KARNA PARVA: Chapter 92

Shalya pursued from the battle-field

संजय उवाच शल्यस्तु कर्णार्जुनयोर्विमर्दे बलानि दृष्ट्वा मृदितानि बाणैः। ययौ हते चाथिरथौ पदानुगे रथेन संछिन्नपरिच्छदेन॥
Sanjaya said Seeing the soldiers assailed with shafts in the encounter between Karna and Arjuna, Shalya, worked up with anger, pursued on that car shorn of its equipment's.

निपातितस्यन्दनवाजिनागं बलं च दृष्ट्वा हतसूतपुत्रम्। दुर्योधनोऽश्रुप्रतिपूर्णनेत्रो दीनो मुहुनिःश्वसंश्चार्तरूपः॥
Seeing his army deprived of Karna and his cars, horses and elephants destroyed Duryodhana, with tears trickling down his eyes, sighed again and again in agony.

कर्णं तु शूरं पतितं पृथिव्यां शराचितं शोणितदिग्धगात्रम्। यद्दच्छया सूर्यमिवावनिस्थं दिदृक्षवः सम्परिवार्य तस्थुः॥
For seeing the brave Karna, wounded with shafts and bathed in blood lying prostrate on earth like the sun dropped from the sky the warriors came there and stood encircling the fallen hero.

प्रहृष्टवित्रस्तविषण्णाविस्मितास्तथा परे शोकहता इवाभवन्। परे त्वदीयथैषां परस्परेण यथायथैषां प्रकृतिस्तथाभवन्॥
Amongst them, belonging to your army as well as to the enemy's some showed signs of joy, some of fear, some of sorrow, some of wonder and some of grief.

प्रविद्धवर्माभरणाम्बरायुधं धनंजयेनाभिहतं महौजसम्। हतर्षभा गाव इवाजने वने॥
Hearing that the mighty Karna had been slain by Dhananjaya and his armour, ornaments, robes and weapons had been displaced, your soldiers fled away in fight like a herd of kine, overcome with fear at losing their bull.

भीमश्च भीमेन तदा स्वनेन नादं कृत्वा रोदसी: कम्पयानः। आस्फोटयन् बल्गते नृत्यते च हते कर्णे त्रायसन् धार्तराष्ट्रान्॥
Then shaking the sky with terrible shouts Bhima began to strike his arm-pits, jump and dance striking terror to the of Dhritarashtras.

तथैव राजन् सोमकाः सृञ्जयाश्च शङ्खान् दध्मुः सस्वजुश्चापि सर्वे। परस्परं क्षत्रिया हृष्टरूपाः सूतात्मजे वै निहते तदानीम्॥
The Somakas and Srinjayas also loudly blew their conchs, Seeing the charioteer's son killed all the Kshatriyas embraced one another in delight.

कृत्वा विमर्द महदर्जुनेन कर्णो हत: केसरिणेव नागः। तीर्णा प्रतिज्ञा पुरुषर्षभेण वैरस्यान्तं गतवांश्चापि पार्थः॥
After a dreadful fight Karna was killed by Arjuna as an elephant is slain by a lion. The sons best of men Arjuna thus did wreck his vengeance.

स्तूर्ण रथेनापकृतध्वजेन। दुर्योधनस्यान्तिकमेत्य राजन् सबाष्पदुःखाद् वचनं बभाषे॥
Approaching Duryodhana speedily on that car devested of standard of the king of Madras, with an aggrieved heart, said sorrowfully.

विशीर्णनागाश्वरथप्रवीरं बलं त्वदीयं यमराष्ट्रकल्पम्। नैराश्वनागैगिरिकूटकल्पैः॥
“The elephants, horses and the flowers of your army have been killed. On account of those, great car-warriors, horses and elephants, huge as mountains being destroyed your army looks like kingdom of Death.

नैतादृशं भारत युद्धमासीद् यथा तु कर्णार्जुनयोर्बभूव। ग्रस्तौहि कर्णेन समेत्य कृष्णावन्ये च सर्वे तव शत्रवो ये॥
Never before, O descendant of Bharata, such a battle had been fought as that between Karna and Arjuna. Kama assailed the two Krishnas and your other enemies.

दैवं ध्रुवं पार्थवशात् प्रवृत्तं यत् पाण्डवान् पाति हिनस्ति चास्मान्। तवार्थसिद्धयर्थकरास्तु सर्वे प्रसह्य वीरा निहता द्विषद्भिः॥
Destiny however is in favour of Partha; she is protecting the Pandavas and destroying us. Many horses, who were resolved upon encompassing your end, have been per force killed by the enemy.

कुबेरेवैवस्वतवासवानं तुल्यप्रभावा नृपते सुवीराः। वीर्येण शौर्येण बलेन तेजसा तैस्ततैस्तु युक्ता विविधैर्गुणौघैः॥ स्तवार्थकामा युधि पाण्डवैयैः। तन्मा युत्रो भारत दिष्टमेतत् पर्याश्चस त्वं न सदास्ति सिद्धिः॥
Many heroes resembling Kubera, Yama, Vasava or Varuna in energy, courage and strength, who were accomplished, unslayable and bent upon securing your object, have been killed by the Pandavas. Do not grieve, O descendant of Bharata. It is destiny. Every object is not always crowned with success."

एतद् वचो मद्रपतेर्निशम्य स्वं चाप्यनीतं मनसा निरीक्ष्य। दुर्योधन दीनमना विसंज्ञः पुनः पुनर्व्यश्वसदार्तरूपः॥
Hearing the words of the king of Madras and remembering his own misdeeds, Duryodhana, deprived of senses, sighed again and again.