KARNA PARVA: Chapter 63

Escaping of Yudhishthira

संजय उवाच कर्णोपि शरजालेन केकयानां महारथान्। व्यधमत् परमेष्वासानग्रतः पर्यवस्थितान्॥
Sanjaya said Karna, with a net-work of arrows, struck the mighty car-warrior, the great bowman of the Kekaya race who all stood before him.

तेषां प्रयतमानानां राधेयस्य निवारणे। रथान् पञ्चशतान् कर्णः प्राहिणोद् यमसादनम्॥
Five hundred heroes who withstood him in battle were killed by Karna.

अविषह्यं ततो दृष्ट्वा राधेयं युधि योधिनः। भीमसेनमुपागच्छन् कर्णबाणप्रपीडिताः॥
Thereupon seeing the son of Radha irrepressible in battle all those warriors, assailed by Karna's shafts, approached Bhimasena.

रथनीकं विदार्यैव शरजालैरनेकधा। कर्ण एकरथेनैव युधिष्ठिरमुपाद्रवत्॥ सेनानिवेशमार्छन्त मार्गणैः क्षतविक्षतम्। यमयोर्मध्यगं वीरं शनैर्यान्तं विचेतसम्॥
Dispersing that car-force with his arrows Karna, in a chariot, pursued the heroic Yudhishthira, who, then wounded with arrows and almost unconscious, slowly proceeding towards encampment between the twins.

समासाद्य तु राजानं दुर्योधनहितेप्सया। सूतपुत्रस्त्रिभिस्तीक्ष्णैर्विव्याध परमेषुभिः॥ तथैव राजा राधेयं प्रत्यविध्यत् स्तनान्तरे। शरैस्त्रिभिश्च यन्तारं चतुर्भिश्चतुरो हयान्॥
Approaching the king, the car-warrior's son, with a desire to do good to Duryodhana, struck him with three highly powerful sharpened arrow, his charioteer with three and his horses with four. was

चक्ररक्षौ तु पार्थस्य माद्रीपुत्रौ परंतपौ। तावप्यधावतां कर्ण राजानं मा वधीरिति॥
The two sons of Madri protected the sides of Yudhishthira and then they ran towards Karna so that he might not kill the king.

तौ पृथक् शरवर्षाभ्यां राधेयमभ्यवर्षताम्। नकुलः सहदेवश्च परमं यत्नमास्थितौ॥
Then the highly careful Nakula and Sahadeva severally covered Karna with a downpour of arrows.

तथैव तौ प्रत्यविध्यत् सूतपुत्रःप्रतापवान्। भल्लाभ्यां शितधाराभ्यां महात्मानावरिंदमौ॥
Then his highly powerful son of the charioteer struck those high-souled and victorious heroes with sharpened darts.

दन्तवर्णांस्तु राधेयो निजघान मनोजवान्। युधिष्ठिरस्य संग्रामे कालवालान् हयोत्तमान्॥
Then in the battle Radha's son killed Yudhishthira's most excellent horses white as the teeth, quick-coursing like the mind and having black tails.

ततोऽपरेण भल्लेन शिरस्त्राणमपातयत्। कौन्तेयस्य महेष्वासः प्रहसन्निव सूतजः॥
The as if smiling the charioteer's son, a great bowman himself, struck down with another Bhalla the crown of the son of Kunti.

तथैव नकुलस्यापि हयान् हत्वा प्रतापवान्। ईषां धनुश्च चिच्छेद माद्रीपुत्रस्य धीमतः॥
Having killed then Nakula's horses the powerful (Karna) sundered the bow and arrows of the intelligent son of Madri.

तौ हताश्वौ हतरथौ पाण्डवौ भृशविक्षतौ। भ्रातरावारुरुहतुः सहदेवरथं तदा॥
Then those sons of Pandu, the two brothers (Yudhishthira and Nakula) greatly wounded, got upon Sahadeva's car after their horses and car had been destroyed.

तौ दृष्ट्वा मातुलस्तत्र विरथौ परवीरहा। अभ्यभाषत राधेयं मद्रराजोऽनुकम्पया॥
Seeing them deprived of their cars, their maternal uncle, the king of Madra and slayer of inimical heroes, out of compassion said to Karna.

योद्धव्यमद्य पार्थेन फाल्गुनेन त्वया सह। किमर्थ धर्मराजेन युध्यसे भृशरोषितः॥
"You are to fight today with Pandu's son, Phalguna. Why do you, irate, then fight with the pious king Yudhishthira?

क्षीणशस्त्रास्त्रकवचः क्षीणबाणो विबाणधिः। श्रान्तसारथिवाहश्च च्छन्नोऽस्त्रैररिभिस्तथा।॥ पार्थमासाद्य राधेय उपहास्यो भविष्यसि।
With your weapons exhausted, the coat of mail mutilated, arrows reduced and without quiver, with your horses and charioteer worn out with fatigue and yourself wounded with shafts by the enemies, when you will encounter Partha, O son of Radha, you will be a butt of ridicule.

एवमुक्तोऽपि कर्णस्तु मद्रराजेन संयुगे॥ तथैव कर्णः संरब्धो युधिष्ठिरमताडयत्। शरैस्तीक्ष्णैः पराविध्य माद्रीपुत्रौ च पाण्डवौ॥ प्रहस्य समरे कर्णश्चकार विमुखं शरैः।
Although accosted thus by the king of Madra in the battle-field, still Karna, worked up with anger, pursued Yudhishthira. Having wounded then greatly with sharpened arrows the sons begotten on Madri by Pandu, Karna smiling made (the king) turn his face with arrows in battle.

ततः शल्यः प्रहस्येदं कर्ण पुनरुवाच ह॥ रथस्थमतिसंरब्धं युधिष्ठिरवधे धृतम्।
Thereupon, Shalya, smiling again said to Karna, who was on the car, worked up with anger and bent upon killing Yudhishthira.

यदर्थ धार्तराष्टैण सततं मानितो भवान्॥ तं पार्थ जहि राधेय किं ते हत्वा युधिष्ठिरम्।
"O son of Radha, leaving aside Partha, for whom you are always honored by the son of Dhritarashtra, what will you reap by killing Yudhishthira?

शङ्खयोर्ध्यायतोः शब्दः सुमहाने कृष्णयोः॥ श्रूयते चापघोषोऽयं प्रावृषीवाम्बुदस्य ह।
Here is the great blare of the conchs blown by the two Krishnas. And here is being heard the twang of his bow like the muttering of clouds in the rainy season.

असौ निघ्नन् रथोदारानर्जुनः शरवृष्टिभिः॥ सर्वा ग्रसति नः सेनां कर्ण पश्यैनमाहवे।
Behold O Karna, having slain all our carwarriors in battle with a net work of arrows, Arjuna is devouring our entire army.

पृष्ठरक्षौ च शूरस्य युधामन्युत्तमौजसौ॥ उत्तरं चास्य वै शूरश्चक्रं रक्षति सात्यकिः। धृष्टद्युम्नस्तथा चास्य चक्रं रक्षति दक्षिणम्॥
The rear of the hero is being protected Yudhamanyu and Uttamajasa. And Satyaki is protecting his wheel on the north. Dhristadyumna is guarding his wheel in the south.

भीमसेनश्च वै राज्ञा धार्तराष्ट्रेण युध्यते। यथा न हन्यात्तं भीमः सर्वेषां नोऽद्य पश्यताम्॥ तथा राधेय क्रियतां राजा मुच्येत नो यथा।
Bhimasena is fighting with the king Duryodhana. Look to it today, O Karna, so that Bhima may not kill the king in our very presence and he may escape him.

पश्यैनं भीमसेनेन ग्रस्तमाहवशोभिनम्॥ यदि त्वासाद्य मुच्येत विस्मयः सुमहान् भवेत्।
Behold he has been overpowered by Bhimasena, a beauty of the battle field. It will be a great wonder if you can release him.

परित्राोनमभ्येत्य संशयं परमं गतम्॥ किं नु माद्रीसुतौ हत्वा राजानं च युधिष्ठिरम्।
Go there and rescue the king for he has been overtaken by a great danger. What will you gain by killing the two sons of Madra and the king Yudhishthira?

इति शल्यवचः श्रुत्वा राधेयः पृथिवीपते॥ दृष्ट्वा दुर्योधनं चैव भीमग्रस्तं महाहवे। राजगृद्धी भृशं चैव शल्यवाक्यप्रचोदितः॥ अजातशत्रुमुत्सृज्य माद्रीपुत्रौ च पाण्डवौ। तव पुत्रं परित्रातुमभ्यधावत वीर्यवान्।॥
Hearing the words of the king Shalya and seeing Duryodhana overpowered by Bhima in that great battle, Karna, worked up with the words of Shalya and anxious to save the king, left the king Yudhishthira who has no enemies and the two sons of Madri and hurried on for rescuing your son.

मद्रराजप्रणुदितैरश्वैराकाशगैरिव। गते कर्णे तु कौन्तेयः पाण्डुपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः॥ अपायाजवनैरश्वैः सहदेवश्च मारिष।
O king, After Karna's departure, Yudhishthira, begotten by Pandu of Kunti left the battle-field, born by the quick-coursing horses of Sahadeva.

ताभ्यां स सहितस्तूर्णं वीडन्निव नरेश्वरः॥ प्राप्य सेनानिवेशं त मार्गणैः क्षतविक्षतः अवतीर्णो रथातूर्णमाविशच्छयनं शुभम्॥
Guarded by the twins the king quickly returned to his camp in shame. His body was covered with wounds of arrows. He got down from the car and sat on his best seat.

अपनीतशल्यः सुभृशं हृच्छल्याभिनिपीडितः। सोऽब्रवीभ्रातरौ राजा माद्रीपुत्रौ महारथौ॥
The arrows were then taken out of his person and the king, filled with sorrow, said to his twin brothers the great car-warriors, the powerful sons of Madri.

अनीकं भीमसेनस्य पाण्डवावाशु गच्छताम्। जीमूत इव नद॑स्तु युध्यते स वृकोदरः॥
O sons of Pandu! Both of you should join immediately the army where Bhimasena is stood. Bhimasena is fighting there with challenge as loud as the cloud.

ततोऽन्यं रथमास्थाय नकुलो रथपुङ्गवः। सहदेवश्च तेजस्वी भ्रातरौ शत्रुकर्षणौ॥ तुरगैरर्य्यरहोभिर्यात्वा भीमस्य शुष्मिणौ। अनीकैः सहितौ तत्र भ्रातरौ समवस्थितौ॥
Nakula, the great chariot holder and valorous Sahadeva just then rode of their chariots and joined Bhimasena immediately. They began fighting after joining the army led by Bhimasena.