KARNA PARVA: Chapter 36

The conversation between Karna and Shalya

दुर्योधन उवाच अयं ते कर्णं सारथ्यं मद्रराजः करिष्यति। कृष्णादभ्यधिको यन्ता देवेशस्येव मातलिः॥
Duryodhana said O Karna, this king of Madra, superior even to Krishna, will act as your driver, like Matali, the driver of the king of gods.

यथा हरिहयैर्युक्तं संगृह्णाति स मातलिः। शल्यस्तथा तवाद्यायं संयन्ता स्थवाजिनाम्॥
As Matali manages his car drawn by the horse of Hari so will Shalya manage today your car and horses.

योधे त्वयि रथस्ये च मद्रराजे च सारथौ। संख्ये पार्थनभिभविष्यति॥
With you as the warrior on that car and the king of Madra as the charioteer it will, forsooth, defeat the Parthas in battle.

रथश्रेष्ठो ध्रुवं संजय उवाच ततो दुर्योधन भूयो मद्रराजं तरस्विनम्। उवाच राजन् संग्रामेऽध्युषिते पर्युपस्थिते॥
Sanjaya said Thereupon again in the morning Duryodhana addressed the active king of

कर्णस्य यच्छ संग्रामे मद्रराज हयोत्तमान्। त्वयाभिगुप्तो राधेयो विजेष्यति धनंजयम्॥
O king of Madra, manage in battle the excellent horses of Karna. Protected by you Karna will defeat Arjuna.

इत्युक्तो रथमास्थाय तथेति प्राह भारत। शल्येऽभ्युपगते कर्णः सारथिं सुमनाऽब्रवीत्॥ त्वं सूत स्यादनं मह्यं कल्पयेत्यसकृत् त्वरन्।
Thus addressed he expressed his consent and got upon the chariot, O Bharata. When Shalya went there, Karna, in good spirits, addressed his driver saying, O charioteer, quickly equip this car for me.

ततो जैत्रं रथवरं गन्धर्वनगरोपमम्॥ विधिवत् कल्पितं भद्रं जयेत्युक्त्वा न्यवेदयत्।
Having duly equipped that victorious car the best of its kind, which resembled the city of Gandharvas Shalya presented it to Karna, saying-“May good betide you and may you come off victorious!”

तं रथं रथिनां श्रेष्ठः कर्णोऽभ्यर्च्य यथाविधि॥ सम्पादितं ब्रह्माविदा पूर्वमेव पुरोधसा। कृत्वा प्रदक्षिणं यत्नादुपस्थाय च भास्करम्॥ समीपस्थं मद्रराजमारोह त्वमथाब्रवीत्।
Duly worshipping that car which had formerly been sanctified by a priest conversant with Brahma, going round it and worshipping the sun, Karna, the foremost of car-warriors, addressed the king of Madra, standing near him, saying-"get upon the chariot."

ततः कर्णस्य दुर्घषं स्यन्दनप्रवरं महत्॥ आरुरोह महातेजाः शल्यः सिंह इवाचलम्।
Then like a lion ascending a hill the highly energetic Shalya got upon the strong built car of Karna.

ततः शल्याश्रित दृष्ट्वा कर्णः स्वं रथमुत्तमम्॥ अध्यतिष्ठद् यथाम्भोदं विद्युत्वन्तं दिवाकरः।
Beholding Shalya stationed there Karna got upon his most excellent car like the sun riding on a mass of clouds charged with lightning.

तावेकरथमारूढावादत्याग्निसमत्विषौ॥ अभ्रजेतां यथा मेघ सूर्याग्नी सहितौ दिवि।
Seated on the same car those two horses. effulgent like the sun and fire, shone there like the sun and fire sitting together on a cloud in the sky.

संस्तूयमानो तौ वीरौ तदास्तां द्युतिमत्तसौ॥ ऋत्विक्सदस्यैरिन्द्राग्नी स्तूयमानाविवाध्वरे।
Eulogised those two highly effulgent heroes shone like Indra and Agni (fire-god) adored with hymns in a sacrifice by Ritvikas and Sadasyas.

स शल्यसंगृहीताश्वे रथे कर्णः स्थितो बभौ॥ धनुर्विस्फारयन् घोरं परिवेषीव भास्करः।
Shalya holding the reins of the horses Karna stood on that car stretching his dreadful bow like the sun enveloped with a circular light.

आस्थितः स स्थश्रेष्ठं कर्णः शरगभस्तिमान्।॥ प्रबभौ पुरुषव्याघ्रौ मन्दरस्थ इवांशुमान्।
Stationed on that best of cars Karna, the foremost of men, with the rays of his shafts, looked like the sun on the mount Mandara.

तं रथस्थं महाबाहुं युद्धायामिततेजसम्॥ दुर्योधनस्तु राधेयमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्। अकृतं द्रोणभीष्माभ्यां दुष्करं कर्म संयुगे॥ कुरुष्वाधिरथे वीर मिषतां सर्वधन्विनाम्।
Duryodhana invited to battle that mighty armed son of Radha of incomparable energy stationed on the car saying-O hero, O carwarrior, do you perform in the presence of all bond men an action, hard of accomplishment which had not been performed even by Bhishma and Drona.

मनोगतं मम ह्यासीद् भीष्मद्रोणौ महारथौ॥ अर्जुनं भीमसेनं च निहन्ताराविति ध्रुवम्।
I had always thought that those two mighty car-warriors Bhishma and Drona would kill, without any doubt, Bhima and Arjuna.

ताभ्यां यदकृतं वीर वीरकर्म महामृधे॥ तत् कर्म कुरु राधेय वज्रपाणिरिवापरः।
Like the second wielder of thunderbolt do you accomplish that heroic feat in the great battle which had not been performed by them.

गृहाण धर्मराजं वा जहि वा त्वं धनंजयम्॥ भीमसेनं च राधेय माद्रीपुत्रौ यमावपि।
Either attack the pious Yudhishthira or kill Arjuna and Bhima, O son of Radha and the twin sons of Madri.

जयश्च तेऽस्तु भद्रं ते प्रयाहि पुरुषर्षभ॥ पाण्डुपुत्रस्य सैन्यानि कुरु सर्वाणि भस्मसात्।
Many blessings and victory attend you. Start for battle, O foremost of men, consume the arıny of the Pandavas.

ततस्तूर्यसहस्राणि भेरीणामयुतानि च॥ वाद्यमानान्यराजन्त मेघशब्दो यथा दिवि।
Ten thousands of trumpets and ten thousand drums simultaneously struck and produced a sound resembling the muttering of clouds in the sky.

प्रतिगृह्य तु तद् वाक्यं रथस्थो रथसत्तमः॥ अभ्यभाषत राधेयः शल्यं युद्धविशारदम्। चोदयाश्वान महाबाहो यावद्धन्मि धनंजयम्॥ भीमसेनं यमौ चौभौ राजानं च युधिष्ठिरम्।
Accepting his words that foremost of carwarriors, the son of Radha stationed on the car, said to Shalya, an expert in fighting. Drive the horses on, O great heroes so that I may kill Arjuna, Bhima, the twins and Yudhishthira.

अद्य पश्यतु मे शल्य बाहुवीर्यं धनंजयः॥ अस्यतः कङ्कपत्राणां सहस्राणि शतानि च।
O Shalya, Arjuna will witness today the strength of my arms when I will discharge hundreds and thousands of Kanka feather were arrows.

अद्य क्षेप्स्याम्यहं शल्यं शरान् परमतेजनान्॥ पाण्डवानां विनाशाय दुर्योधनजयाय च।
I will shoot today, O Shalya, powerful arrows for destroying the Pandavas and securing victory for Duryodhana.

शल्य उवाच सूतपुत्र कथं नु त्वं पाण्डवानवमन्यसे॥ सर्वास्त्रज्ञान महेष्वासान् सर्वानेव महाबलम्। अनुवर्तिनो महाभागानजय्यान् सत्यविक्रमान्॥
Shalya said O son of a charioteer, why do you make light of the sons of Pandu who are all very powerful, great bow men and experts in the use of other weapons. They never retreat from battle, fortunate, unconquerable and are of great prowess.

अपि संतनयेयुर्धे भयं साक्षाच्छतक्रतोः। यदा श्रोष्यसि निर्घोषं विस्फूर्जितमिवाशनेः॥ राधेय गाण्डिवस्याजौ तदा नैवं वदिष्यसि।
They are capable of striking fear even into the heart of Indra himself. O son of Radha, when you will hear the twang of his Gandiva bow in battle like the peal of the thunder itself you will not give vent to such words.

यदा द्रक्ष्यसि भीमेन कुञ्जरानीकमाहवे॥ विशीर्णदन्तं निहतं तदा नैवं वदिष्यसि।
When you will see Bhimsena killed elephants with their riders by serially splitting their teeth in the battle-field, your tongue will dcfinitely pause saying anything otherwise,

यदा द्रक्ष्यसि संग्रामे धर्मपुत्रं यमौ तथा॥ शितैः पृषत्कैः कुर्वाणानभ्रच्छायामिवाम्बरे। अस्यतः क्षिण्वतश्चारील्लँघुहस्तान् दुरासदान्। पार्थिवानपि चान्यास्त्वं तदा नैवं वदिष्यसि॥
When you will see Yudhishthira and the twins making a canopy with their sharpened shafts like that of clouds in the sky and other irrepressible kings all light-handed, shooting arrows reducing the number of their enemies you will not speak such words.

संजय उवाच अनाद्दत्य तु तद् वाक्यं मद्रराजेन भाषितम्। याहीत्येवाब्रवीत् कर्णो मद्रराजं तरस्विनम्॥
Sanjaya said Disregarding the words spoken by the king of Madra Karna said to him who was greatly active-"go on". Sanjaya said Disregarding the words spoken by the king of Madra Karna said to him who was greatly active-"go on".