04.049
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
sa śatrusenāṃ tarasā praṇudya; gāstā vijityātha dhanurdharāgryaḥ. duryodhanāyābhimukhaṃ
prayāto; bhūyo'rjunaḥ priyamājau cikīrṣan ॥04-49-1॥
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)
goṣu prayātāsu javena matsyāḥ; kkirīṭinaṃ kṛtakāryaṃ ca matvā. duryodhanāyābhimukhaṃ
prayāntaṃ; kurupravīrāḥ sahasābhipetuḥ ॥04-49-2॥
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)
teṣām anīkāni bahūni gāḍhaṃ; vyūḍhāni dṛṣṭvā bahuladhvajāni. matsyasya putraṃ dviṣatāṃ
nihantā; vairāṭim āmantrya tato'bhyuvāca ॥04-49-3॥
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)
etena tūrṇaṃ pratipādayemā; ñśvetānhayānkāñcanaraśmiyoktrān. javena sarveṇa kuru prayatna;
māsādayaitadrathasiṃhavṛndam ॥04-49-4॥
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)
gajo gajenāiva mayā durātmā; yo yoddhum-ākāṅkṣati sūtaputraḥ। tam-eva māṃ prāpaya
rāja-putra; duryodhanā-pāśraya-jāta-darpam॥04-49-5॥
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)
sa tair hayair vātajavair bṛhadbhiḥ; putro virāṭasya suvarṇakakṣyaiḥ. vidhvaṁsayan tad
rathinām anīkaṁ; tato 'vahat pāṇḍavam āji-madhye ॥04-49-6॥
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)
taṃ citraseno viśikhair vipāṭhaiḥ; saṅgrāmajit-śatru-saho jayaś ca. pratyudyayur bhāratam
āpatantaṃ; mahārathāḥ karṇam abhipsamānāḥ ॥04-49-7॥
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)
tataḥ sa teṣāṃ puruṣapravīraḥ; śarāsanārciḥ śaravegatāpaḥ। vrātān rathānām adahatsa manyur
vanaṃ yathāgniḥ kuru-puṅgavānām ॥04-49-8॥
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)
tasmiṁs tu yuddhe tumule pravṛtte; pārthaṁ vikarṇo'tirathaṁ rathena. vipāṭhavarṣeṇa
kurupravīro; bhīmena bhīmānujamāsasāda ॥04-49-9॥
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)
tato vikarṇasya dhanurvikṛṣya; jāmbūnadāgryopacitaṃ dṛḍhajyam. apātayaddhvajamasya
pramathya; chinnadhvajaḥ so'pyapayājjavena ॥04-49-10॥
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)
taṃ śātravāṇāṃ gaṇabādhitāraṃ; karmāṇi kurvāṇam amānuṣāṇi. śatrūn tapaḥ kopam amṛṣyamāṇaḥ;
samarpayat kūrmanakhena pārtham ॥04-49-11॥
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)
sa tena rājñātirathena viddho; vigāhamāno dhvajinīṃ kurūṇām. śatruntapaṃ pañcabhirāśu
viddhvā; tato'sya sūtaṃ daśabhirjaghāna ॥04-49-12॥
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)
tataḥ sa viddho bharatarṣabheṇa; bāṇena gātrāvaraṇātigena. gatāsur ājau nipapāta bhūmau;
nago nagāgrād iva vātarugṇaḥ ॥04-49-13॥
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)
rathaṛṣabhās te tu rathaṛṣabheṇa; vīrā raṇe vīratareṇa bhagnāḥ. cakam'pire vātavaśena
kāle; prakampitānīva mahāvanāni ॥04-49-14॥
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)
hatāstu pārthena narapravīrā; bhūmau yuvānaḥ suśupuḥ suveṣāḥ. vasu-pradā
vāsavatulyavīryāḥ; parājitā vāsavajena saṅkhye ॥ suvarṇakārṣṇāyasavarmanaddhā; nāgā yathā
haimavatāḥ pravṛddhāḥ ॥04-49-15॥
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)
tathā sa śatrūnsamare viniṅgh; ngāṇḍīvadhanvā puruṣapravīraḥ। cacāra saṅkhye pradiśo
diśaśca; dahannivāgnirvanamātapānte ॥04-49-16॥
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)
prakīrṇaparṇāni yathā vasante; viśātayitvāti-anilo nudan khe. tathā sapatnān vikiran
kirīṭī; cacāra saṅkhye'tiratho rathena ॥04-49-17॥
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)
śoṇāśvavāhasya hayān nihatya; vaikartana-bhrātur adīnasattvaḥ। ekena saṅgrāmajitaḥ śareṇa;
śiro jahāra atha kirīṭamālī ॥04-49-18॥
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)
tasmin hate bhrātari sūtaputro; vaikartano vīryam athādadānaḥ. pragṛhya dantāv iva
nāgarājo; maharṣabhaṃ vyāghra ivābhyadhāvat ॥04-49-19॥
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)
sa pāṇḍavaṃ dvādaśabhiḥ pṛṣatkair vaikartanaḥ śīghram upājaghāna। vivyādha gātreṣu hayāṃś
ca sarvān virāṭaputraṃ ca śaraiḥ nijaghne ॥04-49-20॥
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)
sa hastinevābhihato gajendraḥ; pragṛhya bhallān niśitān niṣaṅgāt. ākarṇapūrṇaṃ ca dhanur
vikṛṣya; vivyādha bāṇair atha sūtaputram ॥04-49-21॥
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)
athāsya bāhūruśirolalāṭaṃ; grīvāṃ rathāṅgāni parāvamardī. sthitasya bāṇairyudhi
nirbibheda; gāṇḍīvamuktairaśaniprakāśaiḥ ॥04-49-22॥
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)
sa pārthamuktair viśikhaiḥ praṇunno; gajo gajeneva jitastarasmī. vihāya saṅgrāmaśiraḥ
prayāto; vaikartanaḥ pāṇḍava-bāṇa-taptaḥ ॥04-49-23॥
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)
