane śayanottame
     agṛhṇītāṃ ca caraṇau muditau pārthivasya tau
 11 tayoḥ praharṣam ālākṣya prahārāṃś cātimānuṣān
     rādheyaṃ nihataṃmatvā samuttasthau yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
 12 tato 'smai yād yathāvṛttaṃ vāsudevaḥ priyaṃvadaḥ
     kathayām āsa karṇasya nidhanaṃ yadunandanaḥ
 13 īṣad utsmayamānas tu kṛṣṇo rājānam abravīt
     yudhiṣṭhiraṃ hatāmitraṃ kṛtāñjālir athācyutaḥ
 14 diṣṭyā gāṇḍīvadhanvā ca pāṇḍavaś ca vṛkodaraḥ
     tvaṃ cāpi kuśalī rājan mādrīputrau ca pāṇḍavau
 15 muktā vīra kṣayād asmāt saṃgrāmāl lomaharṣaṇāt
     kṣipram uttarakālāni kuru kāryāṇi pārthiva
 16 hato vaikārtanaḥ krūraḥ sūtaputro mahābalaḥ
     diṣṭyā jayasi rājendra diṣṭyā vardhasi pāṇḍava
 17 yaḥ sa dyūtajitāṃ kṛṣṇāṃ prāha satpuruṣādhamaḥ
     tasyādya sūtaputrasya bhūmiḥ pibati śoṇitam
 18 śete 'sau śaradīrṇāṅgaḥ śatrus te kurupuṃgava
     taṃ pāśyā puruṣavyāghra vibhinnaṃ bahudhā śaraiḥ
 19 yudhiṣṭhiras tu dāśārhaṃ prahṛṣṭaḥ pratyapūjayat
     diṣṭyā diṣṭyeti rājendra prītyā cedam uvāca ha
 20 naitac citraṃ mahābāho tvāyi devakinandana
     tvayā sārathinā pārtho yat kuryād adya pauruṣam
 21 pragṛhya ca kuru śreṣṭhaḥ sāṅgadaṃ dakṣiṇaṃ bhujam
     uvāca dharmabhṛt pārtha ubhau tau keśavārjunau
 22 naranārāyaṇau devau kathitau nāradena ha
     dharmasaṃsthāpane yuktau purāṇau puruṣottamau
 23 asakṛc cāpi medhāvī kṛṣṇā dvaipāyano mama
     kathām etāṃ mahābāho divyām akathayat prabhuḥ
 24 tava kṛṣṇa prabhāveṇa gāṇḍīvena dhanaṃjayaḥ
     jayaty abhimukhāñ śatrūn na cāsīd vimukhaḥ kva cit
 25 jayaś caivā dhruvo 'smākaṃ na tv asmākaṃ parājayaḥ
     yadā tvaṃ yudhi pārthasya sārathyamupajagmivān
 26 evam uktvā mahārāja taṃ rathaṃ hemabhūṣitam
     dantavarṇair hayair yuktaṃ kālavālair mahārathaḥ
 27 āsthāya puruṣavyāghraḥ svabalenābhisaṃvṛtaḥ
     kṛṣṇārjunābhyāṃ vīrābhyām anumanya tataḥ priyam
 28 āgato bahu vṛttāntaṃ draṣṭum āyodhanaṃ tadā
     ābhāṣamāṇas tau vīrāv ubhau mādhava phalgunau
 29 sa dadarśa raṇe karṇaṃ śayānaṃ puruṣarṣabham
     gāṇḍīvamuktair viśikhaiḥ sarvataḥ śakalīkṛtam
 30 saputraṃ nihataṃ dṛṣṭvā karṇaṃ rājā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
     praśaśaṃsa naravyāghrāv ubhau mādhava pāṇḍavau
 31 adya rājāsmi govinda pṛthivyāṃ bhrātṛbhiḥ saha
     tvayā nāthena vīreṇa viduṣā paripālitaḥ
 32 hataṃ dṛṣṭvā naravyāghraṃ rādheyam abhimāninam
     nirāśo 'dya durātmāsau dhārtarāṣṭro bhaviṣyati
     jīvitāc cāpi rājyāc ca hate karṇe mahārathe
 33 tvatprasādād vayaṃ caiva kṛtārthāḥ puruṣarṣabha
     tvaṃ ca gāṇḍīvadhanvā ca vijayī yadunandana
     diṣṭyā jayasi govinda diṣṭyā karṇo nipātitaḥ
 34 evaṃ sa bahuśo hṛṣṭaḥ praśaśaṃsa janārdanam
     arjunaṃ cāpi rājendra dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ
 35 tato bhīmaprabhṛtibhiḥ sārvaiś ca bhrātṛbhir vṛtam
     vardhayanti sma rājānaṃ harṣa yuktā mahārathāḥ
 36 nakulaḥ sāhadevaś ca pāṇḍāvaś ca vṛkodaraḥ
     sātyakiś ca mahārāja vṛṣṇīnāṃ pravaro rathaḥ
 37 dhṛṣṭadyumnaḥ śikhaṇḍī ca pāṇḍupāñcāla sṛñjayāḥ
     pūjayanti sma kaunteyaṃ nihate sūtanandane
 38 te vardhayitvā nṛpatiṃ pāṇḍuputraṃ yudhiṣṭhiram
     jitakāśino labdhalakṣā yuddhaśauṇḍāḥ prahāriṇaḥ
 39 stuvantaḥ stavayuktābhir vāgbhiḥ kṛṣṇau paraṃtapau
     jagmuḥ svaśibirāyaiva mudā yuktā mahārathāḥ
 40 evam eṣa kṣayo vṛttaḥ sumahāṁl lomaharṣaṇaḥ
     tava durmantrite rājann atītaṃ kiṃ nu śocasi
 41 [vai]
     śrutvā tad apriyaṃ rājan dhṛtarāṣṭro mahīpatiḥ
     papāta bhūmau niśceṣṭaḥ kauravyaḥ paramārtivān
     tathā satyavratā devī gāndhārī dharmadarśinī
 42 taṃ pratyagṛhṇād viduro nṛpatiṃ saṃjayas tathā
     paryāśvāsayataś caivaṃ tāv ubhāv eva bhūmipam
 43 tathaivotthāpayām āsur gāndhārīṃ rājayoṣitaḥ
     tābhyām āśvasito rājā tūṣṇīm āsīd vicetanaḥ

69

"Sanjaya said, 'Thus addressed by Yudhishthira, Kunti's son owning white steeds, filled with rage, drew his sword for slaying that bull of Bharata's race. Beholding his wrath, Keshava, conversant with the workings of the (human) heart said, "Why, O Partha, dost thou draw thy sword? I do not, O Dhananjaya, behold anyone here with whom thou hast to fight! The Dhartarashtras have now been assailed by the intelligent Bhimasena. Thou comest from battle, O son of Kunti, for seeing the king. The king has been seen by thee. Indeed, Yudhishthira is well. Having seen that tiger among kings who is endued with prowess equal to that of a tiger, why this folly at a time when thou shouldst rejoice? I do not see here, O son of Kunti, the person whom thou mayst slay. Why then dost thou desire to strike? What is this delusion of thy mind? Why dost thou, with such speed, take up that formidable sword? I ask thee this, O son, of Kunti! What is this that thou art about, inasmuch as, O thou of inconceivable prowess, thou graspest that sword in anger?" Thus addressed by Krishna, Arjuna, casting his eyes on Yudhishthira, and breathing like an angry snake, said unto Govinda, "I would cut off the head of that man who would tell me 'Give thy Gandiva to another person." Even this is my secret vow. Those words have been spoken by this king, O thou of immeasurable prowess, in thy presence, O Govinda! I dare not forgive them. I will for that slay this king who himself fears the slightest falling from virtue. Slaying this best of men, I will keep my vow. It is for this that I have drawn the sword, O delighter of the Yadus. Even I, slaying Yudhishthira, will pay off my debt to truth. By that I will dispel my grief and fever, O Janardana. I ask thee, what do you think suitable to the circumstances that have arisen? Thou, O sire, knowest the entire past and future of this universe. I will do what thou wilt tell me.'"
"Sanjaya continued, 'Govinda then said, "Fie, fie," unto Partha and once more continued to say, "I now know, O Partha, that thou hast not waited upon the old, since, O tiger among men, thou hast yielded to wrath at a time when thou shouldst not have done so. No one that is acquainted with the distinctions of morality would act in the way, O Dhananjaya, in which thou, O son of Pandu, that art unacquainted with them, art acting today! He, O Partha, is the worst of men who committeth acts that should not be done and doeth acts that are apparently proper but condemned by the scriptures. Thou knowest not the decisions of those learned men who, waited upon by pupils, declare their opinions, following the dictates of morality. The man that is not acquainted with those rulings becomes confounded and stupefied, O Partha, even as thou hast been stupefied, in discriminating between what should be done and what should not. What should be done and what should not cannot be ascertained easily. Everything can be ascertained by the aid of the scriptures. Thou, however, art not acquainted with the scriptures. Since (believing thyself) conversant with morality, thou art desirous of observing morality (in this way, it seems) thou art actuated by ignorance. Thou believest thyself to be conversant with virtue, but thou dost not know, O Partha, that the slaughter of living creatures is a sin. Abstention from injury to animals is, I think, the highest virtue. One may even speak an untruth, but one should never kill. How then, O foremost of men, couldst thou wish, like an ordinary person, to slay thy eldest brother, the King, who is conversant with morality? The slaughter of a person not engaged in battle, or of a foe, O Bharata who has turned his face from battle or who flies away or seeks protection or joins his hands or yields himself up or is careless, is never applauded by the righteous. All these attributes are in thy superior. This vow, O Partha, was adopted by thee before from foolishness. In consequence of that vow thou art now, from folly, desirous of perpetrating a sinful act. Why, O Partha, dost thou rush towards thy reverend superior for slaying him, without having resolved the exceedingly subtle course of morality that is, again, difficult of being understood? I will now tell thee, O son of Pandu, this mystery connected with morality, this mystery that was declared by Bhishma, by the righteous Yudhishthira, by Vidura otherwise called Kshatri, and by Kunti, of great celebrity. I will tell thee that mystery in all its details. Listen to it, O Dhananjaya! One who speaks truth is righteous. There is nothing higher than truth. Behold, however, truth as practised is exceedingly difficult to be understood as regards its essential attributes. Truth may be unutterable, and even falsehood may be utterable where falsehood would become truth and truth would become falsehood. In a situation of peril to life and in marriage, falsehood becomes utterable. In a situation involving the loss of one's entire property, falsehood becomes utterable. On an occasion of marriage, or of enjoying a woman, or when life is in danger, or when one's entire property is about to be taken away, or for the sake of a Brahmana, falsehood may be uttered. These five kinds of falsehood have been declared to be sinless. On these occasions falsehood would become truth and truth would become falsehood. He is a fool that practises truth without knowing the difference between truth and falsehood. One is said to be conversant with morality when one is able to distinguish between truth and falsehood. What wonder then in this that a man of wisdom, by perpetrating even a cruel act, may obtain great merit like Valaka by the slaughter of the blind beast? What wonder, again, in this that a foolish and ignorant person, from even the desire of winning merit, earns great sin like Kausika (living) among the rivers?"
"'Arjuna said, "Tell me, O holy one, this story that I may understand it, viz., this illustration about Valaka and about Kausika (living) among rivers."
"'Vasudeva said, "There was a certain hunter of animals, O Bharata, of the name of Valaka. He used, for the livelihood of his son and wives and not from will, to slay animals. Devoted to the duties of his own order and always speaking the truth and never harbouring malice, he used also to support his parents and others that depended upon him. One day, searching for animals even with perseverance and care, he found none. At last he saw a beast of prey whose sense of smell supplied the defect of his eyes, employed in drinking water. Although he had never seen such an animal before, still he slew it immediately. After the slaughter of that blind beast, a floral shower fell from the skies (upon the head of the hunter). A celestial car also, exceedingly delightful and resounding with the songs of Apsaras and the music of their instruments, came from heaven for taking away that hunter of animals. That beast of prey, having undergone ascetic austerities, had obtained a boon and had become the cause of the destruction of all creatures. For this reason he was made blind by the Self-born. Having slain that animal which had resolved to slay all creatures, Valaka went to heaven. Morality is even so difficult of being understood. There was an ascetic of the name of Kausika without much knowledge of the scriptures. He lived in a spot much removed from a village, at a point where many rivers met. He made a vow, saying, 'I must always speak the truth.' He then became celebrated, O Dhananjaya, as a speaker of truth. At that time certain persons, from fear of robbers, entered that wood (where Kausika dwelt). Thither even, the robbers, filled with rage, searched for them carefully. Approaching Kausika then, that speaker of truth, they asked him saying, 'O holy one, by which path have a multitude of men gone a little while before? Asked in the name of Truth, answer us. If thou hast seen them, tell us this'. Thus adjured, Kausika told them the truth, saying, 'Those men have entered this wood crowded with many trees and creepers and plants'. Even thus, O Partha, did Kausika give them the information. Then those cruel men, it is heard, finding out the persons they sought, slew them all. In consequence of that great sin consisting in the words spoken, Kausika, ignorant of the subtilities of morality, fell into a grievous hell, even as a foolish man, of little knowledge, and unacquainted with the distinctions of morality, falleth into painful hell by not having asked persons of age for the solution of his doubts. There must be some indications for distinguishing virtue from sin. Sometimes that high and unattainable knowledge may be had by the exercise of reason. Many persons say, on the one hand, that the scriptures indicate morality. I do not contradict this. The scriptures, however, do not provide for every case. For the growth of creatures have precepts of morality been declared. That which is connected with inoffensiveness is religion. Dharma protects and preserves the people. So it is the conclusion of the Pandits that what maintains is Dharma. O Partha, I have narrated to you the signs and indications of Dharma. Hearing this, you decide whether Yudhishthira is to be slaughtered by you or not." Arjuna said, "Krishna, your words are fraught with great intelligence and impregnated with wisdom. Thou art to us like our parents and our refuge. Nothing is unknown to thee in the three worlds, so thou art conversant with the canons of morality. O Keshava of the Vrishni clan, thou knowest my vow that whoever among men would tell me, 'Partha, give thy Gandiva to some one braver than you,' I shall at once put an end to his life. Bhima has also made a promise that whoever would call him 'tularak', would be slaughtered by him there and then. Now the King has repeatedly used those very words to me in thy presence, O hero, viz., 'Give thy bow.' If I slay him, O Keshava, I will not be able to live in this world for even a moment. Having intended again the slaughter of the king through folly and the loss of my mental faculties, I have been polluted by sin. It behoveth thee today, O foremost of all righteous persons, to give me such counsel that my vow, known throughout the world, may become true while at the same time both myself and the eldest son of Pandu may live.'"
"'Vasudeva said, "The king was fatigued, and under the influence of grief, He had been mangled in battle by Karna with numerous arrows. After that, O hero, he was repeatedly struck by the Suta's son (with his shafts), while he was retreating from battle. It was for this that, labouring under a load of sorrow, he spoke those improper words unto thee in wrath. He provoked thee by those words so that thou mightest slay Karna in battle. The son of Pandu knows that the wretched Karna is incapable of being borne by any one else in the world (save thee). It was for this, O Partha, that the king in great wrath said those harsh words to thy face. The stake in the game of today's battle has been made to lie in the ever alert and always unbearable Karna. That Karna being slain, the Kauravas would necessarily be vanquished. Even this is what the royal son of Dharma had thought. For this the son of Dharma does not deserve death. Thy vow also, O Arjuna, should be kept. Listen now to my counsels that will be agreeable to thee, to counsels in consequence of which Yudhishthira without being actually deprived of life may yet be dead. As long as one that is deserving of respect continues to receive respect, one is said to live in the world of men. When, however, such a person meets with disrespect, he is spoken of as one that is dead though alive. This king hath always been respected by thee and by Bhima and the twins, as also by all heroes and all persons in the world that are venerable for years. In some trifle then show him disrespect. Therefore, O Partha, address this Yudhishthira as 'thou' when his usual form of address is 'your honour.' A superior, O Bharata, by being addressed as 'thou,' is killed though not deprived of life. Bear thyself thus, O son of Kunti, towards king Yudhishthira, the just. Adopt this censurable behaviour, O perpetuator of Kuru's race! This best audition of all auditions, hath been declared by both Atharvan and Angiras. Men desiring good should always act in this way without scruples of any kind. Without being deprived of life a superior is yet said to be killed if that venerable one is addressed as 'thou.' Conversant with duty as thou art, address king Yudhishthira the just, in the manner I have indicated. This death, O son of Pandu, at thy hands, king Yudhishthira will never regard as an offence committed by thee. Having addressed him in this way, thou mayst then worship his feet and speak words of respect unto this son of Pritha and soothe his wounded honour. Thy brother is wise. The royal son of Pandu, therefore, will never be angry with thee. Freed from falsehood as also from fratricide, thou wilt then, O Partha, cheerfully slay the Suta's son Karna!"'"

 

70

"Sanjaya said, 'Thus addressed by Janardana, Pritha's son Arjuna, applauding those counsels of his friend, then vehemently addressed king Yudhishthira the just, in language that was harsh and the like of which he had never used before.
"'Arjuna said, "Do thou not, O king, address these upbraidings to me, thou that art passing thy time full two miles away from battle. Bhima, however, who is battling with the foremost heroes of the world may upbraid me. Having afflicted his foes at the proper time in battle, and slain many brave lords of earth and many foremost of car-warriors and huge elephants and many heroic horsemen and countless brave combatants, he hath, in addition, slain a 1,000 elephants and 10,000 Kamboja mountaineers, and is uttering loud roars in battle like a lion after slaying innumerable smaller animals. That hero achieveth the most difficult feats, the like of which thou canst never achieve. Jumping down from his car, mace in hand, he hath destroyed a large number of steeds and cars and elephants in battle. With also his foremost of swords he hath destroyed many horsemen and cars and steeds and elephants. With the broken limbs of cars, and with his bow also, he consumeth his foes. Endued with the prowess of Indra, with his feet and also his bare arms he slayeth numerous foes. Possessed of great might and resembling Kuvera and Yama, he destroyeth the hostile army, putting forth his strength. That Bhimasena hath the right to upbraid me, but not thou that art always protected by friends. Agitating the foremost of car-warriors and elephants and steeds and foot-soldiers, Bhima, single-handed, is now in the midst of the Dhartarashtras. That chastiser of foes hath the right to upbraid me. The chastiser of foes who is slaying the Kalingas, the Vangas, the Angas, the Nishadas, and the Magadhas, and large numbers of hostile elephants that are ever infuriated and that look like masses of blue clouds, is competent to upbraid me. Riding on a suitable car, shaking his bow at the proper time, and with shafts in his (other) hand, that hero poureth showers of arrows in great battle like the clouds pouring torrents of rain. Eight hundred elephants, I have seen, with their frontal globes split open and the ends of their tusks cut off, have today been slain by Bhima with shafts in battle. That slayer of foes is competent to tell me harsh words. The learned say that the strength of the foremost of Brahmanas lies in speech, and that the Kshatriya's strength is in his arms. Thou, O Bharata, art strong in words and very unfeeling. Thou thinkest me to be like thyself. I always strive to do thee good with my soul, life, sons and wives. Since, not withstanding all this, thou still piercest me with such wordy darts, it is evident that we cannot expect any happiness from thee. Lying on Draupadi's bed thou insultest me, though for thy sake I slay the mightiest of car-warriors. Thou art without any anxiety, O Bharata, and thou art cruel. I have never obtained any happiness from thee. It was for thy good, O chief of men, that Bhishma, firmly devoted to truth, himself told thee the means of his death in battle, and was slain by the heroic and high-souled Shikhandi, the son of Drupada, protected by me. I do not derive any pleasure from the thought of thy restoration to sovereignty, since thou art addicted to the evil practice of gambling. Having thyself committed a wicked act to which they only are addicted that are low, thou desirest now to vanquish thy foes through our aid. Thou hadst heard of the numerous faults and the great sinfulness of dice that Sahadeva spoke about. Yet dice, which are worshipped by the wicked, thou couldst not abandon. It was for this that all of us have fallen into hell. We have never derived any happiness from thee since thou wert engaged in gambling with dice. Having, O son of Pandu, thyself caused all this calamity, thou art, again, addressing these harsh words to me. Slain by us, hostile troops are lying on the field, with mangled bodies and uttering loud wails. It was thou that didst that cruel act in consequence of which the Kauravas have become offenders and are being destroyed. Nations from the North, the West, the East, and the South, are being struck, wounded and slain, after the performance of incomparable feats in battle by great warriors of both sides. It was thou that hadst gambled. It was for thee that we lost our kingdom. Our calamity arose from thee, O king! Striking us, again, with the cruel goad of thy speeches, O king, do not provoke our wrath.'"
"Sanjaya said, 'Having addressed these harsh and exceedingly bitter words unto his eldest brother and thereby committed a venial sin, the intelligent Savyasaci of calm wisdom, who is ever actuated by the fear of defection from virtue, became very cheerless. The son of the chief of the celestials became filled with remorse and breathing heavily, drew his sword. Seeing this, Krishna asked him, "What is this? Why dost thou again unsheathe thy sword blue as the sky? Tell me what thy answer is, for then I shall give thee counsel for the gratification of thy object." Thus addressed by that foremost of men, Arjuna, in great sorrow answered Keshava, saying, "I shall, putting forth my strength, slay my own self by whom this wicked act hath been done." Hearing those words of Partha, Keshava, that foremost of all righteous persons said this unto Dhananjaya, "Having said these words unto the king, why hast thou become so cheerless? O slayer of foes, thou desirest now to destroy thy own self. This, however, Kiritin, is not approved by the righteous. If, O hero among men, thou hadst today, from fear of sin, slain this thy eldest brother of virtuous soul, what would then have been thy condition and what wouldst thou not then have done? Morality is subtle, O Bharata, and unknowable, especially by those that are ignorant. Listen to me as I preach to thee. By destroying thy own self, thou wouldst sink into a more terrible hell than if thou hadst slain thy brother. Declare now, in words, thy own merit. Thou shalt then, O Partha, have slain thy own self." Applauding these words and saying, "Let it be so, O Krishna," Dhananjaya, the son of Sakra, lowering his bow, said unto Yudhishthira, that foremost of virtuous persons, "Listen, O king, there is no other bowman, O ruler of men, like unto myself, except the deity that bears Pinaka; I am regarded by even that illustrious deity. In a moment I can destroy this universe of mobile and immobile creatures. It was I, O king, that vanquished all the points of the compass with all the kings ruling there, and brought all to thy subjection. The Rajasuya (performed by thee), brought to completion by gift of Dakshina, and the celestial palace owned by thee, were both due to my prowess. In my hands are (marks of) sharp shafts and a stringed bow with arrow fixed thereon. On both my soles are the signs of cars with standards. No one can vanquish a person like me in battle. Nations from the North, the West, the East and the South, have been struck down, slain, exterminated and destroyed. A small remnant only of the samsaptakas is alive. I alone have slain half of the entire (hostile) army. Slaughtered by me, the Bharata host that resembled, O king, the very host of the celestials, is lying dead on the field. I slay those with (high) weapons that are conversant with high weapons. For this reason I do not reduce the three worlds to ashes. Riding upon my terrible and victorious car, Krishna and myself will soon proceed for slaying the Suta's son. Let this king become cheerful now. I will surely slay Karna in battle, with my arrows. Either the Suta dame will today be made childless by me, or Kunti will be made childless by Karna. Truly do I say it that I will not put off my armour before I have slain Karna with my arrows in battle.'"
"Sanjaya said, 'Having said these words unto that foremost of virtuous persons, viz., Yudhishthira, Partha threw down his weapons and cast aside his bow and quickly thrust his sword back into its sheath. Hanging down his head in shame, the diadem-decked Arjuna, with joined hands, addressed Yudhishthira, and said, "Be cheerful, O king, forgiving me. What I have said, you will understand a little while after. I bow to thee." Thus seeking to cheer that royal hero capable of bearing all foes, Arjuna, that foremost of men, standing there, once more said, "This task will not be delayed. It will be accomplished soon. Karna cometh towards me. I shall proceed against him. I shall, with my whole soul, proceed for rescuing Bhima from the battle and for slaying the Suta's son. I tell thee that I hold my life for thy good. Know this for the truth, O king." Having said so, the diadem-decked Arjuna of blazing splendour touched the king's feet and rose for proceeding to the field. Hearing, however, those harsh words of his brother Phalguna, Pandu's son, king Yudhishthira, the just, rising up from that bed (on which he had been sitting), said these words unto Partha, with his heart filled with sorrow, "O Partha, I have acted wickedly. For that, ye have been overwhelmed with terrible calamity. Do thou strike off, therefore, this my head today. I am the worst of men, and the exterminator of my race. I am a wretch. I am addicted to wicked courses. I am of foolish understanding. I am idle and a coward. I am an insulter of the old. I am cruel. What wouldst thou gain by always being obedient to a cruel person like me? A wretch that I am, I shall this very day retire into the woods. Live you happily without me. The high-souled Bhimasena is fit to be king. A eunuch that I am, what shall I do with sovereignty? I am incapable of bearing these harsh speeches of thee excited with wrath. Let Bhima become king. Having been insulted thus, O hero, what use have I with life." Having said these words, the king, leaving that bed, suddenly stood up and desired to go to the woods. Then Vasudeva, bowing down, said unto him, "O king, the celebrated vow of the wielder of Gandiva who is ever devoted to truth about his Gandiva, is known to thee. That man in the world who would tell him, 'Give thy Gandiva to another', would be slain by him. Even those very words were addressed to him by you. Therefore, for keeping that earnest vow, Partha, acting also at my instance, inflicted you this insult, O lord of Earth. Insult to superiors is said to be their death. For this reason, O thou of mighty arms, it behoveth thee to forgive me that beseech and bow to thee this transgression, O king, of both myself and Arjuna, committed for maintaining the truth. Both of us, O great king, throw ourselves on thy mercy. The Earth shall today drink the blood of the wretched son of Radha. I swear truly to thee. Know the Suta's son as slain today. He, whose slaughter thou desirest, hath today lost his life." Hearing those words of Krishna, king Yudhishthira the just, in a great fury, raised the prostrate Hrishikesha and joining his hands, said in haste, "It is even so as thou hast said. I have been guilty of a transgression, I have now been awakened by thee, O Govinda. I am saved by thee, O Madhava. By thee, O Acyuta, we have today been rescued from a great calamity. Both of us stupefied by folly, viz., myself and Arjuna, have been rescued from an ocean of distress, having obtained thee as our lord. Indeed, having obtained the raft of thy intelligence today, we have, with our relatives and allies, passed over an ocean of sorrow and grief. Having obtained thee, O Acyuta, we are not masterless."'"

71

"Sanjaya said, 'Having heard these joyful words of king Yudhishthira, Govinda of virtuous soul, that delighter of the Yadus, then addressed Partha. The latter, however, having at the instance of Krishna addressed those words unto Yudhishthira, became exceedingly cheerless for having committed a trivial sin. Then Vasudeva, smiling, said unto the son of Pandu, "What would have been thy condition, O Partha, if, observant of virtue thou hadst slain the son of Dharma with thy sharp sword? Having only addressed the king as thou, such cheerlessness hath possessed thy heart. If thou hadst slain the king, O Partha, what wouldst thou have done after that? Morality is so inscrutable, especially by persons of foolish understanding. Without doubt great grief would have been thine in consequence of thy fear of sin. Thou wouldst have sunk also in terrible hell in consequence of the slaughter of thy brother. Gratify now this king of virtuous behaviour, this foremost of all practisers of virtue, this chief of Kuru's race. Even this is my wish. Gratifying the king with devotion, and after Yudhishthira will have been made happy, we two will proceed against the car of the Suta's son for fighting him. Slaying Karna today with thy keen shafts in battle, do thou, O giver of honours, give great happiness to Dharma's son. Even this, O mighty-armed one, is what I think to be suitable to this hour. Having done this, thy purpose will be achieved." Then Arjuna, O monarch, in shame, touched king Yudhishthira's feet with his head. And he repeatedly said unto that chief of the Bharatas, "Be pleased with me, Forgive, O king, all that I have said from desire of observing virtue and from fear of sins.'"
"Sanjaya said, 'Beholding Dhananjaya, that slayer of foes, lying weeping at his feet, O bull of Bharata's race, king Yudhishthira the just raised his brother. And king Yudhishthira, that lord of the earth, then embraced his brother affectionately and wept aloud. The two brothers, of great splendour, having wept for a long while, at last became freed from grief, O monarch, and as cheerful as before. Then embracing him once more with affection and smelling his head, the son of Pandu, exceedingly gratified, applauded his brother Jaya and said, "O thou of mighty arms, in the very sight of all the troops, my armour, standard, bow, dart, steeds, and arrows, were cut off in battle, O great bowman, by Karna with his shafts, although I exerted myself with care. Thinking of and seeing his feats in battle, O Phalguna, I lose my energies in grief. Life itself is no longer dear to me. If thou dost not slay that hero in battle today, I will cast away my life breaths. What use have I with life?" Thus addressed, Vijaya, replied, O bull of Bharata's race, saying, "I swear by Truth, O king, and by thy grace, by Bhima, O best of men, and by the twins, O lord of the earth, that today I shall slay Karna, in battle, or, being myself slain by him fall down on the earth. Swearing truly, I touch my weapons." Having said these words unto the king, he addressed Madhava, saying, "Without doubt, O Krishna, I will slay Karna in battle today. Aided by thy intelligence, blessed be thou, the slaughter of that wicked-souled one is certain." Thus addressed, Keshava, O best of kings, said unto Partha, "Thou art competent, O best of the Bharatas, to slay the mighty Karna. Even this hath ever been my thought, O mighty car-warrior, as to how, O best of men thou, wouldst slay Karna in battle." Endued with great intelligence, Madhava once more addressed the son of Dharma, saying, "O Yudhishthira, it behoveth thee to comfort Vibhatsu, and command him to slaughter Karna of wicked soul. Having heard that thou hadst been afflicted with shafts of Karna, myself and this one came hither, O son of Pandu, for ascertaining thy plight. By good luck, O king, thou wert not slain. By good luck thou wert not seized. Comfort thy Vibhatsu, and bless him, O sinless one, with thy wishes for his victory.'"
"'Yudhishthira said, "Come, Come, O Partha, O Vibhatsu, and embrace me, O son of Pandu. Thou hast told me beneficial words that deserved to be said, and I have forgiven thee. I command thee, O Dhananjaya, go and slay Karna. Do not, O Partha, be angry for the harsh words I said unto thee.'"
"Sanjaya continued, 'Then Dhananjaya, O king, bowed unto Yudhishthira by bending his head, and seized with his two hands, O sire, the feet of his eldest brother. Raising him and embracing him closely, the king smelt his head and once more said these words unto him, "O Dhananjaya, O thou of mighty arms, I have been greatly honoured by thee. Do thou ever win greatness and victory.'"
"'Arjuna said, "Approaching Radha's son today that is proud of his might, I shall slay that man of sinful deeds with my shafts in battle, along with all his kinsmen and followers. He who, having bent the bow strongly, afflicted thee with his shafts, I say, that Karna, will obtain today the bitter fruit of that act of his. Having slain Karna, O lord of the earth, I shall today come back from the dreadful battle to pay thee my respects by walking behind thee. I tell thee this truly. Without having slain Karna I shall not come back today from the great battle. Truly do I swear this by touching thy feet, O lord of the universe.'"
"Sanjaya continued, 'Unto the diadem-decked (Arjuna) who was speaking in that way, Yudhishthira, with a cheerful heart, said these words of grave import, "Do thou obtain imperishable fame, and such a period of life as accordeth with thy own desire, and victory, and energy, and the destruction of thy foes. Let the gods grant thee prosperity. Obtain thou all these to the measure desired by me. Go quickly to battle, and slay Karna, even as Purandara slew Vritra for his own aggrandisement."'"

 

72

"Sanjaya said, 'Having with a cheerful heart gratified king Yudhishthira the just, Partha, prepared to slay the Suta's son, addressed Govinda, saying, "Let my car be once more equipped and let my foremost of steeds be yoked thereto. Let all kinds of weapon be placed upon that great vehicle. The steeds have rolled on the ground. They have been trained by persons skilled in horse lore. Along with the other equipment of the car, let them be quickly brought and decked in their trappings. Proceed quickly, O Govinda, for the slaughter of the Suta's son." Thus addressed, O monarch, by the high-souled Phalguna, Krishna commanded Daruka, saying, "Do all that Arjuna, that chief of Bharata's race and that foremost of all wielders of the bow, hath said." Thus ordered by Krishna, Daruka, O best of kings, yoked those steeds unto that car covered with tiger-skins and ever capable of scorching all foes. He then represented unto the high-souled son of Pandu the fact of having equipped his vehicle. Beholding the car equipped by the high-souled Daruka, Phalguna, obtaining Yudhishthira's leave and causing the Brahmanas to perform propitiatory rites and utter benedictions on him, ascended that excellent vehicle. King Yudhishthira the just, of great wisdom, also blessed him. After this, Phalguna proceeded towards Karna's car. Beholding that great bowman thus proceeding, all creatures, O Bharata, regarded Karna as already slain by the high-souled Pandava. All the points of the compass, O king, became serene. King-fishers and parrots and herons, O king, wheeled around the son of Pandu. A large number of beautiful and auspicious birds, O king, called Pung, causing Arjuna (by their timely appearance) to put forth greater speed in battle, cheerfully uttered their cries around him. Terrible Kankas and vultures, and cranes and hawks and ravens, O king, tempted by the prospect of food, proceeded in advance of his car, and indicated auspicious omens foreboding the destruction of the hostile host and the slaughter of Karna. And while Partha proceeded, a copious perspiration covered his body. His anxiety also became very great as to how he would achieve his vow. The slayer of Madhu then, beholding Partha filled with anxiety as he proceeded, addressed the wielder of Gandiva and said these words.
"'Vasudeva said, "O wielder of Gandiva, save thee there exists no other man that could vanquish those whom thou hast vanquished with this bow of thine. We have seen many heroes, who, endued with prowess like that Sakra, have attained to the highest regions, encountering thy heroic self in battle! Who else, O puissant one, that is not equal to thee, would be safe and sound after encountering Drona and Bhishma and Bhagadatta, O sire, and Vinda and Anuvinda of Avanti and Sudakshina, the chief of the Kambojas and Srutayudha of mighty energy and Acyutayudha as well? Thou hast celestial weapons, and lightness of hand and might, and thou art never stupefied in battle! Thou hast also that humility which is due to knowledge! Thou canst strike with effect! Thou hast sureness of aim, and presence of mind as regards the selection of means, O Arjuna! Thou art competent to destroy all mobile and immobile creatures including the very gods with the Gandharvas! On earth, O Partha, there is no human warrior who is equal to thee in battle. Amongst all Kshatriyas, invincible in battle, that wield the bow, amongst the very gods, I have not seen or heard of even one that is equal to thee. The Creator of all beings, viz., Brahma himself created the great bow Gandiva with which thou fightest, O Partha! For this reason there is no one that is equal to thee. I must, however, O son of Pandu, say that which is beneficial to thee. Do not. O mighty-armed one, disregard Karna, that ornament of battle! Karna is possessed of might. He is proud and accomplished in weapons. He is a maharatha. He is accomplished (in the ways of battle) and conversant with all modes of warfare. He is also well-acquainted with all that suits place and time. What need is there of saying much? Hear in brief, O son of Pandu! I regard the mighty car-warrior Karna as thy equal, or perhaps, thy superior! With the greatest care and resolution shouldst thou slay him in great battle. In energy he is equal to Agni. As regards speed, he is equal to the impetuosity of the wind. In wrath, he resembles the Destroyer himself. Endued with might, he resembles a lion in the formation of his body. He is eight ratnis in stature. His arms are large. His chest is broad. He is invincible. He is sensitive. He is a hero. He is, again, the foremost of heroes. He is exceedingly handsome. Possessed of every accomplishment of a warrior, he is a dispeller of the fears of friends. Engaged in the good of Dhritarashtra's son, he always hates the sons of Pandu. No one, not even the gods with Vasava at their head, can slay the son of Radha, save thee, as I think. Slay, therefore, the Suta's son today. No one possessed of flesh and blood, not even the gods fighting with great care, not all the warriors (of the three worlds) fighting together can vanquish that car-warrior. Towards the Pandavas he is always of wicked soul and sinful behaviour, and cruel, and of wicked intelligence. In his quarrel with the sons of Pandu, he is actuated by no consideration affecting his own interests. Slaying that Karna, therefore, fulfill thy purpose today. Despatch today unto Yama's presence that Suta's son, that foremost of car-warriors, whose death is near. Indeed, slaying that Suta's son, that first of car-warriors, show the love for Yudhishthira the just. I know thy prowess truly, O Partha, which is incapable of being resisted by the gods and Asuras. The Suta's son of wicked soul, from exceeding pride, always disregards the sons of Pandu. O Dhananjaya, slay that man today for whose sake the wretched Duryodhana regardeth himself a hero, that root of all (those) sinful persons, that son of a Suta. Slay, O Dhananjaya, that tiger among men, that active and proud Karna, who hath a sword for his tongue, a bow for his mouth, and arrows for his teeth. I know thee well as regards the energy and the might that are in thee. Slay the brave Karna in battle, like a lion slaying an elephant. Slay in battle today, O Partha, that Karna, otherwise called Vaikartana, in consequence of whose energy Dhritarashtra's son disregards thine.'"

 

73

"Sanjaya said, 'Once more Keshava of immeasurable soul said these words unto Arjuna, who, O Bharata, was advancing (to battle), firmly resolved upon slaying Karna, 'Today is the seventeenth day, O Bharata, of this terrible massacre of men and elephants and steeds. At the outset vast was the host that belonged to you. Encountering the foe in battle, that host has been very much reduced in numbers, O king! The Kauravas also, O Partha, were numerous at first, teeming with elephants and steeds. Encountering thee, however, as their foe, they have been nearly exterminated in the van of battle! These lords of Earth and these Srinjayas, united together, and these Pandava troops also, obtaining thy invincible self as their leader, are maintaining their ground on the field. Protected by thee, O slayer of foes, the Pancalas, the Matsyas, the Karushas, and the Cedis, have caused a great destruction of thy foes. Who is there that can vanquish the assembled Kauravas in battle? On the other hand, who is there that can vanquish the mighty car-warriors of the Pandavas protected by thee? Thou, however, art competent to vanquish in battle the three worlds consisting of the gods, the asuras, and human beings, united together. What need I say then of the Kaurava host? Save thee, O tiger among men, who else is there, even if he resemble Vasava himself in prowess, that could vanquish king Bhagadatta? So also, O sinless one, all the lords of earth, united together, are incapable, O Partha, of even gazing at this vast force that is protected by thee. So also, O Partha, it is owing to their having been always protected by thee that Dhrishtadyumna and Shikhandi succeeded in slaying Drona and Bhishma. Who, indeed, O Partha, could vanquish in battle those two mighty car-warriors of the Bharatas, Bhishma and Drona, both of whom were endued with prowess equal to that of Sakra himself? Save thee, O tiger among men, what other man in this world is able to vanquish those fierce lords of akshauhinis, those unreturning and invincible heroes, all accomplished in weapons and united together, Shantanu's son Bhishma, and Drona, and Vaikartana, and Kripa, and Drona's son, and king Duryodhana himself? Innumerable divisions of soldiers have been destroyed (by thee), their steeds and cars and elephants having been mangled (with thy shafts). Numberless Kshatriyas also, wrathful and fierce, hailing from diverse provinces, have been destroyed by thee. Teeming with horses and elephants, large bodies of combatants of diverse Kshatriya clans, such as the Govasas, the Dasamiyas, the Vasatis, O Bharata, and the Easterners, the Vatadhanas, and the Bhojas that are very sensitive of their honour, approaching thee and Bhima, O Bharata, have met with destruction. Of terrible deeds and exceedingly fierce, the Tusharas, the Yavanas, the Khasas, the Darvabhisaras, the Daradas, the Sakas, the Kamathas, the Ramathas, the Tanganas the Andhrakas, the Pulindas, the Kiratas of fierce prowess, the Mlecchas, the Mountaineers, and the races hailing from the sea-side, all endued with great wrath and great might, delighting in battle and armed with maces, these all--united with the Kurus and fighting wrathfully for Duryodhana's sake were incapable of being vanquished in battle by anybody else save thee, O scorcher of foes! What man, unprotected by thee, could advance, beholding the mighty and swelling host of the Dhartarashtras arrayed in order of battle? Protected by thee, O puissant one, the Pandavas, filled with wrath, and penetrating into its midst, have destroyed that host shrouded with dust and resembling a swollen sea. Seven days have elapsed since the mighty Jayatsena, the ruler of the Magadhas, was slain in battle by Abhimanyu. After that, 10,000 elephants, of fierce feats, that used to follow that king, were slain by Bhimasena with his mace. After that, other elephants, and car-warriors, by hundreds, have been destroyed by Bhima in that exercise of his might. Even thus, O Partha, during the progress of this awful battle, the Kauravas, with their steeds and carwarriors and elephants, encountering Bhimasena and thee, O son of Pandu, have from hence repaired to the region of Death. The van of the Kaurava army, O Partha, having been struck down by the Pandavas, Bhishma shot showers of fierce shafts, O sire! Conversant with the highest weapons, he shrouded the Cedis, the Pancalas, the Karushas, the Matsyas, and the Kaikayas with the shafts, and deprived them of life! The welkin became filled with gold-winged and straight coursing shafts, capable of piercing the bodies of all foes, that issued out of his bow. He slew thousands of car-warriors, shooting showers of shafts at a time. In all, he slew a 100,000 men and elephants of great might. Abandoning the diverse motions, each of a new kind, in which they careered, those wicked kings and elephants, while perishing, destroyed many steeds and cars and elephants. Indeed, numberless were the shafts that Bhishma shot in battle. Slaughtering the Pandava host for ten days together, Bhishma made the terraces of numberless cars empty and deprived innumerable elephants and steeds of life. Having assumed the form of Rudra or of Upendra in battle, he afflicted the Pandava divisions and caused a great carnage amongst them. Desirous of rescuing the wicked Suyodhana who was sinking in a raftless sea, he slaughtered many lords of Earth among the Cedis, the Pancalas, and the Kaikayas, and caused a great massacre of the Pandava army teeming with cars and steeds and elephants. Innumerable foot-soldiers among the Srinjayas, all well-armed, and other lords of earth, were incapable of even looking at that hero when he careered in battle like the Sun himself of scorching splendour. At last the Pandavas, with all their resources, made a mighty effort, and rushed against that warrior who, inspired with the desire of victory, used to career in battle even in this way. Without availing himself of any aid, he routed, however, the Pandavas and the Srinjayas in battle, and came to be regarded as the one foremost hero in the world. Encountering him, Shikhandi, protected by thee, slew that tiger among men with his straight shafts. Having obtained thee that art a tiger among men (as his foe), that grandsire is now stretched on a bed of arrows, like Vritra when he obtained Vasava for his foe. The fierce Drona also slaughtered the hostile army for five days together. Having made an impenetrable array and caused many mighty car-warriors to be slain, that great car-warrior had protected Jayadratha (for some time). Fierce as the Destroyer himself, he caused a great carnage in the nocturnal battle. Endued with great valour, the heroic son of Bharadwaja consumed innumerable combatants with his arrows. At last, encountering Dhrishtadyumna, he attained to the highest end. If, on that day, thou hadst not checked in battle all the (Dhartarashtra) car-warriors headed by the Suta's son, Drona then would never have been slain. Thou heldst in check the whole Dhartarashtra force. It was for this, O Dhananjaya, that Drona could be slain by the son of Prishata. What other Kshatriya, save thee, could in battle achieve such feats for compassing the slaughter of Jayadratha. Checking the vast (Kaurava) army and slaying many brave kings, thou killedest king Jayadratha, aided by the might and energy of thy weapons. All the kings regarded the slaughter of the ruler of the Sindhus to have been exceedingly wonderful. I, however, do not regard it so; thou didst it and thou art a great car-warrior. If this vast assemblage of Kshatriyas, obtaining thee as a foe, suffer extermination in course of even a whole day, I should, I think, still regard these Kshatriyas to be truly mighty. When Bhishma and Drona have been slain, the terrible Dhartarashtra host, O Partha, may be regarded to have lost all its heroes. Indeed, with all its foremost warriors slain, with its steeds, cars, and elephants destroyed, the Bharata army looketh today like the firmament, reft of the Sun, the Moon, and stars. Yonder host of fierce prowess, O Partha, hath been shorn of its splendours today like the Asura host in days of yore shorn of its splendours by Sakra's prowess. The remnant of that grand master now consists of only five great car-warriors, viz., Ashvatthama, Kritavarma, Karna, Shalya, and Kripa. Slaying those five great car-warriors today, O tiger among men, be thou a hero that hath killed all his foes, and bestow thou the Earth with all her islands and cities on king Yudhishthira. Let Pritha's son Yudhishthira of immeasurable energy and prosperity, obtain today the whole earth with the welkin above it, the waters on it, and the nether regions below it. Slaying this host like Vishnu in days of yore slaying the Daityas and the Danavas, bestow the Earth on the king like Hari bestowing (the three worlds) on Sakra. Let the Pancalas rejoice today, their foes being slain, like the celestials rejoicing after the slaughter of the Danavas by Vishnu. If in consequence of thy regard for that foremost of men, viz., thy preceptor Drona, thou cherishest compassion for Ashvatthama, if, again, thou hast any kindness for Kripa for the sake of respect that is due to a preceptor, if, approaching Kritavarma, thou dost not despatch him today to Yama's abode in consequence of the honour that is due to one's kinsmen by the mother's side, if, O lotus-eyed one, approaching thy mother's brother, viz., Shalya, the ruler of the Madras, thou dost not from compassion slay him, I ask thee, do thou, with keen shafts, O foremost of men slay Karna today with speed, that vile wretch of sinful heart who cherisheth the fiercest hate for the son of Pandu. This is thy noblest duty. There is nothing in it that would be improper. We approve of it, and here is no fault in the act. The wicked-souled Karna is the root, O thou of unfading glory, of that attempt, O sinless one, made in the night for burning thy mother with all her children, and of that conduct which Suyodhana adopted towards you in consequence of that match at dice. Suyodhana always hopeth for deliverance through Karna. Filled with rage, he endeavours to afflict me also (in consequence of that support). It is the firm belief of Dhritarashtra's royal son, O giver of honours, that Karna, without doubt, will slay all the Prithas in battle. Though fully acquainted with thy might, still, O son of Kunti, Dhritarashtra's son hath selected war with you in consequence of his reliance on Karna. Karna also always says, 'I will vanquish the assembled Parthas and that mighty car-warrior, viz., Vasudeva of Dasharha's race'. Buoying up the wicked-souled son of Dhritarashtra, the wicked Karna always roareth in the (Kuru) assembly. Slay him today, O Bharata. In all the acts of injury, of which Dhritarashtra's son hath been guilty towards you, the wicked-souled Karna of sinful understanding hath been the leader. I saw the heroic son of Subhadra of eyes like those of a bull, slain by six mighty car-warriors of cruel heart belonging to the Dhritarashtra army. Grinding those bulls among men, viz., Drona, Drona's son, Kripa and other heroes, he deprived elephants of their riders and mighty car-warriors of their cars. The bull-necked Abhimanyu, that spreader of the fame of both the Kurus and the Vrishnis, deprived steeds also of their riders and foot-soldiers of weapons and life. Routing the (Kaurava) divisions and afflicting many mighty car-warriors, he despatched innumerable men and steeds and elephants to Yama's abode. I swear by Truth to thee, O friend, that my limbs are burning at the thought that while the son of Subhadra was thus advancing, consuming the hostile army with his shafts, even on that occasion the wicked-souled Karna was engaged in acts of hostility to that hero, O lord! Unable, O Partha, to stay in that battle before Abhimanyu's face, mangled with the shafts of Subhadra's son, deprived of consciousness, and bathed in blood, Karna drew deep breaths, inflamed with rage. At last, afflicted with arrows, he was obliged to turn his back upon the field. Eagerly desirous of flying away and becoming hopeless of life, he stayed for some time in battle, perfectly stupefied and exhausted with the wounds he had received. At last hearing those cruel words of Drona in battle--words that were suited to the hour--Karna cut off Abhimanyu's bow. Made bowless by him in that battle, five great car-warriors then, well-versed in the ways of foul warfare, slew that hero with showers of shafts. Upon the slaughter of that hero, grief entered the heart of everyone. Only, the wicked-souled Karna and Suyodhana laughed in joy. (Thou rememberest also) the harsh and bitter words that Karna cruelly said unto Krishna in the (Kuru) assembly, in the presence of the Pandavas and Kurus, 'The Pandavas, O Krishna, are dead! They have sunk into eternal hell! O thou of large hips, choose other lords now, O thou of sweet speeches! Enter now the abode of Dhritarashtra as a serving woman, for, O thou of curving eye-lashes, thy husbands are no more! The Pandavas will not, O Krishna, be of any service to thee today! Thou art the wife of men that are slaves, O princess of Pancala, and thou art thyself, O beautiful lady, a slave! Today only Duryodhana is regarded as the one king on earth; all other kings of the world are worshipping the agency by which his administration is kept up. Behold now, O amiable one, how all the sons of Pandu have equally fallen! Overwhelmed by the energy of Dhritarashtra's son, they are now silently eyeing one another. It is evident that they are all sesame seeds without kernel, and have sunk into hell. They will have to serve the Kaurava (Duryodhana), that king of kings, as his slaves.' Even these were the foul words that that wretch, viz., the sinful Karna of exceedingly wicked heart, spoke on that occasion, in thy hearing, O Bharata! Let gold-decked shafts whetted on stone and capable of taking the life of him at whom they are sped, shot by thee, quench (the fire of) those words and all the other wrongs that that wicked-souled wight did unto thee. Let thy shafts quench all those wrongs and the life also of that wicked wight. Feeling the touch of terrible arrows sped from Gandiva, let the wicked-souled Karna recollect today the words of Bhishma and Drona! Let foe-killing cloth-yard shafts, equipped with the effulgence of lightning, shot by thee, pierce his vital limbs and drink his blood! Let fierce and mighty shafts, of great impetuosity, sped by thy arms, penetrate the vitals of Karna today and despatch him to Yama's abode. Let all the kings of the earth, cheerless and filled with grief and uttering wails of woe, behold Karna fall down from his car today, afflicted with thy arrows. Let his kinsmen, with cheerless faces, behold Karna today, fallen down and stretched at his length on the earth, dipped in gore and with his weapons loosened from his grasp! Let the lofty standard of Adhiratha's son, bearing the device of the elephant's rope, fall fluttering on the earth, cut off by thee with a broad-headed arrow. Let Shalya fly away in terror, abandoning the gold-decked car (he drives) upon seeing it deprived of its warrior and steeds and cut off into fragments with hundreds of shafts by thee. Let thy enemy Suyodhana today, beholding Adhiratha's son slain by thee, despair of both his life and kingdom. Yonder, O Partha, Karna, equal unto Indra in energy, or, perhaps, Sankara himself, is slaughtering thy troops with his shafts. There the Pancalas, though slaughtered by Karna with his whetted shafts, are yet, O chief of Bharata's race, rushing (to battle), for serving the cause of the Pandavas. Know, O Partha, that is prevailing over the Pancalas, and the (five) sons of Draupadi, and Dhrishtadyumna and Shikhandi, and the sons of Dhrishtadyumna, and Satanika, the son of Nakula, and Nakula himself, and Sahadeva, and Durmukha, and Janamejaya, and Sudharman, and Satyaki! The loud uproar made by those allies of thine, viz., the Pancalas, O scorcher of foes, as they are being struck by Karna in dreadful battle, is heard. The Pancalas have not at all been inspired with fear, nor do they turn away their faces from the battle. Those mighty bowmen are utterly reckless of death in great battle. Encountering even that Bhishma who, single-handed, had encompassed the Pandava army with a cloud of shafts, the Pancalas did not turn away their faces from him. Then again, O chastiser of foes, they always strove with alacrity to vanquish forcibly in battle their great foe, viz., the invincible Drona, that preceptor of all wielders of the bow, that blazing fire of weapons, that hero who always burnt his foes in battle. They have never turned their faces from battle, afraid of Adhiratha's son. The heroic Karna, however, with his shafts, is taking the lives of the Pancala warriors endued with great activity as they are advancing against him, like a blazing fire taking the lives of myriads of insects. The son of Radha, in this battle, is destroying in hundreds the Pancalas that are advancing against him,--those heroes, that are resolved to lay down their lives for the sake of their allies! It behoveth thee, O Bharata, to become a raft and rescue those brave warriors, those great bowmen, that are sinking in the raftless ocean represented by Karna. The awful form of that weapon which was obtained by Karna from that foremost of sages, viz., Rama of Bhrigu's race, hath been displayed. Scorching all the troops, that weapon of exceedingly fierce and awful form is blazing with its own energy, surrounding our vast army. Those arrows, sped from Karna's bow, are coursing in battle thick as swarm of bees, and scorching thy troops. Encountering Karna's weapon in battle, that is irresistible by persons not having their souls under control, there the Pancalas, O Bharata, are flying away in all directions! Yonder, Bhima, of unappeasable wrath, surrounded on all sides by the Srinjayas, is fighting with Karna, O Partha, afflicted by the latter with keen shafts! If neglected, Karna will, O Bharata, exterminate the Pandavas, the Srinjayas, and the Pancalas, like a neglected disease whose germ has entered the body. Save thee I do not see another in Yudhishthira's army that would come home safe and sound, having encountered the son of Radha in battle. Slaying that Karna today with thy keen shafts, O bull among men, act according to thy vow, O Partha, and win great fame. I tell thee truly, thou only art able to vanquish in battle the Kaurava host with Karna amongst them, and no one else, O foremost of warriors! Achieving this great feat, viz., slaying the mighty car-warrior Karna, attain thy object, O Partha, and crowned with success, be happy, O best of men!'"

 

74

"Sanjaya said, 'Hearing these words of Keshava, O Bharata, Vibhatsu soon cast off his anxiety and became cheerful. Rubbing then the string of gandiva and stretching it, he held his bow for the destruction of Karna, and addressed Keshava, saying, 'With thee for my protector, O Govinda, and when thou that art acquainted with the past and the future art gratified with me today, victory is sure to be mine. Aided by thee, O Krishna, I can, in great battle, destroy the three worlds assembled together, what need be said of Karna then? I see the Pancala host is flying away, O Janardana. I see also Karna careering fearlessly in battle. I see too the bhargava weapon careering in all directions, having been invoked by Karna, O thou of Vrishni's race, like the puissant thunder invoked by Shakra. This is that battle in which Karna will be slain by me and of which all creatures will speak as long as the earth will last. Today, O Krishna, unbarbed arrows, impelled by my arms and sped from the gandiva, mangling Karna, will take him to Yama. Today king Dhritarashtra will curse that intelligence of his in consequence of which he had installed Duryodhana, who was undeserving of sovereignty, on the throne. Today, O mighty-armed one, Dhritarashtra will be divested of sovereignty, happiness, prosperity, kingdom, city, and sons. I tell thee truly, O Krishna, that today, Karna being slain, Duryodhana will become hopeless of both life and kingdom. Today, beholding Karna cut in pieces by me with my arrows, like Vritra in days of yore by Indra in the battle between the gods and the asuras, let king Duryodhana call to mind the words thou hast spoken for bringing about peace. Today let the son of Subala, O Krishna, know that my shafts are dice, my gandiva the box for throwing them, and my car, the chequered cloth. O Govinda, slaying Karna with keen shafts I will dispel the long sleeplessness of Kunti's son. Today the royal son of Kunti, upon the slaughter of the Suta's son by me, shall be gratified and be of cheerful heart and obtain happiness for ever. Today, O Keshava, I will shoot an irresistible and unrivalled arrow that will deprive Karna of life. Even this, O Krishna, was the vow of that wicked-souled one about my slaughter, viz., 'I will not wash my feet till I slay Phalguna.' Falsifying this vow of that wretch, O slayer of Madhu, I will, with straight shafts, throw down his body today from his car. Today the earth will drink the blood of that Suta's son who in battle condemns all other men on earth! With Dhritarashtra's approbation, the Suta's son Karna, boasting of his own merits, had said, 'Thou hast no husband now, O Krishna!' My keen shafts will falsify that speech of his. Like angry snakes of virulent poison, they will drink his life-blood. Cloth-yard shafts, of the effulgence of the lightning, shot by myself possessed of mighty arms, sped from Gandiva, will send Karna on his last journey. Today the son of Radha will repent for those cruel words that he said unto the princess of Pancala in the midst of the assembly, in disparagement of the Pandavas! They that were on that occasion sesame seeds without kernel, will today become seeds with kernel after the fall of the Suta's son Karna of wicked soul, otherwise called Vaikartana! 'I will save ye from the sons of Pandu!'--even these were the words that Karna, bragging of his own merits, said unto the sons of Dhritarashtra! My keen shafts will falsify that speech of his! Today, in the very sight of all the bowmen, I will slay that Karna who said, 'I will slay all the Pancalas with their sons.' Today, O slayer of Madhu, I will slay that Karna, that son of Radha, relying on whose prowess the proud son of Dhritarashtra, of wicked understanding, always disregarded us. Today, O Krishna, after Karna's fall, the Dhartarashtras with their king, struck with panic, will fly away in all directions, like deer afraid of the lion. Today let king Duryodhana repent upon the slaughter of Karna, with his sons and relatives, by me in battle. Today, beholding Karna slain, let the wrathful son of Dhritarashtra, O Krishna, know me to be the foremost of all bowmen in battle. Today, I will make king Dhritarashtra, with his sons and grandsons and counsellors and servants, shelterless. Today, cranes and other carnivorous birds will, O Keshava, sport over the limbs of Karna cut off into pieces with my shafts. Today, O slayer of Madhu, I will cut off in battle the head of Radha's son Karna, in the very sight of all the bowmen. Today, O slayer of Madhu, I will cut off in battle the limbs of Radha's son of wicked soul with keen vipathas and razor-faced arrows. Today, the heroic king Yudhishthira will cast off a great pain and a great sorrow cherished long in his heart. Today, O Keshava, slaying the son of Radha, with all his kinsmen, I will gladden king Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma. Today, I will slay the cheerless followers of Karna in battle, with shafts resembling the blazing fire or the poison of the snake. Today, with my straight shafts equipped with vulturine feathers, I will, O Govinda, cause the earth to be strewn with (the bodies of) kings cased in golden armour. Today, O slayer of Madhu, I will, with keen shafts, crush the bodies and cut off the heads of all the foes of Abhimanyu. Today, I will bestow the earth, divested of Dhartarashtras on my brother, or, perhaps, thou, O Keshava, wilt walk over the earth divested of Arjuna! Today, O Krishna, I will free myself from the debt I owe to all bowmen, to my own wrath, to the Kurus, to my shafts, and to gandiva. Today, I will be freed from the grief that I have cherished for thirteen years, O Krishna, by slaying Karna in battle like Maghavat slaying Samvara. Today, after I have slain Karna in battle, let the mighty car-warriors of the Somakas, who are desirous of accomplishing the task of their allies, regard their task as accomplished. I do not know what will be the measure, O Madhava, of the joy of Sini's grandson today after I shall have slain Karna and won the victory. Today, I will slay Karna in battle as also his son, that mighty car-warrior, and give joy to Bhima and the twins and Satyaki. Today, slaying Karna in dreadful battle, I will pay off my debt, O Madhava, to the Pancalas with Dhrishtadyumna and Shikhandi! Today let all behold the wrathful Dhananjaya fight with the Kauravas in battle and slay the Suta's son. Once more there is none equal to me in the world. In prowess also, who is there that resembles me? What other man is there that is equal to me in forgiveness? In wrath also, there is no one that is equal to me. Armed with the bow and aided by the prowess of my arms, I can vanquish the Asuras and the gods and all creatures united together. Know that my prowess is higher than the highest. Alone assailing all the Kurus and the Bahlikas with the fire of my shafts issuing from Gandiva, I will, putting forth my might, burn them with their followers like a fire in the midst of a heap of dry grass at the close of winter. My palms bear these marks of arrows and this excellent and outstretched bow with arrow fixed on the string. On each of the soles of my feet occur the mark of a car and a standard. When a person like me goeth forth to battle, he cannot be vanquished by any one." Having said these words unto Acyuta, that foremost of all heroes, that slayer of foes, with blood red eyes, proceeded quickly to battle, for rescuing Bhima and cutting off the head from Karna's trunk.'"

75

"Dhritarashtra said, 'In that awful and fathomless encounter of the Pandavas and the Srinjayas with the warriors of my army, when Dhananjaya, O sire, proceeded for battle, how, indeed, did the fight occur?'
"Sanjaya said, 'The innumerable divisions of the Pandava army, decked with lofty standards and swelling (with pride and energy) and united together in battle, began to roar aloud, drums and other instruments constituting their mouth, like masses of clouds at the close of summer uttering deep roars. The battle that ensued resembled a baneful shower out of season, cruel and destructive of living creatures. Huge elephants were its clouds; weapons were the water they were to pour; the peal of musical instruments, the rattle of car-wheels, and the noise of palms, constituted their roar; diverse weapons decked with gold formed their flashes of lightning; and arrows and swords and cloth-yard shafts and mighty weapons constituted their torrents of rain. Marked by impetuous onsets blood flowed in streams in that encounter. Rendered awful by incessant strokes of the sword, it was fraught with a great carnage of Kshatriyas. Many car-warriors, united together, encompassed one car-warrior and despatched him to Yama's presence. Or, one foremost of car-warriors despatched a single adversary, or one despatched many adversaries united together. Again, some one car-warrior despatched to Yama's abode some one adversary along with his driver and steeds. Some one rider, with a single elephant, despatched many car-warriors and horsemen. Similarly, Partha, with clouds of shafts, despatched large number of cars with drivers and steeds, of elephants and horses with their riders, and of foot-soldiers, belonging to the enemy. Kripa and Shikhandi encountered each other in that battle, while Satyaki proceeded against Duryodhana. And Srutasravas was engaged with Drona's son, and Yudhamanyu with Citrasena. The great Srinjaya car-warrior Uttamauja was engaged with Karna's son Sushena, while Sahadeva rushed against Shakuni, the king of the Gandharas, like a hungry lion against a mighty bull. The youthful Satanika, the son of Nakula, rushed against the youthful Vrishasena, the son of Karna, shooting showers of shafts. The heroic son of Karna struck that son of the princess of Pancala with many arrows. Conversant with all modes of warfare, Madri's son Nakula, that bull among car-warriors, assailed Kritavarma. The king of the Pancalas, Dhrishtadyumna, the son of Yajnasena, attacked Karna, the commander of the Kaurava army, with all his forces. Duhshasana, O Bharata, with the swelling host of the samsaptakas forming a portion of the Bharata army, fiercely attacked in that battle Bhima, that foremost of warriors of irresistible impetuosity. The heroic Uttamauja, putting forth his strength struck the son of Karna and cut off his head which fell down on the earth, filling the earth and the welkin with a loud noise. Beholding the head of Sushena lying on the ground, Karna became filled with grief. Soon, however, in rage he cut off the steeds, the car, and the standard, of his son's slayer with many keen shafts. Meanwhile Uttamauja, piercing with his keen shafts and cutting off with his bright sword the steeds of Kripa and those warriors also that protected Kripa's sides, quickly ascended the car of Shikhandi. Beholding Kripa deprived of his car, Shikhandi who was on his vehicle, wished not to strike him with his shafts. The son of Drona then, covering with his own the car of Kripa, rescued the latter like a bull sunk in a mire. Meanwhile Bhima, the son of the Wind-god clad in golden mail, began to scorch with his keen arrows the troops of thy sons like the mid-day sun scorching everything in the summer season.'"

 

76

"Sanjaya said, 'During the progress of the fierce engagement, Bhima, while fighting along, being encompassed by innumerable foes, addressed his driver, saying, "Bear me into the midst of the Dhartarashtra host. Proceed, O charioteer, with speed, borne by these steeds. I will despatch all these Dhartarashtras to the presence of Yama." Thus urged by Bhimasena, the charioteer proceeded, quickly and with great impetuosity, against thy son's host to that spot whence Bhima desired to slaughter it. Then a large number of Kaurava troops, with elephants and cars and horse and foot, advanced against him from all sides. They then, from every side, began to strike that foremost of vehicles belonging to Bhima, with numerous arrows. The high-souled Bhima, however, with his own shafts of golden wings, cut off all those advancing arrows of his enemies. Thus cut off into two or three fragments with Bhima's arrows, those shafts, equipped with golden wings, of his enemies, fell down on the earth. Then, O king, amongst those foremost of Kshatriyas, struck with Bhima's shafts, the elephants and cars and horse and foot, set up a loud wail, O monarch, that resembled the din made by mountains when riven with thunder. Thus struck by Bhima, those foremost of Kshatriyas, their limbs pierced with Bhima's powerful shafts, rushed against Bhima in that battle from every side, like new-fledged birds towards a tree. When thy troops thus rushed against him, Bhima of furious impetuosity displayed all his vim like Destroyer himself armed with a mace when he burns and exterminates all creatures at the end of the Yuga. Thy soldiers were unable to resist in that battle that fierce forcible energy of Bhima endued with fierce impetuosity, like that of the Destroyer himself of wide open mouth when he rusheth at the end of the Yuga for exterminating all creatures. Then, O Bharata, like masses of clouds scattered by the tempest the Bharata host, thus mangled and burnt in that battle by the high-souled Bhima, broke and fled in fear in all directions. Then the mighty Bhimasena of great intelligence once more cheerfully said unto his charioteer, "Ascertain, O Suta, whether those assembled cars and standards that are advancing towards me, are ours or the enemy's. Absorbed in battle, I am unable to distinguish them. Let me not shroud our own troops with my shafts. O Visoka, beholding hostile warriors and cars and the tops of their standards on all sides, I am greatly afflicted. The king is in pain. The diadem-decked Arjuna also has not yet come. These things, O Suta, fill my heart with sorrow. Even this is my grief, O charioteer, that king Yudhishthira the just should have gone away, leaving me in the midst of the enemy. I do not know whether he, as also Vibhatsu, is alive or dead. This adds to my sorrow. I shall, however, though filled with great grief, destroy those hostile troops of great might. Thus slaughtering in the midst of battle my assembled foes, I shall rejoice with thee today. Examining all the quivers containing my arrows, tell me, O Suta, ascertaining the matter well, what quantity of arrows is still left on my car, that is, how much of what sort."
"'Thus commanded, Visoka said, "Of arrows, O hero, thou hast yet 60,000, while thy razor-headed shafts number 10,000, and broad-headed ones number as much. Of cloth-yard shafts thou hast still 2,000, O hero, and of Pradaras thou hast still, O Partha, 3,000! Indeed, of the weapons, O son of Pandu, the portion that still remains is not capable of being borne, if placed on carts, by six bullocks. Shoot and hurl them, O learned one, for of maces and swords and other weapons used with the arms alone, thou hast thousands upon thousands, as also lances and scimitars and darts and spears! Never fear that thy weapons will be exhausted."
"'Bhima said, "Behold, O Suta, today this awful battle in which everything will be shrouded with my impetuous arrows sped fiercely from my bow and, mangling all my foes, and in consequence of which the very sun will disappear from the field, making the latter resemble the domains of Death! Today, even this will be known to all the Kshatriyas including the very children, O Suta, that Bhimasena hath succumbed in battle or that, alone, he hath subjugated all the Kurus! Today, let all the Kauravas fall in battle or let all the world applaud me, beginning with the feats of my earliest years. Alone, I will overthrow them all, or let all of them strike Bhimasena down. Let the gods that aid in the achievement of the best acts bless me. Let that slayer of foes Arjuna come here now like Sakra, duly invoked, quickly coming to a sacrifice. Behold, the Bharata host is breaking! Why do those kings fly away? It is evident that Savyasaci, that foremost of men, is quickly shrouding that host with his shafts. Behold, those standards, O Visoka, and elephants and steeds and bands of foot-soldiers are flying away. Behold, these cars, assailed with shafts and darts, with those warriors riding on them, are being scattered, O Suta! Yonder, the Kaurava host, assailed with the shafts, equipped with wings of gold and feathers of peacocks, of Dhananjaya, and resembling thunderbolts in force, though slaughtered extensively, is repeatedly filling its gaps. There, cars and steeds and elephants are flying away, crushing down bands of foot-soldiers. Indeed, all the Kauravas, having lost their sense, are flying away, like elephants filled with panic at a forest conflagration, and uttering cries of woe. These huge elephants, again, O Visoka, are uttering loud cries, assailed with shafts."
"'Visoka said, "How is it, O Bhima, that thou dost not hear the loud twang of the yawning Gandiva stretched by Partha in wrath? Are these two ears of thine gone? All thy wishes, O son of Pandu, have been fulfilled! Yonder the Ape (on Arjuna's banner) is seen in the midst of the elephant force (of the enemy). Behold, the string of Gandiva is flashing repeatedly like lightning amid blue clouds. Yonder the Ape on Dhananjaya's standard-top is everywhere seen to terrify hostile divisions in this dreadful battle. Even I, looking at it, am struck with fear. There the beautiful diadem of Arjuna is shining brilliantly. There, the precious jewel on the diadem, endued with the splendour of the sun, looketh exceedingly resplendent. There, beside him, behold his conch Devadatta of loud blare and the hue of a white cloud. There, by the side of Janardana, reins in hand, as he penetrates into the hostile army, behold his discus of solar effulgence, its nave hard as thunder, and its edge sharp as a razor. Behold, O hero, that discus of Keshava, that enhancer of his fame, which is always worshipped by the Yadus. There, the trunks, resembling lofty trees perfectly straight, of huge elephants, cut off by Kiritin, are falling upon the earth. There those huge creatures also, with their riders, pierced and split with shafts, are falling down, like hills riven with thunder. There, behold, O son of Kunti, the Panchajanya of Krishna, exceedingly beautiful and of the hue of the moon, as also the blazing Kaustubha on his breast and his triumphal garland. Without doubt, that first and foremost of all car-warriors, Partha, is advancing, routing the hostile army as he comes, borne by his foremost of steeds, of the hue of white clouds, and urged by Krishna. Behold those cars and steeds and bands of foot-soldiers, mangled by thy younger brother with the energy of the chief of the celestials. Behold, they are falling down like a forest uprooted by the tempest caused by Garuda's wings. Behold, four hundred car-warriors, with their steeds and drivers, and seven hundred elephants and innumerable foot-soldiers and horsemen slain in this battle by Kiritin with his mighty shafts. Slaughtering the Kurus, the mighty Arjuna is coming towards thy side even like the constellation Citra. All thy wishes are fulfilled. Thy foes are being exterminated. Let thy might, as also the period of thy life, ever increase."
"'Bhima said, "Since, O Visoka, thou tellest me of Arjuna's arrival, I will give thee four and ten populous villages and a hundred female slaves and twenty cars, being pleased with thee, O Suta, for this agreeable intelligence imparted by thee!"'"

 

77

"Sanjaya said, 'Hearing the roars of cars and the leonine shouts (of the warriors) in battle, Arjuna addressed Govinda, saying, "Urge the steeds to greater speed." Hearing these words of Arjuna, Govinda said unto him, "I am proceeding with great speed to the spot where Bhima is stationed." Then many lions among men (belonging to the Kaurava army), excited with wrath and accompanied by a large force of cars and horse and elephants and foot-soldiers and making the earth resound with the whizz of their arrows, the rattle of their car wheels, and the tread of their horses' hoofs, advanced against Jaya (Arjuna) as the latter proceeded for victory, borne by his steeds white as snow or conchs and decked in trappings of gold and pearls and gems like the chief of the celestials in great wrath proceeding, armed with the thunder, against (the asura) Jambha for slaying him. Between them and Partha, O sire, occurred a great battle destructive of body, life, and sin, like the battle between the asuras and the god Vishnu, that foremost of victors for the sake of the three worlds. Alone, Partha, decked with diadem and garlands, cut off the mighty weapons sped by them, as also their heads and arms in diverse ways, with his razor-faced and crescent-shaped and broad-headed arrows of great keenness. Umbrellas, and yak-tails for fanning, and standards, and steeds, and cars, and bands of foot-soldiers, and elephants, fell down on the earth, mutilated in diverse ways, like a forest broken down by a tempest. Huge elephants, decked in caparisons of gold and equipped with triumphal standards and warriors (on their backs), looked resplendent, as they were pierced with shafts of golden wings, like mountains ablaze with light. Piercing elephants and steeds and cars with excellent shafts resembling Vasava's thunder, Dhananjaya proceeded quickly for the slaughter of Karna, even as Indra in days of yore for riving (the asura) Vala. Then that tiger among men, that mighty-armed chastiser of foes, penetrated into thy host like a makara into the ocean. Beholding the son of Pandu, thy warriors, O king, accompanied by cars and foot-soldiers and a large number of elephants and steeds, rushed against him. Tremendous was the din made by them as they advanced against Partha, resembling that made by the waters of the ocean lashed into fury by the tempest. Those mighty car-warriors, resembling tigers (in prowess) all rushed in that battle against that tiger among men, abandoning all fear of death. Arjuna, however, routed the troops of those leaders of the Kurus as they advanced, shooting at him showers of weapons, like a tempest driving off masses of congregated clouds. Those great bowmen, all skilled in smiting, united together and proceeded against Arjuna with a large number of cars and began to pierce him with keen shafts. Then Arjuna, with his shafts, despatched to Yama's abode several thousands of cars and elephants and steeds. While those great car-warriors in that battle were thus struck with shafts sped from Arjuna's bow, they were filled with fear and seemed to disappear one after another from their cars. In all, Arjuna, with his sharp arrows, slew four hundred of those heroic car-warriors exerting themselves vigorously in battle. Thus struck in that battle with sharp shafts of diverse kinds, they fled away on all sides, avoiding Arjuna. Tremendous was the uproar made at the van of the army by those warriors as they broke and fled, like that made by the surging sea when it breaks upon a rock. Having routed with his arrows that army struck with fright, Pritha's son Arjuna then proceeded, O sire, against the division of the Suta's son. Loud was the noise with which Arjuna faced his foes, like that made by Garuda in days of yore when swooping down for snakes. Hearing that sound, the mighty Bhimasena, desirous as he had been of obtaining a sight of Partha, became filled with joy. As soon as the valiant Bhimasena heard of Partha's arrival, he began, O monarch, to grind thy troops, reckless of his very life. Possessed of prowess equal to that of the wind, the valiant Bhima, the son of the Wind-god, began to career in that battle like the wind itself. Afflicted by him, O monarch, thy army, O king, began to reel like a wrecked vessel on the bosom of the sea. Displaying his lightness of hands, Bhima began to cut and mangle that host with his fierce arrows and despatch large numbers to the abode of Yama. Beholding on that occasion the superhuman might of Bhima, O Bharata, like that of the Destroyer at the end of the Yuga, thy warriors became filled with fright. Seeing his mightiest soldiers thus afflicted by Bhimasena, O Bharata, king Duryodhana addressed all his troops and great bowmen, O bull of Bharata's race, commanding them to slay Bhima in that battle, since upon Bhima's fall he would regard the Pandava troops already exterminated. Accepting that command of thy son, all the kings shrouded Bhima with showers of shafts from every side. Innumerable elephants, O king, and men inspired with desire of victory, and cars, and horse, O monarch, encompassed Vrikodara. Thus encompassed by those brave warriors on all sides, O king, that hero, that chief of Bharata's race, looked resplendent like the Moon surrounded by the stars. Indeed, as the Moon at full within his corona looks beautiful, even so that best of men, exceedingly handsome, looked beautiful in that battle. All those kings, with cruel intent and eyes red in wrath, inflicted upon Vrikodara their arrowy downpours, moved by the desire of slaying him. Piercing that mighty host with straight shafts, Bhima came out of the press like a fish coming out of a net, having slain 10,000 unretreating elephants, 200,200 men, O Bharata, and 5,000 horses, and a hundred car-warriors. Having slaughtered these, Bhima caused a river of blood to flow there. Blood constituted its water, and cars its eddies; and elephants were the alligators with which it teemed. Men were its fishes, and steeds its sharks, and the hair of animals formed its woods and moss. Arms lopped off from trunks formed its foremost of snakes. Innumerable jewels and gems were carried along by the current. Thighs constituted its gravels, and marrow its mire. And it was covered with heads forming its rocks. And bows and arrows constituted the rafts by which men sought to cross that terrible river, and maces and spiked bludgeons formed its snakes. And umbrellas and standards formed its swans, and head-gears its foam. Necklaces constituted its lotuses, and the earthy dust that arose formed its waves. Those endued with noble qualities could cross it with ease, while those that were timid and affrighted found it exceedingly difficult to cross. Warriors constituting its crocodiles and alligators, it ran towards the region of Yama. Very soon, indeed, did that tiger among men cause that river to flow. Even as the terrible Vaitarani is difficult of being crossed by persons of unrefined souls, that bloody river, terrible and enhancing the fears of the timid, was difficult to cross. Thither where that best of car-warriors, the son of Pandu, penetrated, thither he felled hostile warriors in hundreds and thousands. Seeing those feats achieved in battle by Bhimasena, Duryodhana, O monarch, addressing Shakuni, said, "Vanquish, O uncle, the mighty Bhimasena in battle. Upon his defeat the mighty host of the Pandavas may be regarded as defeated." Thus addressed, O monarch, the valiant son of Subala, competent to wage dreadful battle, proceeded, surrounded by his brothers. Approaching in that battle Bhima of terrible prowess, the heroic Shakuni checked him like the continent resisting the ocean. Though resisted with keen shafts, Bhima, disregarding them all, proceeded against the sons of Subala. Then Shakuni, O monarch, sped a number of cloth-yard shafts equipped with wings of gold and whetted on stone, at the left side of Bhima's chest. Piercing through the armour of the high-souled son of Pandu, those fierce shafts, O monarch, equipped with feathers of Kankas and peacocks, sunk deep into his body. Deeply pierced in that battle, Bhima, O Bharata, suddenly shot at Subala's son a shaft decked with gold. The mighty Shakuni however, that scorcher of foes, O king, endued with great lightness of hands, cut off into seven fragments that terrible arrow as it coursed towards him. When his shaft fell down on the earth, Bhima, O king, became highly enraged, and cut off with a broad-headed arrow the bow of Subala's son with the greatest ease. The valiant son of Subala then, casting aside that broken bow, quickly took up another and six and ten broad-headed arrows. With two of those straight and broad-headed arrows, O monarch, he struck Bhima himself, with one he cut off Bhima's standard, and with two, his umbrella. With the remaining four, the son of Subala pierced the four steeds of his antagonist. Filled with rage at this, the valiant Bhima, O monarch, hurled in that battle a dart made of iron, with its staff adorned with gold. That dart, restless as the tongue of a snake, hurled from Bhima's arms, speedily fell upon the car of the high-souled son of Subala. The latter then, filled with wrath, O monarch, took up that same gold-decked dart and hurled it back at Bhimasena. Piercing through the left arm of the high-souled son of Pandu, it fell down on the earth like lightning flashed down from the sky. At this, the Dhartarashtras, O monarch, set up a loud roar all around. Bhima, however, could not bear that leonine roar of his foes endued with great activity. The mighty son of Pandu then, quickly taking up another stringed bow, in a moment, O monarch, covered with shafts the soldiers of Subala's son in that battle, who were fighting reckless of their very lives. Having slain his four steeds, and then his driver, O king, Bhima of great prowess next cut off his antagonist's standard with a broad-headed arrow without losing a moment. Abandoning with speed that steedless car, Shakuni, that foremost of men, stood on the ground, with his bow ready drawn in his hands, his eyes red like blood in rage, and himself breathing heavily. He then, O king, struck Bhima from every side with innumerable arrows. The valiant Bhima, baffling those shafts, cut off Shakuni's bow in rage and pierced Shakuni himself, with many keen arrows. Deeply pierced by his powerful antagonist, that scorcher of foes, O king, fell down on the earth almost lifeless. Then thy son, O monarch, seeing him stupefied, bore him away from battle on his car in the very sight of Bhimasena. When that tiger among men, Shakuni was thus taken up on Duryodhana's car, the Dhartarashtra troops, turning their faces from battle, fled away on all sides inspired with fear on that occasion of great terror due to Bhimasena. Upon the defeat of Subala's son, O king, by that great bowman, Bhimasena, thy son Duryodhana, filled with great fright, retreated, borne away by his fleet steeds, from regard for his maternal uncle's life. Beholding the king himself turn away from the battle, the troops, O Bharata, fled away, from the encounters in which each of them had been engaged. Seeing all the Dhartarashtra troops turn away from battle and fly in all directions, Bhima rushing impetuously, fell upon them, shooting many hundreds of shafts. Slaughtered by Bhima, the retreating Dhartarashtras, O king, approaching the spot where Karna was, once more stood for battle, surrounding him. Endued with great might and great energy, Karna then became their refuge. Finding Karna, O bull of Bharata's race, thy troops became comforted and stood cheerfully, relying upon one another, like shipwrecked mariners, O tiger of men, in their distressful plight, when at last they reach an island. They then, once more, making death itself their goal, proceeded against their foes for battle.'"

 

 

78

"Dhritarashtra said, 'When our troops were broken in battle by Bhimasena, what, O Sanjaya, did Duryodhana and Subala's son say? Or, what did Karna, that foremost of victors, or the warriors of my army in that battle, or Kripa, or Kritavarma, or Drona's son Duhshasana, say? Exceedingly wonderful, I think, is the prowess of Pandu's son, since, single-handed, he fought in battle with all the warriors of my army. Did the son of Radha act towards the (hostile) troops according to his vow? That slayer of foes, Karna, O Sanjaya, is the prosperity, the armour, the fame, and the very hope of life, of the Kurus. Beholding the army broken by Kunti's son of immeasurable energy, what did Karna, the son of Adhiratha and Radha, do in that battle? What also did my sons, difficult of defeat in battle, do, or the other kings and mighty car-warriors of our army? Tell me all this, O Sanjaya, for thou art skilled in narration!'
"Sanjaya said, 'In that afternoon, O monarch, the Suta's son of great valour began to smite all the Somakas in the very sight of Bhimasena. Bhima also of great strength began to destroy the Dhartarashtra troops. Then Karna, addressing (his driver) Shalya, said unto him, "Bear me to the Pancalas." Indeed, beholding his army in course of being routed by Bhimasena of great intelligence, Karna once more addressed his driver, saying, 'Bear me to the Pancalas only.' Thus urged, Shalya, the ruler of the Madras, endued with great might, urged those white steeds that were fleet as thought, towards the Cedis, the Pancalas and the Karushas. Penetrating then into that mighty host, Shalya, that grinder of hostile troops, cheerfully conducted those steeds into every spot that Karna, that foremost of warriors, desired to go to. Beholding that car cased in tiger skins and looking like a cloud, the Pandus and the Pancalas, O monarch, became terrified. The rattle then of that car, like unto the peal of thunder or the sound of a mountain splitting into fragments, became audible in that dreadful battle. With hundreds upon hundreds of keen arrows sped from the bow-string drawn to his ear, Karna then smote hundreds and thousands of warriors belonging to the Pandava army. While the unvanquished Karna was employed in achieving those feats, many mighty bowmen and great car-warriors among the Pandavas encompassed him on all sides. Indeed, Shikhandi, and Bhima, and Dhrishtadyumna, the son of Prishata, and Nakula, and Sahadeva, and the (five) sons of Draupadi, and Satyaki, surrounded the son of Radha, pouring showers of arrows upon him, from desire of despatching him to the other world. The heroic Satyaki, that best of men, struck Karna in that engagement with twenty keen shafts in the shoulder-joint. Shikhandi struck him with five and twenty shafts, and Dhrishtadyumna struck him with seven, and the sons of Draupadi with four and sixty, and Sahadeva with seven, and Nakula with a hundred, in that battle. The mighty Bhimasena, in that encounter, filled with rage, struck the son of Radha in the shoulder-joint with ninety straight shafts. The son of Adhiratha, then, of great might laughing in scorn, and drawing his excellent bow let off many keen shafts, afflicting his foes. The son of Radha pierced each of them in return with five arrows. Cutting off the bow of Satyaki, as also his standard, O bull of Bharata's race, Karna pierced Satyaki himself with nine shafts in the centre of the chest. Filled with wrath, he then pierced Bhimasena with thirty shafts. With a broad-headed arrow, O sire, he next cut off the standard of Sahadeva, and with three other arrows, that chastiser of foes afflicted Sahadeva's driver. Within the twinkling of an eye he then deprived the (five) sons of Draupadi of their cars, O bull of Bharata's race, which seemed exceedingly wonderful. Indeed, with his straight shafts casting those heroes to turn back from the fight, the heroic Karna began to slay the Pancalas and many mighty car-warriors among the Cedis. Thus struck in that battle. O monarch, the Cedis and the Matsyas, rushing against Karna alone, poured upon him showers of shafts. The Suta's son, however, that mighty car-warrior, began to smite them with his keen shafts. I beheld this exceedingly wonderful feat. O Bharata, viz., that the Suta's son of great prowess, alone and unsupported in that battle, fought with all those bowmen who contended with him to the utmost of their prowess, and checked all those Pandava warriors, O monarch, with his shafts. With the lightness of hand, O Bharata, of the high-souled Karna on that occasion, all the gods as also the Siddhas and the Charanas were gratified. All the great bowmen among the Dhartarashtras also, O best of men, applauded Karna, that foremost of great car-warriors, that first of all bowmen. Then Karna, O monarch, burnt the hostile army like a mighty and blazing conflagration consuming a heap of dry grass in the summer season. Thus slaughtered by Karna, the Pandava troops, struck with fear, fled in all directions, at the very sight of Karna. Loud wails arose there among the Pancalas in that great battle, while they were thus struck with the keen shafts sped from Karna's bow. Struck with fear at the noise, the vast host of the Pandavas, those enemies of Karna, regarded him as the one warrior in that battle. Then that crusher of foes, viz., the son of Radha, once more achieved an exceedingly wonderful feat, inasmuch as all the Pandavas, united together, were unable to even gaze at him. Like a swelling mass of water breaking when it comes in contact with a mountain, the Pandava army broke when it came in contact with Karna. Indeed, O king, the mighty-armed Karna in that battle, burning the vast host of the Pandavas, stood there like a blazing fire without smoke. With great activity that hero, with his shafts, cut off the arms and the heads of his brave foes, O king, and their ears decked with earrings. Swords with hilts of ivory, and standards, and darts, and steeds, and elephants, and cars of diverse kind, O king, and banners, and axles, and yokes, and wheels of many kinds, were cut off in various ways by Karna, observant of a warrior's vow. There, O Bharata, with elephants and steeds slain by Karna, the earth became impassable and miry with flesh and blood. The uneven and even spots also of the field, in consequence of slain horse and foot and broken cars and dead elephants, could no longer be distinguished. The combatants could not distinguish friends from foes in that thick darkness caused by shafts when Karna's (celestial) weapon was displayed. The mighty car-warriors of the Pandavas, O monarch, were completely shrouded with shafts, decked with gold, that were sped from Karna's bow. Those mighty car-warriors of the Pandavas, O king, in that battle, though struggling vigorously, were repeatedly broken by the son of Radha, even as a herd of deer in the forest is routed by an angry lion. Routing the foremost of Pancala car-warriors and (other) foes, Karna of great fame, in that battle, slew the Pandava warriors like a wolf slaying smaller animals. Beholding the Pandava army turn away from battle, the Dhartarashtra bowmen of great might rushed against the retreating host uttering terrible shouts. Then Duryodhana, O monarch, filled with great delight, caused diverse musical instruments to be beaten and blown in all parts of the army. The great bowmen amongst the Pancalas, those foremost of men, though broken, returned heroically to the fight, making death their goal. The son of Radha, however, that bull among men and scorcher of foes, O monarch, in that battle, broke those returned heroes in diverse ways. There, O Bharata twenty car-warriors among the Pancalas and more than a hundred Cedi warriors were slain by Karna with his shafts. Making the terraces of cars and the backs of steeds empty, O Bharata, and slaying the combatants that fought from the necks of elephants, and routing the foot-soldiers, that scorcher of foes, the Suta's son of great bravery, became incapable of being gazed at like the mid-day sun and looked resplendent like the Destroyer himself at the end of the Yuga. Thus, O monarch, that slayer of foes, that mighty bowmen, Karna, having slain foot, horse, car-warriors, and elephants, stood there on his car. Indeed, like the Destroyer himself of great might standing after slaying all creatures, the mighty car-warrior Karna stood alone, having slain the Somakas. The prowess that we then beheld of the Pancalas seemed to be exceedingly wonderful, for, though thus struck by Karna, they refused to fly away from that hero at the head of battle. At that time, the king (Duryodhana), and Duhshasana, and Kripa, the son of Sharadvata, and Ashvatthama, and Kritavarma, and Shakuni also of great might, slaughtered the Pandava warriors in hundreds and thousands. The two sons also of Karna, O monarch, those two brothers of prowess incapable of being baffled, filled with rage, slaughtered the Pandava army in several parts of the field. The battle at that place was dreadful and cruel and the carnage that occurred was very great. Similarly the Pandava heroes, Dhrishtadyumna and Shikhandi and the (five) sons of Draupadi, filled with rage, slaughtered thy host. Even thus a great destruction took place among the Pandavas everywhere on the field, and even thus thy army also suffered great loss at the hands of the mighty Bhima.'"

 

 

 

79

"Sanjaya said, 'Meanwhile Arjuna, O monarch, having slain the four kinds of forces (of the enemy), and having obtained a sight of the angry son of the Suta in that dreadful battle, caused a river of blood to flow there that was tawny with flesh and marrow and bones. Human heads constituted its rocks and stones. Elephants and steeds formed its banks. Full of the bones of heroic combatants, it resounded with the cries of ravens and vultures. Umbrellas were its swans or rafts. And that river ran, bearing away heroes like trees along its current. (Even) necklaces constituted its assemblage of lotuses, and head-gears formed its excellent foam. Bows and shafts constituted its fishes; and the crowns of crushed men floated on its surface. Shields and armour were its eddies, and cars were the rafts with which it teemed. And it could be easily forded by persons desirous of victory, while to those that were cowards it was unfordable. Having caused that river to flow, Vibhatsu, that slayer of hostile heroes and bull among men, addressing Vasudeva said, "Yonder, O Krishna, the standard of the Suta's son is visible. There, Bhimasena and others are fighting with that great car-warrior. There, the Pancalas, afraid of Karna, are flying away, O Janardana. Yonder, king Duryodhana, with the white umbrella over his head, along with Karna, looketh exceedingly resplendent as he is engaged in routing the Pancalas. There Kripa, and Kritavarma, and Drona's son, that mighty car-warrior, are protecting king Duryodhana, themselves protected by the Suta's son. There, O Krishna, Shalya, well conversant with holding the reins, looketh exceedingly resplendent as, seated on the terrace of Karna's car, he guideth that vehicle. Bear me to that mighty car-warrior, for even such is the wish cherished by me. Without slaying Karna in this battle I will never return. Otherwise, the son of Radha, O Janardana, will, in my sight, exterminate the mighty car-warriors of the Parthas and the Srinjayas." Thus addressed, Keshava quickly proceeded on his car, towards the mighty bowman Karna, for causing a single combat to take place between Karna and Savyasaci. Indeed, the mighty-armed Hari, at the command of Pandu's son, proceeded on his car, assuring (by that very act) all the Pandava troops. The rattle then of Arjuna's vehicle rose loud in that battle, resembling, O sire, the tremendous peal of Vasu's thunder. Beholding Arjuna of white steeds and having Krishna for his driver thus advance, and seeing the standard of that high-souled one, the king of the Madras, addressing Karna, said, "There cometh that car-warrior having white steeds yoked unto his vehicle and having Krishna for his driver, slaying his foes in battle. There cometh he about whom thou wert enquiring, holding his bow Gandiva. If thou canst slay him today, great good may then be done to us. He cometh, O Karna, desirous of an encounter with thee, slaying, as he cometh, our chief warriors. Do thou proceed against that hero of Bharata's race. Avoiding all our warriors, Dhananjaya advanceth with great speed, for, as I think, an encounter with thee, judging by his form swelling with rage and energy. Blazing with wrath, Partha will not stop from desire of battle with anybody else save thee, especially when Vrikodara is being so much afflicted (by thee). Learning that king Yudhishthira the just hath been exceedingly mangled and made carless by thee, and seeing (the plight of) Shikhandi, and Satyaki, and Dhrishtadyumna, the son of Prishata, and the (five) sons of Draupadi, and Yudhamanyu, and Uttamauja, and the brothers, Nakula and Sahadeva, that scorcher of foes, Partha, advanceth impetuously on a single car against thee. Without doubt, he is advancing with speed against us, avoiding other combatants. Do thou, O Karna, proceed against him, for there is no other bowman (among us that can do so). I do not behold any arrangements made for his protection, either on his flanks or at his rear. He advanceth alone against thee. Look after thy success now. Thou alone art able to encounter the two Krishnas in battle. Proceed, therefore, against Dhananjaya. Thou art the equal of Bhishma, of Drona, of Drona's son, of Kripa. Do thou resist in this great battle the advancing Savyasaci. Indeed, O Karna, slay this Dhananjaya that resembles a snake frequently darting out its tongue, or a roaring bull, or a tiger in the forest. There, those kings, those mighty car-warriors of the Dhritarashtra's army, through fear of Arjuna, are quickly flying away, regardless of one another. Save thee, O Suta's son, there is no other man, O hero, that can, in battle, dispel the fears of those retreating combatants. All those Kurus, O tiger among men, obtaining thee as their refuge in this battle, stand depending on thee and desirous of thy protection. Mustering thy great prowess, O mighty-armed one, proceed against Vrishni's race, who is always gratified by the diadem-decked (Arjuna)."
"'Karna said, "Thou seemest now to be in thy usual frame of mind and thou art now agreeable to me. Do not, O mighty-armed one, entertain any fear of Dhananjaya. Behold the might of my arms today, and behold my skill. Single-handed, I will today destroy the mighty host of the Pandavas, as also those two lions among men, the two Krishnas! I say this truly unto thee. I will never return from the field today without slaying two heroes. Or, slain by those two, I shall today sleep on the field of battle. Victory is uncertain in battle. Slaying or slain, I shall today achieve my purpose."
"'Shalya said, "All great car-warriors, O Karna, say that this foremost of car-warriors, (Arjuna), even when alone, is invincible. When again, he is protected by Krishna, who will venture to vanquish him?"
"'Karna said, "As far as I have heard, such a superior car-warrior has never been born on earth! Behold my prowess, since I will contend in battle with even that Partha who is such. This prince of Kuru's line, this foremost of car-warriors, careers in battle, borne by his steeds white in hue. Perhaps he will despatch me to Yama's abode today. Know, however, that with Karna's death, these all will be exterminated. The two arms of this prince are never covered with sweat. They never tremble. They are massive and covered with cicatrices. Firm in the use of weapons, he is possessed of great skill and endued with great lightness of hands. Indeed, there is no warrior equal to the son of Pandu. He taketh a large number of arrows and shooteth them as if they were one. Quickly fixing them on the bow-string, he propelleth them to the distance of two miles. They always fall on the foe. What warriors is there on earth that is equal to him? That Atiratha, endued with great activity, with Krishna as his ally, gratified the god Agni at Khandava. There, on that occasion, the high-souled Krishna obtained his discus, and Savyasaci, the son of Pandu, obtained his bow Gandiva. There that mighty-armed one, endued with might that knows no decay, also obtained his terrible car unto which are yoked those white steeds, as also his two great celestial and inexhaustible quivers, and many celestial weapons, from the God of Fire. In the region of Indra he obtained his conch Devadatta and slew innumerable Daityas, and all the Kalakeyas. Who is there on earth that is superior to him? Possessed of greatness of soul, he gratified Mahadeva himself in fair fight, and obtained from him the terrible and mighty weapon Pasupata that is capable of destroying the three worlds. The several Regents of the world, united together gave him their weapons of immeasurable energy, with which that lion among men quickly destroyed in battle those united Asuras, the Kalakhanjas. So also, in Virata's city, moving on a single car he vanquished all of us, and snatched from us that wealth of kine, and took from all the foremost of car-warriors (portions of) their garments. Challenging that foremost of Kshatriyas, that hero having him of Vrishni's race for his ally, that warrior who is endued with such energy and such attributes, I regard myself, O Shalya, to be the foremost of persons in all the world in point of courage. He is, again, protected by that Keshava of great energy, who is Narayana himself and who is without a rival, that high-souled Vasudeva, that ever-victorious Vishnu armed with conch, discus, and mace, whose attributes all the world united together, cannot (in narrating) exhaust in 10,000 years. Beholding the two Krishnas together on the same car, fear entereth my heart together with courage. Partha is the foremost of all bowmen, while Narayana is unrivalled in encounters with the discus. Even such are Vasudeva, and the son of Pandu. Indeed, the mountains of Himavat may move from the spot where they stand but not the two Krishnas. Both of them are heroes, possessed of great skill, firm in the use of weapons, and mighty car-warriors. Both of them have adamantine frames. Who else, O Shalya, save myself, would proceed against Phalguna and Vasudeva that are even such? The desire cherished by me today, viz., that of a battle with the son of Pandu, O ruler of the Madras, will be fulfilled without delay. Soon will that wonderful and matchless and beautiful battle take place. Either I will overthrow those two in battle today, or the two Krishnas will today overthrow me." Saying these words unto Shalya, Karna, that slayer of foes, began to utter loud roars in that battle, like those of the clouds. Approaching then thy son, that foremost one among the Kurus, and saluted respectfully by him, Karna said unto that prince as also unto those two mighty-armed warriors, Kripa and the Bhoja chief Kritavarma, and the ruler of the Gandharvas with his son, and the preceptors and his own younger brothers, and all the foot-soldiers and horsemen and elephant-riders, these words, "Rush towards Acyuta and Arjuna and close up their path all around, and cause them to be tired with exertion, so that, ye lords of the earth, I may easily slay those two after ye all will have mangled them deeply." Saying, "So be it!" those foremost of heroes, desirous of slaying Arjuna, speedily proceeded against him. Those mighty car-warriors then, obeying the behest of Karna, began to strike Dhananjaya with innumerable arrows in that battle. Like the great ocean containing a vast quantity of water receiving all rivers with their tributaries Arjuna received all those warriors in battle. His foes could not notice when he fixed his excellent arrows on the bow-string and when he let them off. All that could be seen was that men and steeds and elephants, pierced with the arrows sped by Dhananjaya, continually fell down, deprived of life. Like men with diseased eyes that are unable to gaze at the sun, the Kauravas on that occasion could not gaze at Jaya who seemed to be possessed of the energy of the all-destroying Sun that rises at the end of the Yuga, having arrows for his rays, and Gandiva for his beautiful circular disc. Smiling the while, Partha with his own showers of arrows cut off the excellent arrows sped at him by those mighty car-warriors. In return, he struck them with innumerable arrows, drawing his bow Gandiva to a complete circle. As the sun of fierce rays between the months of Jyaishtha and Ashadha easily drieth up the waters (of the earth), even so Arjuna, baffling the arrows of his foes, consumed thy troops, O king of kings! Then Kripa, and the chief of the Bhojas, and thy son himself shooting showers of shafts, rushed towards him. Drona's son also, that mighty car-warrior, rushed towards him, shooting his shafts. Indeed, all of them rained their arrows on him, like the clouds pouring torrents of rain on a mountain. The son of Pandu, however, with great activity and speed, cut off with his own shafts those excellent arrows sped at him with great care in that dreadful battle by those accomplished warriors desirous of slaying him, and pierced the chest of each of his adversaries with three shafts. Having arrows for his fierce rays, the Arjuna sun, with gandiva drawn to its fullest stretch constituting his corona, looked resplendent, as he scorched his foes, like the Sun himself between the months of Jyeshtha and Ashadha, within his bright corona. Then Drona's son pierced Dhananjaya with ten foremost of shafts, and Keshava with three, and the four steeds of Dhananjaya with four, and showered many shafts on the Ape on Arjuna's banner. For all that, Dhananjaya cut off the full drawn bow in his adversary's hand with three shafts, the head of his driver with a razor-faced arrow, and his four steeds with his four other shafts and his standard with three other arrows and felled him from his car. The son of Drona then, filled with wrath, took up another costly bow, bright as the body of Takshaka, and decked with gems and diamonds and gold, and resembling a mighty snake caught from the foot of a mountain. Stringing that bow as he stood on the earth, and bringing out one after another shafts and weapons, Drona's son, that warrior who excelled in many accomplishments, began to afflict those two unvanquished and foremost of men and pierce them from a near point with many shafts. Then those mighty car-warriors, Kripa and Bhoja and thy son, standing at the van of battle, fell upon and shrouded that bull among the Pandavas, shooting showers of shafts, like clouds shrouding the dispeller of darkness. Possessed of prowess equal to that of the thousand-armed (Kartavirya), Partha then showered his shafts on Kripa's bow with arrow fixed on it, his steeds, his standard, and his driver, like the wielder of the thunder in days of yore showering his shafts on (the asura) Vali. His weapons destroyed by Partha's shafts, and his standard also having been crushed in that great battle, Kripa was afflicted with as many thousands of arrows by Arjuna as Ganga's son Bhishma before them (on the day of his fall) by the same diademdecked warrior. The valiant Partha then, with his shafts, cut off the standard and the bow of thy roaring son. Destroying next the handsome steeds of Kritavarma, he cut off the latter's standard as well. He then began to destroy with great speed the elephants of the hostile force, as also its cars with their steeds and drivers and bows and standards. Thereupon that vast host of thine broke into a hundred parts like an embankment washed off by the waters. Then Keshava, quickly urging Arjuna's car, placed all his afflicted foes on his right side. Then other warriors, desirous of an encounter, with their well-equipped cars bearing lofty standards, followed Dhananjaya who was proceeding with great speed like Indra proceeding for the slaughter of Vritra. Then those mighty car-warriors, Shikhandi and Satyaki and the twins, proceeding in the direction of Dhananjaya, checked those foes and, piercing them with keen arrows, uttered terrible roars. Then the Kuru heroes and the Srinjayas, encountering one another with rage, slew one another with straight shafts of great energy, like the Asuras and the celestials in days of yore in great battle. Elephant-warriors and horsemen and car-warriors,--all chastisers of foes,--inspired with desire of victory or impatient of proceeding to heaven, fell fast on the field. Uttering loud shouts, they pierced one another vigorously with well-shot arrows. In consequence of those high-souled warriors of great courage shooting their arrows at one another in that dreadful battle and by that means causing a darkness there, the points of the compass, cardinal and subsidiary became enveloped in gloom and the very effulgence of the sun became totally shrouded.'"

80

"Sanjaya said, 'Then, O king, Dhananjaya, desirous of rescuing Kunti's son Bhima who, assailed by many, foremost of warriors of the Kuru army, seemed to sink (under that attack), avoided, O Bharata, the troops of the Suta's son and began, with his shafts, to despatch those hostile heroes (that were opposed to Bhima) to the regions of death. Successive showers of Arjuna's shafts were seen overspread on the sky, while others were seen to slay thy army. Filling the welkin with his shafts that resembled dense flights of feathery creatures, Dhananjaya, O monarch, at that time, became the very Destroyer unto the Kurus. With his broad-headed arrows, and those equipped with heads flat and sharp as razors, and cloth-yard shafts of bright polish, Partha mangled the bodies of his foes and cut off their heads. The field of battle became strewn with falling warriors, some with bodies cut and mangled, some divested of armour and some deprived of heads. Like the great Vaitarani (separating the regions of life from those of the dead), the field of battle, O king, became uneven and impassable and unsightly and terrible, in consequence of steeds and cars and elephants, which struck with Dhananjaya's shafts, were mangled and crushed and cut off in diverse ways. The earth was also covered with broken shafts and wheels and axles, and with cars that were steedless or that had their steeds and others that were driverless or that had their drivers. Then four hundred well-trained and ever-furious elephants, excited with wrath, and ridden by warriors cased in mail of golden hue and adorned with ornaments of gold, and urged by fierce guides with pressure of heels and toes, fell down, struck by the diadem-decked Arjuna with his shafts, like loosened summits, peopled with living creatures, of gigantic mountains. Indeed, the earth became covered with (other) huge elephants struck down by Dhananjaya with his arrows. Like the sun piercing through masses of clouds, Arjuna's car passed through dense bodies of elephants with juicy secretions flowing down their bodies and looking like masses of clouds. Phalguna caused his track to be heaped up with slain elephants and steeds, and with cars broken in diverse ways, and with lifeless heroes deprived of weapons and engines and of armour, as also with arms of diverse kinds loosened from hands that held them. The twang of Gandiva became tremendously loud, like the peal of thunder in the welkin. The (Dhartarashtra) army then, smitten with the shafts of Dhananjaya, broke, like a large vessel on the bosom of the ocean violently lashed by the tempest. Diverse kinds of fatal shafts, sped from Gandiva, and resembling burning brands and meteors and thunderbolts, burnt thy army. That mighty host, thus afflicted with Dhananjaya's shafts, looked beautiful like a blazing forest of bamboos on a mountain in the night. Crushed and burnt and thrown into confusion, and mangled and massacred by the diadem-decked Arjuna with his arrows, that host of thine then fled away on all sides. Indeed, the Kauravas, burnt by Savyasaci, dispersed on all sides, like animals in the great forest frightened at a forest conflagration. The Kuru host then (that had assailed Bhimasena) abandoning that mighty-armed hero, turned their faces from battle, filled with anxiety. After the Kurus had been routed, the unvanquished Vibhatsu, approaching Bhimasena, stayed there for a moment. Having met Bhima and held a consultation with him, Phalguna informed his brother that the arrows had been extracted from Yudhishthira's body and that the latter was perfectly well.
"'With Bhimasena's leave, Dhananjaya then proceeded (once more against his foes), causing the earth and the welkin, O Bharata, to resound with the rattle of his car. He was then surrounded by ten heroic and foremost of warriors, viz., thy sons, all of whom were Duhshasana's juniors in age. Afflicting Arjuna with their shafts like hunters afflicting an elephant with burning brands, those heroes, with outstretched bow, seemed to dance, O Bharata, (on their cars). The slayer of Madhu then, guiding his, car placed all of them to his right. Indeed, he expected that Arjuna would very soon send all of them to Yama's presence. Beholding Arjuna's car proceeding in a different direction, those heroes rushed towards him. Soon, however, Partha, with a number of cloth-yard shafts and crescent-shaped arrows, cut off their standards and steeds and bows and arrows, causing them to fall down on the earth. Then with some broad-headed arrows he cut off and felled their heads decked with lips bit and eyes blood-red in rage. Those faces looked beautiful like an assemblage of lotuses. Having slain those ten Kauravas cased in golden mail, with ten broad-headed shafts endued with great, impetuosity and equipped with wings of gold that slayer of foes, Arjuna continued to proceed.'" 

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