08.016
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca॥
Dhritarashtra said:
pāṇḍye hate kimakarodarjuno yudhi sañjaya। ekavīreṇa karṇena drāviteṣu pareṣu ca ॥8-16-1॥
Sanjaya, when Pandya was killed in battle, what actions did Arjuna take? The enemies were routed by the lone warrior Karna.
samāptavidyo balavānyukto vīraśca pāṇḍavaḥ। sarvabhūteṣvanujñātaḥ śaṅkareṇa mahātmanā ॥8-16-2॥
The son of Pandu, having completed his education, is strong, engaged, and heroic, and is permitted by the great soul Shankara among all beings.
tasmān mahad bhayaṃ tīvr amitra-ghnād dhanaṃjayāt। sa yat tatra akarot pārthaḥ tat mama ācakṣva saṃjaya ॥8-16-3॥
Therefore, tell me, Sanjaya, about the great and intense fear that arose from Dhananjaya, the enemy-slayer, and what Partha did there.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
hate pāṇḍye'rjunaṃ kṛṣṇastvarannāha vaco hitam। paśyātimānyaṃ rājānamapayātāṃśca pāṇḍavān ॥8-16-4॥
When Pāṇḍya was killed, Krishna quickly spoke to Arjuna with beneficial advice. He pointed out the very proud king and the retreating Pāṇḍavas.
aśvatthāmnaśca saṅkalpāddhatāḥ karṇena sṛñjayāḥ। tathāśvanaranāgānāṃ kṛtaṃ ca kadanaṃ mahat ॥ ityācaṣṭa sudurdharṣo vāsudevaḥ kirīṭine ॥8-16-5॥
Vasudeva, the invincible one, narrated to Arjuna that Ashwatthama's intention led to the Srinjayas being killed by Karna, and there was also a great slaughter of horses, men, and elephants.
etacchrutvā ca dṛṣṭvā ca bhrāturghoraṃ mahadbhayam। vāhayāśvānhṛṣīkeśa kṣipramityāha pāṇḍavaḥ ॥8-16-6॥
Upon witnessing and hearing about the immense and terrifying fear of his brother, Pāṇḍava instructed Hṛṣīkeśa to swiftly drive the horses.
tataḥ prāyād dhṛṣīkeśo rathenāpratiyodhinā। dāruṇaś ca punas tatra prādur āsīt samāgamaḥ ॥8-16-7॥
Then Hṛṣīkeśa departed on his chariot without opposition. Once more, a fierce encounter manifested there.
tataḥ pravavṛte bhūyaḥ saṅgrāmo rājasattama। karṇasya pāṇḍavānāṃ ca yamarāṣṭravivardhanaḥ ॥8-16-8॥
Then, O best of kings, the battle between Karna and the Pandavas resumed, furthering the cause of death.
dhanūṃṣi bāṇān parighān asitomara-paṭṭiśān। musalāni bhuśuṇḍīś ca śakti-ṛṣṭi-paraśvadhān ॥8-16-9॥
The warriors were equipped with bows, arrows, iron clubs, black iron clubs and spears, pestles, missiles, and various weapons like spears, lances, and axes.
gadāḥ prāsānasīnkuntānbhiṇḍipālānmahāṅkuśān। pragṛhya kṣipramāpetuḥ parasparajigīṣayā ॥8-16-10॥
The warriors, armed with maces, javelins, swords, spears, clubs, and great hooks, quickly approached each other, eager for victory.
bāṇajyātalaśabdena dyāṃ diśaḥ pradiśo viyat। pṛthivīṃ nemighoṣeṇa nādayanto'bhyayuḥ parān ॥8-16-11॥
With the sound of the bowstring and arrows, they filled the sky, directions, and earth with echoes, advancing towards their enemies.
tena śabdena mahatā saṁhṛṣṭāścakrurāhavam। vīrā vīrairmahāghoraṁ kalahāntaṁ titīrṣavaḥ ॥8-16-12॥
With that great sound, the elated heroes engaged in a fierce battle with other heroes, aiming to overcome the terrible conflict.
jyātalatradhanuḥśabdāḥ kuñjarāṇāṃ ca bṛṃhitam। tāḍitānāṃ ca patatāṃ ninādaḥ sumahānabhūt ॥8-16-13॥
The battlefield echoed with the sounds of bowstrings and bows, the trumpeting of elephants, and the loud cries of those who were struck and falling.
bāṇaśabdāṃśca vividhāñśūrāṇāmabhigarjatām। śrutvā śabdaṃ bhṛśaṃ tresurjaghnurmamluśca bhārata ॥8-16-14॥
Upon hearing the diverse sounds of arrows and the roaring of the heroes, they were greatly shaken, struck down, and fainted, O Bhārata.
teṣāṃ nānadyatāṃ caiva śastravṛṣṭiṃ ca muñcatām। bahūnādhirathiḥ karṇaḥ pramamātha raṇeṣubhiḥ ॥8-16-15॥
Karna, the great charioteer, amidst the noise and shower of weapons, crushed many with his arrows in the battle.
pañca pāñcālavīrāṇāṃ rathāndaśa ca pañca ca। sāśvasūtadhvajānkarṇaḥ śarairninye yamakṣayam ॥8-16-16॥
Karṇa, with his arrows, sent fifteen chariots of the Pāñcāla heroes, along with their horses, charioteers, and banners, to the abode of Yama.
yodhamukhyā mahāvīryāḥ pāṇḍūnāṃ karṇamāhave। śīghrāstrā divamāvṛtya parivavruḥ samantataḥ ॥8-16-17॥
The chief warriors of the Pandavas, known for their great valor, surrounded Karna in battle with swift weapons, covering the sky from all directions.
tataḥ karṇo dviṣatsenāṃ śaravarṣairviloḍayan। vijagāhe'ṇḍajāpūrṇāṃ padminīmiva yūthapaḥ ॥8-16-18॥
Then Karna, like a leader of a herd entering a lotus pond filled with birds, agitated the enemy army with showers of arrows.
dviṣanmadhyamavaskandya rādheyo dhanuruttamam। vidhunvānaḥ śitairbāṇaiḥ śirāṃsyunmathya pātayat ॥8-16-19॥
Radheya (Karna), leaping into the midst of his foes, wielded his excellent bow and, with sharp arrows, shattered their heads, causing them to fall.
carmavarmāṇi sañchindya nirvāpamiva dehinām। viṣeḥurnāsya samparkaṃ dvitīyasya patatriṇaḥ ॥8-16-20॥
The poison could not affect the second bird, as if cutting through armor and extinguishing the embodied.
varmadehāsumathanairdhanuṣaḥ pracyutaiḥ śaraiḥ। maurvyā talatrairnyavadhītkashayā vājino yathā ॥8-16-21॥
The warrior, with his armor, body, and life churned by the dislodged arrows from the bow, struck down the horses with the strokes of the bowstring as if using a whip.
pāṇḍusṛñjayapāñcālāñśaragocaramanayat। mamarda karṇastarasā siṃho mṛgagaṇāniva ॥8-16-22॥
Karna, with the might of a lion, brought the Pandus, Srinjayas, and Panchalas within the range of his arrows and crushed them as if they were mere herds of deer.
tataḥ pāñcālaputrāśca draupadeyāśca māriṣa। yamau ca yuyudhānaśca sahitāḥ karṇamabhyayuḥ ॥8-16-23॥
Then the sons of Panchala, the sons of Draupadi, the twins, and Yuyudhana together approached Karna, O great one.
vyāyacchamānāḥ subhṛśaṃ kurupāṇḍavasṛñjayāḥ। priyānasūnraṇe tyaktvā yodhā jagmuḥ parasparam ॥8-16-24॥
The Kurus, Pandavas, and Srinjayas, engaged in intense struggle, left behind their loved ones and lives on the battlefield, and the warriors advanced towards each other.
susaṁnaddhāḥ kavacinaḥ saśirastṛāṇabhūṣaṇāḥ। gadābhirmusalaiścānye parighaiśca mahārathāḥ ॥8-16-25॥
The great charioteers, well-armored and adorned with helmets, wield maces, clubs, and iron bars.
samabhyadhāvanta bhṛśaṃ devā daṇḍairivodyataiḥ। nadantaścāhvayantaśca pravalgantaśca māriṣa ॥8-16-26॥
The gods, with great intensity, rushed forward as if wielding raised clubs, roaring, challenging, and leaping, O gentle one.
tato nijaghnuranyonyaṃ petuścāhavatāḍitāḥ। vamanto rudhiraṃ gātrairvimastiṣkekṣaṇā yudhi ॥8-16-27॥
Then they killed each other and fell, struck in battle, vomiting blood from their limbs, their eyes devoid of consciousness in the battle.
dantapūrṇaiḥ sarudhirairvaktrairdāḍimasaṃnibhaiḥ। jīvanta iva cāpyete tasthuḥ śastropabṛṃhitāḥ ॥8-16-28॥
The faces, filled with teeth and blood, looked like pomegranates. They stood as if alive, supported by weapons.
parasparaṃ cāpyapare paṭṭiśairasibhistathā। śaktibhirbhiṇḍipālaiśca nakharaprāsatomaraiḥ ॥8-16-29॥
They attacked each other with spears, swords, lances, clubs, nails, javelins, and spears.
tatakṣuś cicchiduś cānye bibhiduś cikṣipus tathā। sañcakartuś ca jaghnuś ca kruddhā nirbibhiduś ca ha ॥8-16-30॥
In their anger, they cut, split, pierced, and threw. Others cut into pieces, killed, and tore apart with fury.
peturanyonyanihatā vyasavo rudhirokṣitāḥ। kṣarantaḥ svarasaṃ raktaṃ prakṛtāścandanā iva ॥8-16-31॥
They fell, slain by each other, lifeless and smeared with blood, flowing their own essence, naturally red like sandalwood.
rathai rathā vinihatā hastinaścāpi hastibhiḥ। narā naravaraiḥ peturaśvāścāśvaiḥ sahasraśaḥ ॥8-16-32॥
Chariots were struck down by other chariots, elephants by elephants, men by great men, and horses by horses in their thousands.
dhvajāḥ śirāṃsi cchatrāṇi dvipahastā nṛṇāṃ bhujāḥ। kṣurairbhallārdhacandraiśca chinnāḥ śastrāṇi tatyajuḥ ॥8-16-33॥
Flags, heads, umbrellas, elephant trunks, and arms of men were severed by razors and crescent-shaped arrows, and the weapons were left behind.
narāṁśca nāgāṁśca rathānhayānmamṛdurāhave। aśvarohairhatāḥ śūrāśchinnahastāśca dantinaḥ ॥8-16-34॥
In the battle, men, elephants, chariots, and horses were crushed; heroes and horsemen were killed, and elephants had their trunks severed.
sapatākā dhvajāḥ peturviśīrṇā iva parvatāḥ। pattibhiśca samāplutya dviradāḥ syandanāstathā ॥8-16-35॥
The banners with flags fell, shattered like mountains. The elephants and chariots, having been jumped upon by foot soldiers, also fell.
prahata hanyamānāśca patitāścaiva sarvaśaḥ। aśvarohāḥ samāsādya tvaritāḥ pattibhirhatāḥ ॥ sādibhiḥ pattisaṅghāśca nihatā yudhi śerate ॥8-16-36॥
The horse riders, struck and being killed, fell everywhere. Having reached quickly, they were killed by foot soldiers. Meanwhile, the groups of foot soldiers, slain by horsemen, lie on the battlefield.
mṛditānīva padmāni pramlānā iva ca srajaḥ। hatānāṃ vadanānyāsaṅgātrāṇi ca mahāmate ॥8-16-37॥
The faces of the slain appeared like crushed lotuses, and their bodies resembled withered garlands, O wise one.
rūpāṇy atyartha-kāmyāni dviradāśva-nṛṇāṃ nṛpa। samunnānīva vastrāṇi prāpur durdarśatāṃ param ॥8-16-38॥
O king, the excessively desirable forms of elephants, horses, and men became like elevated garments, attaining supreme invisibility.
