GOHARANA PARVA: Chapter 60

The retreat of Karna in the Goharana

यत् ते सभामध्ये अर्जुन उवाच कर्ण बहु वाचा विकत्थितम्। न मे युधि समोऽस्तीति तदिदं समुपस्थितम्॥
Arjuna said O Karna, this is the time for you to make good the boastful words you gave vent to in the midst of assembly, 'there is none equal to me in fight.'

सोऽद्य कर्ण मया साधु व्यवहृत्य महामृधे। ज्ञास्यस्यबलमात्मानं न चान्यानवमंस्यसे॥
Fighting with me today in the encounter, O Karna, you will know your strength and will never disregard others.

अवोचः परुषा वाचो धर्ममुत्सृज्य केवलम्। इदं तु दुष्करं मन्ये यदिदं ते चिकीर्षितम्॥
Disregarding piety, you had given vent to many harsh words. But I consider what you wish to do today as difficult.

यत् त्वया कथितं पूर्व मामनासाद्य किंचना तदद्य कुरु राधेय कुरुमध्ये मया सह॥
Fighting with me today in the midst of the Kurus, do you make good the insulting words that you used towards me before.

यत् सभायां स पाञ्चालीं क्लिश्यमानां दुरात्मभिः। दृष्टवानसि तस्याद्य फलमाप्नुहि केवलम्॥
Do you reap now the fruit of your suffering the Panchala princess to-be distressed by the wicked-souled one in the court.

धर्मपाशनिबद्धेन यन्मया मर्षितं पुरा। तस्य राधेय कोपस्यं विजयं पश्य मे मृधे॥
Being bound by the noose of piety, I desisted, before, from taking revenge. Do you now see the result of my restrained anger in battle.

वने द्वादश वर्षाणि यानि सोढानि दुर्मते। तस्याद्य प्रतिकोपस्य फलं प्राप्नुहि सम्प्रति॥
O wicked one, we have undergone many miseries in the forest for twelve years. Do you now reap the fruit of our vengeance today

एहि कर्ण मया साधू प्रतियुध्यस्व सङ्गरे। प्रेक्षकाः कुरवः सर्वे भवन्तु तव सैनिकाः॥
Do you fight with me, O Karna, in the battle. Let the Kurus and your soldiers witness it.

कर्ण उवाच ब्रवीषि वाचा यत् पार्थ कर्मणा तत् समाचर। अतिशेते हि ते वाक्यं कर्मैतत् प्रथितं भुवि॥
Karna said Do you carry out your words into action, O Partha. That your words exceed your deeds is known in the world.

यत् त्वया मर्षितं पूर्वं तदशक्तेन मर्षितम्। इतो गृह्णीमहे पार्थ तव दृष्ट्वा पराक्रमम्॥
What you deed suffer formerly was in consequence of your inability. We can admit today by seeing your prowess, O Partha.

धर्मपाशनिबद्धेन यत् त्वया मर्षितं पुरा। तथैव बद्धमात्मानमबद्धमिव मन्यसे॥
If you had suffered the miseries by having been bound by the noose or morality, you are equally bound so even now though you consider yourself free.

यदि तावद् वने वासो यथोक्तश्चरितस्त्वया। तत् त्वं धर्मार्थवित् क्लिष्टः स मया योद्भुमिच्छसि।
If you had passed your exile in the same way as you said, and being distressed (for practising austerities) why do you conversant with Dharma and Artha as you are, wish to fight with me?

यदि शक्रः स्वयं पार्थ युध्यते तव कारणात्। तथापि न व्यथा काचिन्मम स्याद् विक्रमिष्यतः।।१३।
If Shakra himself, O Partha, fight on your behalf, still, there will be no obstruction to my displaying my prowess.

अयं कौन्तेय कामस्ते नचिरात् समुपस्थितः। योत्स्यसे हि मया सार्धमद्य द्रक्ष्यसि मे बलम्॥
Your wish O son of Kunti, is about to be fulfilled. You will fight with me today and see my prowess.

अर्जुन उवाच इदानीमेव तावत् त्वमपयातो रणान्मम। तेन जीवसि राधेय निहतस्त्वनुजस्तव॥
Arjuna said Up to now you had always fled from the battle while fighting with me. For this, you are still alive; but your younger brother has been slain, O son of Radha.

भ्रातरं घातयित्वा कस्त्यक्त्वा रणशिरच कः। त्वदन्यः कः पुमान् सत्सु ब्रूयादेवं व्यवस्थितः॥
Having seen his younger brother slain, what other man except you, would retreat from the battle-field, and then boast as you do in the midst of good men?

वैशम्पायन उवाच इति कर्ण ब्रुवन्नेव बीभत्सुरपराजितः। अभ्ययाद् विसृजन् बाणान् कायावरणभेदिनः॥
Vaishampayana said Having thus spoken to Karna, unconquerable Bibhatsu, encountered him, discharging arrows capable of piercing the coats of mail.

प्रतिजग्राह तं कर्णः प्रीयमाणो महारथः। महता शरवर्षेण वर्षमाणमिवाम्बुदम्॥
The mighty car-warrior Karna delightedly received it with a heavy downpour of arrows like a shower of clouds.

उत्पेतुः शरजालानि घोररूपाणि सर्वशः। अविध्यदश्वान बाह्वोच हस्तावापं पृथक् पृथक्॥
That dreadful network of arrows covered, on all sides, piercing severally, the horses, arms and gloves (of the hero).

सोऽमृष्यमाण: कर्णस्य निषङ्गस्यावलम्बनम्। चिच्छेद निशिताग्रेण शरेण नतपर्वणा॥
Unable to bear the attack of Karna, Arjuna cut off the string of his quiver with a keenedged and straight arrow.

उपासनादुपादाय कर्णो बाणानथापरान्। विव्याध पाण्डवं हस्ते तस्य मुष्टिरशीर्यत॥
Then taking out other arrows from his quiver, Karna struck Arjuna with them on his hand, and the latter lost hold of his bow.

ततः पार्थो महाबाहुः कर्णस्य धनुरच्छिनत्। स शक्तिं प्राहिणोत् तस्मै तां पार्थो व्यधमच्छरैः॥
Then the large-armed Arjuna cut off Karnas bow into pieces. He then struck (Arjuna) with a Shakti, but Partha cut it off with his arrows.

ततोऽनुपेतुर्बहवो राधेयस्य पदानुगाः। तांश्च गाण्डीवनिर्मुक्तैः प्राहिणोद् यमसादनम्॥
Then the heroes who followed Karna all attacked Arjunat who killed them with arrows shot from his Gandiva bow.

ततोऽस्याश्वाञ्छरैस्तीक्ष्णैर्बीभत्सु रसाधनैः। आकर्णमुक्तैरवधीत् ते हताः प्रापतन् भुवि॥
Then Bibhatsu killed his horses with sharpened arrows shot from his bow drawn to the ears, and they all fell down slain on earth.

अथापरेण बाणेन ज्वलितेन महौजसा। विव्याध कर्णं कौन्तेयस्तीक्ष्णेनोरसि वीर्यवान्॥
Then taking up another strong, sharp, and powerful arrow, the powerful son of Kunti struck Karna with it on his breast.

तस्य भित्त्वा तनुत्राणं कायमभ्यगमच्छरः। ततः स तमसाऽऽविष्टो न स्म किंचित् प्रजज्ञिवान्॥
Boring through his coat of mail, that arrow penetrated into his body and he was deprived of the power of perception and consciousness.

स गाढवेदनो हित्वा रणं प्रायादुदङ्मखः। ततोऽर्जुन उदक्रोशदुत्तरश्च महारथः॥
Experiencing a great pain and leaving the battle-field, he fled towards the north. Then Arjuna and the mighty car-warrior Uttara began to scoff him.