KARNA PARVA: Chapter 62

Dreadful battle

संजय उवाच ततः श्वेताश्वसंयुक्ते नारायणसमाहिते। तिष्ठन् रथवरे श्रीमानर्जुनः समपद्यत॥
Sanjaya said Then on that best of cars drawn by white horses and driven by Narayana himself the beautiful Arjuna arrived there.

तद् बलं नृपतिश्रेष्ठ तावकं विजयो रणे। व्यक्षोभयदुदीर्णाश्वं महोदधिमिवानिलः॥
As the wind agitates a great ocean so Vijaya overpowered your army, O foremost of kings, abounding in horse-men.

दुर्योधनस्तव सुतः प्रमत्ते श्वेतवाहने। अभ्येत्य सहसा क्रुद्धः सैन्यार्धेनाभिसंवृतः॥ पर्यवारयदायान्तं युधिष्ठिरममर्षणम्। क्षुरप्राणां त्रिसप्तत्या ततोऽविध्यत पाण्डवम्॥
While (Arjuna) the rider of white horses was a little careless your son Duryodhana, worked up with anger and surrounded by his soldiers, came there all on sudden and encompassed the revengeful Yudhishthira. He then struck Yudhishthira with seventy-three razor-shaped arrows.

अक्रुध्यत भृशं तत्र कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः। स भल्लास्त्रिशतस्तूर्णं तव पुत्रे न्यवेशयत्॥
At that Kunti's son Yudhishthira was greatly worked up with anger. He quickly struck your son with thirty darts.

ततोऽधावन्त कौरव्या जिघृक्षन्तो युधिष्ठिरम्। दुष्टभावान् पाराज्ज्ञात्वा समवेता महारथाः॥ आजग्मुस्तं परीप्सन्त:कुन्तीपुत्रं युधिष्ठिरम्।
Then the Kuru soldiers rushed against Yudhishthira for seized him. Then apprised of the evil intention of the enemies the great carwarriors came there in a body for rescuing Kunti's son Yudhishthira.

धृष्टद्युम्नश्च पार्षतः॥ अक्षौहिण्या परिवृतास्तेऽभ्यधावन् युधिष्ठिरम्।
Encircled by an Akshauhini of soldiers Nakula, Sahadeva, Dhristadyumna and Parshata advanced towards Yudhishthira.

भीमसेनश्च समरे मृदनंस्तव महारथान्॥ अभ्यधावदभिप्रेप्स राजानं शत्रुभिर्वृतम्।
Grinding the great car-warriors your army Bhimasena too went where Yudhishthira was surrounded by his enemies.

तांस्तु सर्वान् महेष्वासान् कर्णो वैकर्तनो नृप॥ शरवर्षेण महता प्रत्यवारयदागतान्।
Making a downpour of arrows, O king, Vikartana's son Karna obstructed alone all those great bowmen.

नकुलः सहदेवश्च शरौघान् विसृजन्तस्ते प्रेरयन्तश्च तोमरान्॥ न शेकुर्यनवन्तोऽपि राधेयं प्रतिवीक्षितुम्।
Although making a downpour of arrows, discharging Tomaras and exerting their very best they could not look at the son of Radha.

तांश्च सर्वान् महेष्वासान् सर्वशस्त्रास्त्रपारगः॥ महता शरवर्षेण राधेयः प्रत्यवारयत्।
With a huge downpour of arrows the son of Radha who had mastered all sorts of weapons withstood all those great bow men.

दुर्योधनं च विंशत्या शीघ्रमस्त्रमुदीरयन्॥ अविध्यत् तूर्णमभ्येत्य सहदेवः प्रतापवान्।
Taking up speedily his bow the nobleminded Sahadeva soon approached Duryodhana and struck him with twenty arrows.

स विद्धः सहदेवेन रराजाचलसंनिभः॥ प्रभिन्न इव मातङ्गो रुधिरेण परिप्लुतः।
Struck by Sahadeva Duryodhana, huge like a mountain, covered with blood, appeared like a maimed elephant.

दृष्ट्वा तव सुतं तत्र गाढविद्धं सुतेजनैः॥ अभ्यधावद् दृढं क्रुद्धो राधेयो रथिनां वरः।
Seeing you son sorely wounded with many powerful shafts Karna, the best of car-warriors, worth proceeded there.

दुर्योधनं तथा दृष्ट्वा शीघ्रमस्त्रमुदैरयत्॥ तेन यौधिष्ठिरं सैन्यमवधीत् पार्षतं तथा।
Beholding Duryodhana in that condition and quickly getting ready his weapon he soon struck the sons of Yudhishthira and Prishata.

ततो यौधिष्ठिरं सैन्यं वध्यमान महात्मना॥ सहसा प्राद्रवद राजन् सूतपुत्रशरार्दितम्।
Assailed with arrows by the great son of the charioteer Yudhishthira's soldiers all on a sudden fled away.

विविधा विशिखास्तत्र सम्पतन्तः परस्परम्॥ फलैः पुत्रान् समाजग्मुः सूतपुत्रधनुच्युताः।
Various sorts of arrows fell there touching one another. Those, shot off the bow of Karna, touched the wings of others with their blades.

अन्तरिक्षे शरौघाणां पततां च परस्परम्॥ संघर्षेण महाराज पावकः समजायत।
The arrows coming in contact with one another a conflagration was caused in the sky.

ततो दश दिशः कर्णः शलभैरिव यायिभिः॥ अभ्यघ्नंस्तरसा राजशरैः परशरीरगैः।
With arrows capable of piercing the bodies of the enemies and advancing quickly Karna covered the ten quarters as if with a swarm of locusts.

रक्तचन्दनसंदिग्धौ मणिहेमविभूषितौ॥ बाहू व्यत्यक्षिपत् कर्णः परमास्त्रं विदर्शयन्।
Beautiful bows shone in the arms of Karna of the colour of crimson sandal and adorned with gold and jewels.

ततः सर्वा दिशो राजन् सायकैर्विप्रमोहयन्॥ अपीडयद् भृशं कर्णो धर्मराज युधिष्ठिरम्।
Then all the quarters were shrouded with arrows. And Karna greatly assailed the righteous king Yudhishthira.

ततः क्रुद्धो महाराज धर्मपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः॥ निशितैरिषुभिः कर्णं पञ्चाशद्भिः समार्पयत्।
Then worked up with anger Kunti's son king Yudhishthira struck Karna with fifty sharpened arrows.

बाणान्धकारमभवत्तद् युद्धं घोरदर्शनम्॥ हाहाकारो महानासीत्तावकानां विशाम्पते। वध्यमाने तदा सैन्ये धर्मपुत्रेण मारिष॥
Darkened with arrows that army looked exceedingly dreadful. And your soldiers, O king, sent up piteous wails of pain.

सायकेविधैस्तीक्ष्णैःकङ्कपत्रैः शिलाशितैः। भल्लैरनेकैर्विविधैः शक्त्यृष्टिमुसलैरपि॥ यत्र यत्र स धर्मात्मा दुष्टां दृष्टिं व्यसर्जयत्। तत्र तत्र व्यशीर्यन्त तावका भरतर्षभ॥
While they were being slain by Dharma's son with various sharp Kanka-feathered arrows whetted on stone, Bhallas, Saktis and clubs. Wherever the virtuous king extended his looks all the soldiers of your party were shattered.

कर्णोऽपि भृशसंक्रुद्धो धर्मराज युधिष्ठिरम्। नाराचैरर्धचन्द्रश्च वत्सदन्तैश्च संयुगे॥ अमर्षी क्रोधनश्चैव रोषप्रस्फुरिताननः। सायकैरप्रमेयात्मा युधिष्ठिरमभिद्रवत्॥
Then Karna, greatly worked up with anger, struck Yudhishthira with winged and calf-tooth shaped arrows. Revengeful, wrathful and having his lips trembling in anger the highly energetic Karna struck Yudhishthira with arrows.

युधिष्ठिरश्चापि स तं स्वर्णपुडैः शितैः शरै। प्रहसन्निव तं कर्ण:कङ्कपत्रैः शिलाशितैः॥ उरस्यविध्यद् राजानं त्रिभिर्भल्लैश्च पाण्डवम्।
Yudhishthira too struck him with gold feathered and sharpened arrows. Karna, as if smiling, struck the Pandava king on the breast with three winged darts.

स पीडितो भृशं तेन धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः॥ उपविश्य रथोपस्थे सूतं याहीत्यचोदयत्।
Thus greatly assailed by him the pious king Yudhishthira sat down on his car and ordered his charioteer to go.

अक्रोशन्त ततः सर्वे धार्तराष्ट्राः सराजकाः॥ गृह्णीध्वमिति राजानमभ्यधावन्त सर्वशः।
Then all the soldiers of your army with their king sent up a loud war-cry saying-"seize him" and then they rushed towards the king.

ततः शताः सप्तदश केकयानां प्रहारिणाम्॥ पञ्चालैः सहिता राजन् धार्तराष्ट्रान् न्यवारयन्।
Then seventeen hundred Kekaya warriors with Panchalas obstructed the soldiers of Duryodhana.

तस्मिन सुतुमुले युद्धे वर्तमाने जनक्षये॥ दुर्योधनश्च भीमश्च समेयातां महाबलौ॥
When that dreadful and destructive battle raged on the highly powerful Duryodhana and Bhima fought with each other.