धृतराष्ट्र उवाच अत्यद्भुमहं मन्ये भीमसेनस्य विक्रमम्। यत् कर्ण योधयामास समरे लघुविक्रमम्।
Dhritarashtra said Indeed I consider Bhima's prowess to be very wonderful, inasmuch as he fought with Karna of great agility.
त्रिदशानपि वा युक्तान् सर्वशस्त्रधरान् युधि। वारयेद् यो रणे कर्णः सयक्षासुरमानुषान्॥
Indeed that Karna who is competent enough of resisting the celestials together with the Yakshas, Asuras and men all armed with numerous kinds of weapon.
स कथं पाण्डवं युद्धे भ्राजमानमिव श्रिया। नातरत् संयुगे पार्थ तन्ममाचक्ष्व संजय॥
How is it that Karna could not vanquish in battle that son of Pritha, of great effulgence? O Sanjaya tell me all you know about it in detail.
कथं च युद्धं सम्भूतं तयोः प्राणदुरोदरे। अत्र मन्ये समायत्तो जयो वाजय एव च॥
Tell me how the battle them raged-battle in which each staked his very life. Messems each of them was capable of conquering or each mighty have suffered defeat, (at the hand of the other).
कर्ण प्राप्य रणे सूत मम पुत्रः सुयोधनः। जेतुमुत्सहते पार्थान् सगोविन्दान् ससात्वतान्॥
Obtaining Suta's son Karna to help him, my son Duryodhana is confident of securing victory over the Pandavas with Govinda and the Satwatas.
श्रुत्व तु निर्जितं कर्णमसकृद भीमकर्मणा। भीमसेनेन समरे मोह आविशतीव माम्॥
However, hearing of the repeated defeats of Karna by Bhimasena of dreadful deeds, a swoon seems to overtake me. pervert son
विनष्टान् कौरवान् मन्ये मम पुत्रस्य दुर्नयैः। न हि कर्णो महेष्वासान् पार्थाञ्जेष्यति संजय॥
I regard the Kauravas as already slain, in consequence of the evil policy of my son. O Sanjaya, Karna will never be able to vanquish the sons of Pritha, those illustrious bowmen.
कृतवान् यानियुद्धानि कर्णः पाण्डुसुतैः सह। सर्वत्र पाण्डवाः कर्णमजयन्त रणाजिरे॥
In all the battles that Karna has fought with the sons of Pandu, the latter have worsted him on the field of battle.
अजेयाः पाण्डवास्तात देवैरपि सवासवैः। न च तद् बुध्यते मन्दः पुत्रो दुर्योधनो मम॥
The Pandavas are incapable of being vanquished even by the celestials led by Vasava himself. But my Duryodhana will not take cognisance of this fact.
धनं धनेश्वरस्येव हृत्वा पार्थस्य मे सुतः। मधुप्रेप्सुरिवाबुद्धिः प्रपातं नावबुध्यते॥
Having robbed Yudhishthira the son of Pritha's who is like the Lord of wealth, of his wealth, my foolish son sees not the impending fall, like a searcher of honey (on the mountains).
निकृत्या निकृतिप्रज्ञो राज्यं हत्वा महात्मनाम्। जितमित्येव मन्वानः पाण्डवानवमन्यते॥
Having robbed by means of his deceit, the kingdom of those high-souled ones, my son conversant with deceit, thinks it to be irrecoverably his own; and so always insults the Pandavas.
पुत्रस्नेहाभिभूतेन मया चाप्यकृतात्मना। धर्मे स्थिता महात्मनो निकृताः पाण्डुनन्दनाः॥
Those high-souled son of Pandu, who ever treaded the paths of rectitude, were also insulted by myself who am over-fondly attached to my sons and am of selfish temperament.
शमकामः ससोदो दीर्घप्रेक्षी युधिष्ठिरः। अशक्त इति मत्वा तु मम पुत्रैर्निराकृतः॥
The foresighted Yudhishthira that son of Pritha, was ever desirous of peace. But my sons turned him out, taking him to be incapable (of launching on war).
तानि दुःखान्यनेकानि विप्रकारंश्च सर्वशः। हृदि कृत्वा महाबाहुर्रमोऽयुध्यत सूतजम्॥
Bearing in mind all those hardships and all other insults offered to the Pandavas, the mighty-armed Bhima fought with Suta's son.
तस्मान्ते संजय ब्रूहि कर्णभीमौ यथा रणे। अयुध्येतां युधि श्रेष्ठौ परस्परवधैषिणौ॥
O Sanjaya, relate to me, how Bhima and Karna, those two foremost of warriors fought with each other, desirous of taking each other's life.
संजय उवाच शृणु राजन् यथावृत्तं संग्रामं कर्णभीमयोः। परस्परवधप्रेप्स्वोर्वनकुञ्जरयोरिव॥
Sanjaya said Hear, O king, how the battle between Karna and Bhima raged like that between two elephants desirous of slaughtering each other in the forest.
राजन् वैकर्तनो भीमं क्रुद्धः क्रुद्धमरिंदमम्। पराक्रान्तं पराक्रम्य विव्याध त्रिंशता शरैः॥
O king, the enraged son of Vikartana then pierced with thirty arrows that chastiser of foes viz., Bhimasena who excited with rage, had been putting forth his prowess.
महावेगैः प्रसन्नाग्रैः शातकुम्भपरिष्कृतैः। अहमद् भरतश्रेष्ठं भीमं वैकर्तनः शरैः॥
O foremost of the Bharatas, Vikartana's son then wounded Bhima with many shafts of keen points and great impetuosity and decked with gold.
तस्यास्यतो धनुर्भीमश्चकर्त निशितैसिभिः। रथानीडाच यन्तारं भल्लेनापतयत् क्षितौ।॥
But when Karna was engaged in wounding him, Bhima cut-off his bow with three sharp shafts and then with a Bhalla felled his charioteer from the niche on the car.
स काङ्क्षन् भीमसनेसर वधं वैकर्तनो भृशम्। शक्तिं कनकवैदूर्यचित्रदण्डां परामृशत्॥
Thereupon Vikartana's son longing to compass the slaughter of Bhimasena, took a lance with a staff variegated with gold and lapises.
प्रगृह्य च महाशक्तिं कालशक्तिमिवापराम्। समुत्क्षिप्य च राधेयः संधाय च महाबलः॥
Taking up that fierce lance that resembled a second dart of Death and tilting it and aiming it, the powerful son of Radha.
चिक्षेप भीमसेनाय जीवितान्तकरीमिव। शक्तिं विसृज्य राधेयः पुरंदर इवाशनिम्॥
Hurled it at Bhimasena, charging it with a force capable of taking out Bhima's life. Then like Indra hurling the bolt of heaven, hurling that lance, the son of Radha.
नवाद सुमहानादं बलवान् सूतनन्दनः। तं च नादं ततः श्रुत्वा पुत्रास्ते हर्षिताऽभवन्॥
That puissant descendant of a charioteer's race, uttered a loud roar; and then your sons hearing that loud shout uttered by Karna, became filled with delight.
तां कर्णभुजनिर्मुक्तामकैवैश्वानरप्रभाम्। शक्तिं वियति चिच्छेद भीमः सप्तभिराशुगैः॥
But as that lance of the radiance of fire or the sun was coursing through the skies, Bhima cut it off with seven swift-arrows.
छित्त्वा शक्तिं ततो भीमो निर्मुक्तोरगसंनिभाम्। मार्गमाण इव प्राणान् सूतपुत्रस्य मारिष॥
Cutting off that lance resembling a snake just freed from its slough, Bhima, O sire, as if looking out for the opportunity of wrenching the life-breaths out of Suta's son.
प्राहिणोत् कृतसंरम्भः शरान् बहिणवाससः। स्वर्णपुङ्खाशिलाधौतान् यमदण्डोपमान् मृधे॥
Wrathfully pierced the latter with many arrows furnished with wings of peacock's feathers or of gold and whetted on stone and resembling darts of Death.
कर्णोऽप्यपद् धनुर्गृह्य हेमपृष्ठं दुरासदम्। विकृष्य तन्महचापं व्यसृजत् सायकांस्तदा॥
Karna also then taking up another terrible bow of golden staff, began to stretch it; and then that highly energetic one began to discharge arrows at Bhima.
तान् पाण्डुपुत्रश्चिच्छेद नवभिनतपर्वभिः। वसुषेणेन निर्मुक्तान् इव राजन् महाशरान्॥
But the son of Pandu cut-off those shafts, with nine shafts of depressed knots shot by himself. Having cut-off, O foremost of men, those arrows shot by Karna.
छित्त्वा भीमो महाराज नादं सिंह इवानदत्। तौ वृषाविव नर्दन्तौ बलिनौ वासितान्तरे॥
O mighty monarch, Bhima uttered a loud war-cry. Roaring at each other like two bulls for the sake of consorting with the same cow.
शार्दूलाविव चान्योन्यमामिषार्थेऽभ्यगर्जताम्। अन्योन्यं प्रजिहीर्षन्तावन्योन्यस्यान्तरैषिणौ॥
Or like two fierce tigers for the sake of the same peace of meat; they strove vigorously to strike each other and each was desirous of finding out the laches of the other.
अन्योन्यमभिवीक्षन्तौ गोष्ठेष्विव महर्षभौ। महागजाविवासाद्य विषाणाप्रैः परस्परम्॥
Like two mighty bulls in a herd of cows, at times they looked at each other with eyes flashing rage. At another time, like two prodigious elephants striking each other with the point of their tusks.
शरैः पूर्णायतोत्सृष्टैरन्योन्यमभिजघ्नतुः। निर्दहन्तौ महाराज शस्त्रवृष्ट्या परस्परम्॥
They assailed each other with their arrows shot from their bow drawn to the fullest stretch. O king, burning each other with their arrowy shower, they put forth their prowess against each other, at the same time looking at each other in great wrath.
अन्योन्यमभिवीक्षन्तौ कोपाद् विवृतलोचनौ। प्रहसन्तौ तथान्योन्यं भर्त्सयन्तौ मुहुर्मुहुः॥
Sometimes they laughed at each other, sometimes reproached each other and sometimes blew their conchs; and in this was they went on fighting.
शङ्खशब्दं च कुर्वाणौ युयुधाते परस्परम्। तस्य भीमः पुनश्चापं मुष्टौ चिच्छेद मारिष॥ इव क्रोधाद्
Oking, then once more Bhima cut-off the bow of Karna near the grasp and with his arrows dispatched the latter's steeds of the hue of conch to the regions of Death.
शङ्खवर्णाश्च तानश्वान् बाणैर्निन्ये यमक्षयम्। सारथिं च तथाप्यस्य रथनीडादपातयत्॥
The former then felled the latter's charioteer from his niche on the car. Thereupon Vikartana's son was preyed upon by anxious thoughts.
ततो वैकर्तनः कर्णश्चिन्तां प्राप दुरत्ययाम्। स च्छाद्यमानः समरे हताश्वो हतसारथिः॥
His steeds and his charioteer slain and himself covered and compounded with a network of arrows, he knew what to do.
मोहितः शरजालेन कर्तव्यं नाभ्यपद्यत। तथा कृच्छ्रगतं दृष्ट्वा कर्ण दुर्योधनो नृपः॥
Beholding Karna in that predictment, king Duryodhana trembling in rage, addressing
वेपमान व्यादिदेशाथ दुर्जयम्। गच्छ दुर्जय राधेयं पुरो ग्रसति पाण्डवः॥
“Durjaya, hie yourself to the spot yonder where Pandu's son is on the point of devouring up as it were, the son of Radha. Slay that beardless eunuch soon and inspire strength into Karna.”
जहि तूबरकं क्षिप्रं कर्णस्य बलमादधत्। एवमुक्तस्तथेत्युक्त्वा तव पुत्रं तवात्मजः॥
Thus spoken to, your son Durjaya bowed assent to the words of your royal son saying 'So be it then;' and then he rushed at Bhimasena engaged with Karna, covering the former with his arrows.
अभ्यद्रवद् भीमसेनं व्यासक्तं विकिरज्छरैः। स भीमं नवभिर्बाणैरश्वानष्टभिरापर्यत्॥
He wounded Bhima with nine, his horses with eight, his charioteer with six, his standard with three, then again himself (Bhima) with seven shafts.
षभिः सूतं त्रिभिः केतुं पुनस्तं चापि सप्तभिः। भीमसेनोऽपि संक्रुद्धः साश्वयन्तारमाशुगैः॥
Thereat excited with wrath, Bhima dispatched Durjaya, his horses and steeds to the abode of Death, piercing them to the vitals with his arrows.
दुर्जयं भिन्नमर्माणमनयद् यमसादनम्। स्वलंकृतं क्षितौ क्षुण्णं चेष्टमानं यथोरगम्॥
Then Karna lamenting piteously circumambulated your son who decked with ornaments was then writhing like a slain snake on the earth.
रुदन्नातस्तव सुतं कर्णश्चके प्रदक्षिणम्। स तु तं विरथं कृत्वा स्मयन्नत्यन्तवैरिणम्॥
Then having made that inveterate enemy of his (Karna) carless, Bhimasena smilingly covered him with numerous arrows and made him look like a Sataghni with numerous pikes on it.
समाचिनोद बाणगणैः शतनीभिश्च शङ्कुभिः। तथाप्यतिरथः कर्णो भिद्यमानोऽस्य सायकैः॥ न जहौ समरे भीमं क्रुद्धरूपं परंतपः॥
Although thus mangled with those arrows, that slayer of foes, the Atiratha Karna, did not avoid the enraged Bhima in battle.