01.181
Core-Pancharatra: Bhima and Arjuna repulse the angered kings.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
ajināni vidhunvantaḥ karakāṁś ca dvijarṣabhāḥ। ūcus taṁ bhīr na kartavyā vayaṁ yotsyāmahe parān ॥1-181-1॥
The foremost of the twice-born, shaking off their deerskins and staffs, said to him: "Do not be afraid; we will fight the enemies."
tānevaṃ vadato viprānarjunaḥ prahasanniva। uvāca prekṣakā bhūtvā yūyaṃ tiṣṭhata pārśvataḥ ॥1-181-2॥
Arjuna, smiling, addressed the brāhmaṇas who were speaking: "You, having become spectators, stand aside."
aham enān ajihmāgraiḥ śataśo vikirañ śaraiḥ। vārayiṣyāmi saṅkruddhān mantrair āśīviṣān iva॥1-181-3॥
I will ward off these enraged ones, scattering them by hundreds with straight-pointed arrows, just as serpents are repelled by mantras.
iti taddhanur-ādāya śulkāvāptaṃ mahārathaḥ। bhrātrā bhīmena sahitas tasthau girir ivācalah ॥1-181-4॥
Thus, having taken that bow and having obtained the bride-price, the great chariot-warrior stood with his brother Bhīma, firm as an immovable mountain.
tataḥ karṇamukhān kruddhān kṣatriyāṃs tān ruṣotthitān। sampetatur abhītau tau gajau pratigajān iva॥1-181-5॥
Then, those two fearless ones rushed at those angry warriors, arisen from wrath, towards their ears and faces, like elephants against other elephants.
ūcuś ca vācaḥ paruṣās te rājāno jighāṃsavaḥ। āhave hi dvijasya api vadho dṛṣṭo yuyutsataḥ॥1-181-6॥
Those kings, intent on killing, spoke harsh words. In battle, it is indeed seen that even a brāhmaṇa who wishes to fight may be killed.
tato vaikartanaḥ karṇo jagāmārjunamojasā। yuddhārthī vāśitāhetorgajaḥ pratigajaṃ yathā ॥1-181-7॥
Then Karna, the son of Vikartana, energetically approached Arjuna, eager for battle, like an elephant charging at another elephant for food.
bhīmasenaṃ yayau śalyo madrāṇām īśvaro balī। duryodhanādayas tv anye brāhmaṇaiḥ saha saṅgatāḥ ॥ mṛdupūrvamayatnena pratyayudhyaṃs tadāhave ॥
Śalya, the powerful king of the Madras, advanced towards Bhīmasena. Meanwhile, Duryodhana and the others, together with the Brāhmaṇas, joined forces and fought back in that battle gently and without exertion.
tato'rjunaḥ pratyavidhyadāpatantaṃ tribhiḥ śaraiḥ। karṇaṃ vaikartanaṃ dhīmānvikṛṣya balavaddhanuḥ ॥1-181-9॥
Then Arjuna, wise and resolute, drew his mighty bow and struck the advancing Karna, son of Vikartana, with three arrows.
teṣāṃ śarāṇāṃ vegena śitānāṃ tigmatejasām। vimuhyamāno rādheyo yatnāt tam anudhāvati ॥1-181-10॥
Bewildered by the speed of those sharp and keenly bright arrows, Rādheya (Karna) makes an effort to pursue him.
tāvubhāv apyanirdeśyau lāghavāj jayatāṃ varau। ayudhyetāṃ susaṃrabdhāv anyonyavijayeṣiṇau ॥1-181-11॥
Those two, both of whom were indescribable due to their swiftness and were the best among the victorious, fought with great fury, each seeking victory over the other.
kṛte pratikṛtaṃ paśya paśya bāhubalaṃ ca me। iti śūrārthavacanairābhāṣetāṃ parasparam ॥1-181-12॥
When one act was done, the other was reciprocated; 'See, see my strength of arm!'—thus, with words of heroic intent, they addressed each other.
tato'rjunasya bhujayor vīryam apratimaṃ bhuvi। jñātvā vaikartanaḥ karṇaḥ saṃrabdhaḥ samayodhayat ॥1-181-13॥
Then, realizing the unparalleled strength of Arjuna's arms on earth, Karna, the son of Vikartana, angrily challenged him to battle.
arjunena prayuktāṃs tān bāṇān vegavatas tadā। pratihatya nanādo uccaiḥ sainyāḥ tam abhipūjayan ॥1-181-14॥
Then, having repelled those swift arrows shot by Arjuna, the armies roared loudly and honored him.
karṇa uvāca॥
Karṇa said.
tuṣyāmi te vipramukhya bhujavīryasya saṃyuge। aviṣādasya caivāsya śastrāstravinayasya ca ॥1-181-15॥
I am pleased with you, O foremost of Brāhmaṇas, for your strength in battle, your steadfastness, and your discipline in the use of weapons and missiles.
kiṃ tvaṃ sākṣāddhanurvedo rāmo vā viprasattama| atha sākṣāddharihayaḥ sākṣādvā viṣṇuracyutaḥ ॥1-181-16॥
Are you yourself the very science of archery, or Rama, O best of Brahmins? Or are you directly Hari's steed, or even Viṣṇu the infallible himself?
ātmapracchādanārthaṃ vai bāhuvīryamupāśritaḥ। viprarūpaṃ vidhāyedaṃ tato māṃ pratiyudhyase ॥1-181-17॥
Indeed, for the purpose of hiding your true self, you have taken on the strength of the arm and assumed this Brāhmaṇa form; thus, you now fight against me.
na hi māmāhave kruddhamanyaḥ sākṣācchacīpateḥ। pumānyodhayituṃ śaktaḥ pāṇḍavādvā kirīṭinaḥ॥1-181-18॥
Indeed, no one else, not even Indra himself, can fight with me in battle when I am angry, except for the Pāṇḍava, the one with the crown (Arjuna).
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
tam evaṃvādinam tatra phalgunaḥ pratyabhāṣata। nāsmi karṇa dhanurvedo nāsmi rāmaḥ pratāpavān॥ brāhmaṇo'smi yudhāṃ śreṣṭhaḥ sarvaśastrabhṛtāṃ varaḥ॥1-181-19॥
To him who spoke thus, Phalguna (Arjuna) replied: "I am not Karna, the master of archery, nor am I Rama (Parashurama), the mighty. I am a Brahmin, the best among warriors, the foremost among all wielders of weapons."
brāhme paurandare cāstre niṣṭhito guruśāsanāt। sthito'smyadya raṇe jetuṃ tvāṃ vīrāvicalo bhava ॥1-181-20॥
I am established in the weapons of Brahmā and Purandara, as instructed by my teacher, and today I stand in battle to defeat you. O hero, remain steadfast and unshaken.
evam-uktas tu rādhēyo yuddhāt karṇo nyavartata। brahmaṃ tejas tad ājayyaṃ manyamāno mahārathaḥ ॥1-181-21॥
Thus addressed, Karna, the son of Radha, withdrew from the battle, believing that the divine splendor was invincible.
yuddhaṃ tūpeyatus tatra rājañ śalya-vṛkodarau। balinau yugapad-mattau spardhayā ca balena ca॥1-181-22॥
O king, Śalya and Vṛkodara, both strong and intoxicated, approached the battle there at the same time, driven by rivalry and strength.
anyonyam āhvayantau tau mattāv iva mahāgajau। muṣṭibhir jānubhiś caiva nighnantau itaretaram॥ muhūrtaṃ tau tathā anyonyam samare paryakarṣatām॥1-181-23॥
Those two, like intoxicated great elephants, challenged each other and struck one another with fists and knees; for a moment, they dragged each other around in battle.
tato bhīmaḥ samutkṣipya bāhubhyāṃ śalyamāhave। nyavadhīdbalināṃ śreṣṭho jahasurbrāhmaṇāstataḥ ॥1-181-24॥
Then Bhīma, the mightiest among the strong, lifted Śalya with both arms in battle and killed him. The Brāhmaṇas then rejoiced.
tatrāścaryaṃ bhīmasenaś cakāra puruṣarṣabhaḥ। yac chalyaṃ patitaṃ bhūmau nāhanad balinaṃ balī॥1-181-25॥
There, Bhīmasena, the foremost among men, performed a wondrous act: though Śalya, the mighty, had fallen to the ground, the powerful Bhīma did not strike him.
pātite bhīmasenena śalye karṇe ca śaṅkite। śaṅkitāḥ sarvarājānaḥ parivavruḥ vṛkodaram ॥1-181-26॥
When Śalya was struck down by Bhīmasena and Karna was alarmed, all the kings, being alarmed, surrounded Vṛkodara (Bhīma).
ūcuś ca sahitās tatra sādhv ime brāhmaṇaṛṣabhāḥ। vijñāyantāṃ kvajanmānaḥ kvanivāsās tathaiva ca ॥1-181-27॥
Then, together at that place, these eminent Brāhmaṇas said: "Let it be known where the births are, where the residences are, and likewise."
ko hi rādhāsutaṃ karmaṃ śakto yodhayituṃ raṇe। anyatra rāmāddroṇādvā kṛpādvāpi śaradvataḥ ॥1-181-28॥
Who indeed is capable of contending with Karna, the son of Radha, in battle, except for Rāma, Droṇa, or even Kṛpa, the son of Śaradvat?
kṛṣṇādvā devakīputrātfalgunādvā parantapāt। ko vā duryodhanaṃ śaktaḥ pratiyodhayituṃ raṇe ॥1-181-29॥
Whether from Kṛṣṇa, the son of Devakī, or from Phalguna, the scorcher of foes, who indeed is capable of opposing Duryodhana in battle?
tathaiva madrarājānaṃ śalyaṃ balavatāṃ varam। baladevādr̥te vīrātpāṇḍavādvā vr̥kodarāt ॥1-181-30॥
Likewise, Śalya, the king of Madra, who is the best among the strong, is not to be surpassed except by Baladeva, or by a hero among the Pāṇḍavas, or by Vṛkodara (Bhīma).
kriyatām avahāraḥ asmād yuddhāt brāhmaṇa-saṃyutāt। atha enān upalabhya iha punar yotsyāmahe vayam ॥1-181-31॥
Let us withdraw from this battle with the Brāhmaṇas; then, when we find these enemies here again, we shall fight them.
tat-karma bhīmasya samīkṣya kṛṣṇaḥ; kuntī-sutau tau pariśaṅkamānaḥ। nivārayāmāsa mahī-patīṃs-tāndharmeṇa labdhety-anunīya sarvān ॥1-181-32॥
Having observed that act of Bhīma, Kṛṣṇa, suspecting the two sons of Kuntī, restrained those kings, persuading all by saying "it is obtained by righteousness".
ta evaṃ saṃnivṛttās tu yuddhād yuddhaviśāradāḥ। yathāvāsaṃ yayuḥ sarve vismitā rājasattamāḥ ॥1-181-33॥
Thus, all the best of kings, skilled in battle, withdrew from the fight and, astonished, returned to their respective abodes.
vṛtto brahmottaro raṅgaḥ pāñcālī brāhmaṇair vṛtā। iti bruvantaḥ prayayur ye tatrāsan samāgatāḥ ॥1-181-34॥
It happened that in the arena, Panchali was chosen by the Brahmins. Thus, those assembled there said this and departed.
brāhmaṇais tu praticchannau rauravājinavāsibhiḥ। kṛcchreṇa jagmatus tatra bhīmasenadhanañjayau ॥1-181-35॥
Bhīmasena and Arjuna, disguised by Brāhmaṇas clad in raurava deer-skin garments, made their way there with great difficulty.
vimuktau janasaṃbādhāc chatrubhiḥ parivikṣatau। kṛṣṇayānugatau tatra nṛvīrau tau virejatuḥ॥1-181-36॥
Freed from the crowd and surrounded by enemies, those two heroic men, following Krishna's path, shone there.
teṣāṃ mātā bahuvidhaṃ vināśaṃ paryacintayat। anāgacchatsu putreṣu bhaikṣakāle'tigacchati ॥1-181-37॥
Their mother thought of various calamities. As her sons did not return, the time for receiving alms was passing by.
dhārtarāṣṭrair hatā na syur vijñāya kurupuṅgavāḥ। māyānvitair vā rakṣobhiḥ sughorair dṛḍhavairibhiḥ ॥1-181-38॥
The foremost of the Kurus would not be slain by the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra knowingly, nor by demons endowed with powerful illusions and fierce, steadfast enmity.
viparītaṃ mataṃ jātaṃ vyāsasyāpi mahātmanaḥ। ityevaṃ cintayāmāsa sutasnehānvitā pṛthā ॥1-181-39॥
Pṛthā, filled with affection for her son, thought thus: "Even the great-souled Vyāsa's opinion has turned contrary."
mahaty athāparāhṇe tu ghnaiḥ sūrya ivāvṛtaḥ। brāhmaṇaiḥ prāviśat tatra jiṣṇur brahmapuraskṛtaḥ ॥1-181-40॥
Then, in the great afternoon, the victorious one, preceded by Brāhmaṇas, entered there, like the Sun covered by clouds.
