04.049
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
स शत्रुसेनां तरसा प्रणुद्य; गास्ता विजित्याथ धनुर्धराग्र्यः। दुर्योधनायाभिमुखं प्रयातो;
भूयोऽर्जुनः प्रियमाजौ चिकीर्षन् ॥०४-४९-१॥
Having forcefully scattered the enemy army and prevailing over the warriors, Arjuna—the
foremost archer—then moved toward Duryodhana, again seeking to perform a pleasing deed for
him in the battle. (04-49-1)
गोषु प्रयातासु जवेन मत्स्या; न्किरीटिनं कृतकार्यं च मत्वा। दुर्योधनायाभिमुखं प्रयान्तं;
कुरुप्रवीराः सहसाभिपेतुः ॥०४-४९-२॥
When the cows had swiftly departed and the Matsyas, seeing the crowned one (Arjuna), who
had accomplished his task and was proceeding towards Duryodhana, the mighty Kurus suddenly
rushed at him. (04-49-2)
तेषामनीकानि बहूनि गाढं; व्यूढानि दृष्ट्वा बहुलध्वजानि। मत्स्यस्य पुत्रं द्विषतां निहन्ता;
वैराटिमामन्त्र्य ततोऽभ्युवाच ॥०४-४९-३॥
Having seen their many and densely arrayed divisions with numerous banners, the destroyer
of the enemies addressed Viraṭa, the son of the king of Matsya, and then spoke to him.
(04-49-3)
एतेन तूर्णं प्रतिपादयेमा; ञ्श्वेतान्हयान्काञ्चनरश्मियोक्त्रान्। जवेन सर्वेण कुरु प्रयत्न;
मासादयैतद्रथसिंहवृन्दम् ॥०४-४९-४॥
Let us quickly reach by this means; white horses yoked with golden reins. Exert every
effort with speed; attain this troop of lion-like chariots. (04-49-4)
गजो गजेनेव मया दुरात्मा; यो योद्धुमाकाङ्क्षति सूतपुत्रः। तमेव मां प्रापय राजपुत्र;
दुर्योधनापाश्रयजातदर्पम् ॥०४-४९-५॥
O prince, bring me to that wicked Karṇa, the son of the charioteer, who desires to fight
with me—like an elephant with another elephant—whose pride has arisen from reliance on
Duryodhana. (04-49-5)
स तैर्हयैर्वातजवैर्बृहद्भिः; पुत्रो विराटस्य सुवर्णकक्ष्यैः। विध्वंसयंस्तद्रथिनामनीकं;
ततोऽवहत्पाण्डवमाजिमध्ये ॥०४-४९-६॥
He, the son of Virāṭa, with those great horses having the speed of the wind and golden
harness, destroyed that array of chariot-warriors and then brought the Pāṇḍava into the
midst of the battle. (04-49-6)
तं चित्रसेनो विशिखैर्विपाठैः; सङ्ग्रामजिच्छत्रुसहो जयश्च। प्रत्युद्ययुर्भारतमापतन्तं;
महारथाः कर्णमभीप्समानाः ॥०४-४९-७॥
Him, Citrasena, Saṅgrāmajit, Śatru-saha, and Jaya, armed with sharp arrows, the great
chariot-warriors, longing to support Karna, advanced to meet the rushing Bharata (Arjuna).
(4-49-7)
ततः स तेषां पुरुषप्रवीरः; शरासनार्चिः शरवेगतापः। व्रातान्रथानामदहत्स मन्यु; र्वनं यथाग्निः
कुरुपुङ्गवानाम् ॥०४-४९-८॥
Then he, the foremost among men, his bow blazing and his arrows swift and scorching, in
his rage burned the Kuru chieftains’ chariot ranks as fire would burn a forest. (04-49-8)
तस्मिंस्तु युद्धे तुमुले प्रवृत्ते; पार्थं विकर्णोऽतिरथं रथेन। विपाठवर्षेण कुरुप्रवीरो;
भीमेन भीमानुजमाससाद ॥०४-४९-९॥
But in that tumultuous battle that had commenced, Vikarṇa, the mighty chariot-warrior of
the Kurus, with his chariot and a shower of arrows, attacked Partha (Arjuna); Bhīma
confronted Bhīma's younger brother. (04-49-9)
ततो विकर्णस्य धनुर्विकृष्य; जाम्बूनदाग्र्योपचितं दृढज्यम्। अपातयद्ध्वजमस्य प्रमथ्य;
छिन्नध्वजः सोऽप्यपयाज्जवेन ॥०४-४९-१०॥
Then, drawing Vikarṇa's bow, which was adorned at the tip with the best gold and had a
firm string, he brought down his banner after crushing it; with his banner severed, he also
swiftly departed. (04-49-10)
तं शात्रवाणां गणबाधितारं; कर्माणि कुर्वाणममानुषाणि। शत्रुन्तपः कोपममृष्यमाणः;
समर्पयत्कूर्मनखेन पार्थम् ॥०४-४९-११॥
That overcomer of enemy hosts who performed superhuman deeds, the wrathful vanquisher of
foes, unable to bear his anger, attacked Pārtha with his tortoise-like nail. (04-49-11)
स तेन राज्ञातिरथेन विद्धो; विगाहमानो ध्वजिनीं कुरूणाम्। शत्रुन्तपं पञ्चभिराशु विद्ध्वा;
ततोऽस्य सूतं दशभिर्जघान ॥०४-४९-१२॥
He, struck by that king, the great chariot-warrior, as he entered the army of the Kurus,
quickly pierced the enemy-distresser with five arrows and then struck his charioteer with
ten. (04-49-12)
ततः स विद्धो भरतर्षभेण; बाणेन गात्रावरणातिगेन। गतासुराजौ निपपात भूमौ; नगो नगाग्रादिव
वातरुग्णः ॥०४-४९-१३॥
Then he, struck by the best of the Bharatas with an arrow that pierced his body, his life
departed, fell on the battlefield to the ground, like an elephant thrown down from a
mountain-top by the wind. (04-49-13)
रथर्षभास्ते तु रथर्षभेण; वीरा रणे वीरतरेण भग्नाः। चकम्पिरे वातवशेन काले; प्रकम्पितानीव
महावनानि ॥०४-४९-१४॥
But those best of chariot-warriors were broken by the best of chariot-warriors; the heroes
in battle were shattered by a superior hero; they trembled at that time by the force of the
wind, like great forests shaken violently. (04-49-14)
हतास्तु पार्थेन नरप्रवीरा; भूमौ युवानः सुषुपुः सुवेषाः। वसुप्रदा वासवतुल्यवीर्याः; पराजिता
वासवजेन सङ्ख्ये ॥ सुवर्णकार्ष्णायसवर्मनद्धा; नागा यथा हैमवताः प्रवृद्धाः ॥०४-४९-१५॥
Slain by Arjuna, foremost among men, the young warriors, well-attired, fell asleep on the
ground. These wealth-givers, equal in might to Indra, were defeated in battle by the son of
Indra. Clad in golden and iron armor, they were like great elephants of the Himalayas.
(04-49-15)
तथा स शत्रून्समरे विनिघ्न; न्गाण्डीवधन्वा पुरुषप्रवीरः। चचार सङ्ख्ये प्रदिशो दिशश्च;
दहन्निवाग्निर्वनमातपान्ते ॥०४-४९-१६॥
Thus, Arjuna, the foremost of men and bearer of Gāṇḍīva, destroying his enemies in battle,
moved through the battle-array across all directions, like fire burning a forest at the end
of summer. (04-49-16)
प्रकीर्णपर्णानि यथा वसन्ते; विशातयित्वात्यनिलो नुदन्खे। तथा सपत्नान्विकिरन्किरीटी; चचार
सङ्ख्येऽतिरथो रथेन ॥०४-४९-१७॥
Just as in spring, a strong wind drives and scatters fallen leaves through the sky, so too
the crested great chariot-warrior moved in battle, scattering his rivals with his chariot.
(04-49-17)
शोणाश्ववाहस्य हयान्निहत्य; वैकर्तनभ्रातुरदीनसत्त्वः। एकेन सङ्ग्रामजितः शरेण; शिरो जहाराथ
किरीटमाली ॥०४-४९-१८॥
The diadem-adorned hero, undismayed in spirit, slew the red steeds of Vaikartana’s
brother, and then with a single arrow, victorious in battle, took off his head. (04-49-18)
तस्मिन्हते भ्रातरि सूतपुत्रो; वैकर्तनो वीर्यमथाददानः। प्रगृह्य दन्ताविव नागराजो; महर्षभं
व्याघ्र इवाभ्यधावत् ॥०४-४९-१९॥
When his brother was killed, Karna, the son of the charioteer (Vaikartana), seizing his
strength, grasped his weapons like the elephant king his tusks, and like a tiger attacking a
great bull, rushed forward. (4-49-19)
स पाण्डवं द्वादशभिः पृषत्कै; र्वैकर्तनः शीघ्रमुपाजघान। विव्याध गात्रेषु हयांश्च सर्वा;
न्विराटपुत्रं च शरैर्निजघ्ने ॥०४-४९-२०॥
Vaikartana (Karna) quickly attacked the Pāṇḍava with twelve arrows, piercing all the
horses in their limbs, and struck down the son of Virāṭa with arrows. (04-49-20)
स हस्तिनेवाभिहतो गजेन्द्रः; प्रगृह्य भल्लान्निशितान्निषङ्गात्। आकर्णपूर्णं च धनुर्विकृष्य;
विव्याध बाणैरथ सूतपुत्रम् ॥०४-४९-२१॥
He, like a lord of elephants struck by another elephant, having taken sharp arrowheads
from his quiver and having drawn his bow up to the ear, then pierced the charioteer's son
with arrows. (04-49-21)
अथास्य बाहूरुशिरोललाटं; ग्रीवां रथाङ्गानि परावमर्दी। स्थितस्य बाणैर्युधि निर्बिभेद;
गाण्डीवमुक्तैरशनिप्रकाशैः ॥०४-४९-२२॥
Then the subduer of foes, standing in battle, pierced with arrows shining like
lightning—loosed from the Gandiva—the arms, thighs, head, forehead, neck, and chariot parts
of his adversary. (04-49-22)
स पार्थमुक्तैर्विशिखैः प्रणुन्नो; गजो गजेनेव जितस्तरस्वी। विहाय सङ्ग्रामशिरः प्रयातो;
वैकर्तनः पाण्डवबाणतप्तः ॥०४-४९-२३॥
He, struck by Arjuna's arrows like a swift elephant defeated by another elephant, left the
forefront of the battle and departed—Vaikartana (Karna), scorched by the Pāṇḍava's shafts.
(04-49-23)
