07.003
Pancharatra and Core: Karna meets Bhishma, where he is praised as the only person who can withstand Arjuna.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
śaratalpe mahātmānaṃ śayānamamitaujasam। mahāvātasamūhena samudramiva śoṣitam ॥7-3-1॥
The great soul, lying on the bed of arrows, appeared like an ocean that has been dried up by a great mass of winds.
divyairastrairmaheṣvāsaṃ pātitaṃ savyasācinā। jayāśāṃ tava putrāṇāṃ sambhagnāṃ śarma varma ca ॥7-3-2॥
The great archer was brought down by Savyasachi using divine weapons. The hopes of victory for your sons, along with their protection and armor, were shattered.
apārāṇām iva dvīpam agādhe gādham icchatām। srotasā yāmuneneva śaraugheṇa pariplutam ॥7-3-3॥
It is like an island in the boundless ocean, seeking depth, overwhelmed by the Yamuna's stream, akin to being flooded by a torrent of arrows.
mahāntamiva mainākamasahyaṃ bhuvi pātitam। nabhaścyutamivādityaṃ patitaṃ dharaṇītale ॥7-3-4॥
It was like the great Mainaka mountain, unbearable, having fallen on the ground, and like the sun that had fallen from the sky onto the earth.
śatakratorivācintyaṃ purā vṛtreṇa nirjayam। mohanaṃ sarvasainyasya yudhi bhīṣmasya pātanam ॥7-3-5॥
The bewildering conquest of Indra by Vritra in ancient times is akin to the confusion of the entire army and the fall of Bhishma in battle.
kakudaṃ sarvasainyānāṃ lakṣma sarvadhanuṣmatām। dhanañjayaśaravyāptaṃ pitaraṃ te mahāvratam ॥7-3-6॥
Your father, the pinnacle of all armies and the mark of all archers, was pervaded by Arjuna's arrows and was a man of great vows.
taṁ vīraśayane vīraṁ śayānaṁ puruṣarṣabham। bhīṣmamādhirathirdṛṣṭvā bharatānāmamadhyamam ॥7-3-7॥
Karna, seeing Bhishma, the heroic bull among men, lying on the hero's bed, felt a deep sense of respect and admiration for the elder of the Bharatas.
avatīrya rathād ārto bāṣpavyākulitākṣaram। abhivādyāñjaliṁ baddhvā vandamāno'bhyabhāṣata ॥7-3-8॥
He descended from the chariot, his words choked with tears. With folded hands, he bowed and spoke:
karṇo'hamasmi bhadraṃ te adya mā vada bhārata। puṇyayā kṣemayā vācā cakṣuṣā cāvalokaya ॥7-3-9॥
I am Karna. May auspiciousness be with you today. Do not speak, O Bharata. Observe with virtuous and benevolent speech and vision.
na nūnaṃ sukṛtasyeha phalaṃ kaścitsamaśnute। yatra dharmaparo vṛddhaḥ śete bhuvi bhavāniha ॥7-3-10॥
Indeed, no one here enjoys the fruits of their virtuous deeds, where you, devoted to righteousness, lie aged on the ground.
kośasañjanane mantre vyūhapraharaṇeṣu ca। nāthamanyaṃ na paśyāmi kurūṇāṃ kurusattama ॥7-3-11॥
In the creation of treasury, counsel, formation, and weapons, I see no other lord of the Kurus, O best of the Kurus.
buddhyā viśuddhayā yukto yaḥ kurūṁstārayedbhayāt। yodhāṁstvamaplave hitvā pitṛlokaṁ gamiṣyasi ॥7-3-12॥
With a pure intellect, one who is engaged can save the Kurus from fear. You, having left the warriors without a boat, will go to the world of the ancestors.
adya prabhṛti saṅkruddhā vyāghrā iva mṛgakṣayam। pāṇḍavā bharataśreṣṭha kariṣyanti kurukṣayam ॥7-3-13॥
From today onwards, the Pandavas, in their wrath, will bring about the downfall of the Kurus, much like how tigers hunt down deer, O esteemed descendant of Bharata.
adya gāṇḍīvaghoṣasya vīryajñāḥ savyasācinaḥ। kuravaḥ santrasiṣyanti vajrapāṇerivāsurāḥ ॥7-3-14॥
Today, the Kauravas will tremble at the sound of Gandiva, knowing the valor of Arjuna, just as the demons trembled before the thunderbolt-wielder.
adya gāṇḍīvamuktānāmaśanīnāmiva svanaḥ। trāsayiṣyati saṅgrāme kurūnanyāṃśca pārthivān ॥7-3-15॥
Today, the sound of arrows released from the Gandiva bow will echo like thunderbolts, striking fear into the hearts of the Kuru warriors and other kings on the battlefield.
samiddho'gniryathā vīra mahājvālo drumāndahēt। dhārtarāṣṭrānpradhakṣyanti tathā bāṇāḥ kirīṭinaḥ ॥7-3-16॥
O hero, just as a kindled fire with great flames would burn trees, so will the arrows of Arjuna, the crowned one, burn the sons of Dhritarashtra.
yena yena prasarato vāyvagnī sahitau vane। tena tena pradahato bhagavantau yadicchataḥ ॥7-3-17॥
O Lords, as you wish, the wind and fire spread together in the forest, burning everything in their path.
yādṛśo'gn iḥ samiddho hi tādṛkpārtho na sanśayaḥ। yathā vāyurnaravyāghra tathā kṛṣṇo na sanśayaḥ ॥7-3-18॥
Just as a kindled fire is powerful, so is Arjuna, without any doubt. Similarly, just as the wind is mighty, so is Krishna, without any doubt.
nadataḥ pāñcajanyasya rasato gāṇḍivasya ca। śrutvā sarvāṇi sainyāni trāsaṃ yāsyanti bhārata ॥7-3-19॥
Upon hearing the sound of Pāñcajanya and the twang of Gāṇḍiva, all the armies will be struck with fear, O Bhārata.
kapidhvajasya cotpāte rathasyāmitrakarśinaḥ। śabdaṃ soḍhuṃ na śakṣyanti tvāmṛte vīra pārthivāḥ ॥7-3-20॥
O hero, except for you, the kings will not be able to withstand the sound of the chariot's flight with the monkey banner, tormentor of enemies.
ko hyarjunaṃ raṇe yoddhuṃ tvadanyaḥ pārthivo'rhati। yasya divyāni karmāṇi pravadanti manīṣiṇaḥ ॥7-3-21॥
Who else but you, the prince, is worthy to fight Arjuna in battle, whose divine deeds are spoken of by the wise men?
amānuṣaśca saṅgrāmastryambakena ca dhīmataḥ। tasmāccaiva varaḥ prāpto duṣprāpaścākṛtātmabhiḥ ॥7-3-22॥
A superhuman battle was fought by the wise Tryambaka (Shiva). As a result, a boon that is difficult to obtain was granted to those who are unrefined.
tam adyāhaṃ pāṇḍavaṃ yuddhaśauṇḍa; mamṛṣyamāṇo bhavatānuśiṣṭaḥ। āśīviṣaṃ dṛṣṭiharaṃ sughora; miyāṃ puraskṛtya vadhaṃ jayaṃ vā ॥7-3-23॥
Today, as instructed by you, I will face the unendurable Pāṇḍava, the expert in battle, with the venomous snake, which is sight-stealing and very terrible, placing it in front, seeking either death or victory.
