08.027
Pancharatra and Core: Karna's self-praise, Shalya's rebuke followed by Karna's counter-rebuke.
Sanjaya said:
During the march, Karna, while cheering your army, observed each of the Pandavas in battle and inquired about them.
"Whoever shows me today the great soul riding the white horse, I shall grant him the boon he desires in his heart."
If he desires that, I would again give him a cart filled with jewels, who would inform me about Arjuna.
If a man, having seen Arjuna, would consider that, I would give him another six golden elephants again.
Thus, I would again give him a hundred adorned women who are dark-complexioned, wearing necklaces, and skilled in singing and playing musical instruments.
If a man, upon seeing Arjuna, believes that, I would grant him another boon of five hundred white horses.
I would indeed give others eight hundred well-controlled ones, adorned with gold vessels and polished jewel earrings.
I would offer a splendid white and golden chariot, beautifully adorned and harnessed with the finest Kamboja horses, to anyone who could inform me about Arjuna.
I would offer him another gift: six hundred elephants adorned with golden garlands, covered with various golden vessels, born in distant lands and trained by skilled elephant trainers.
If a man, having seen Arjuna, were to desire that, I would grant him another boon of his own choosing.
I would give my sons, wives, pleasures, and any other wealth I possess to him again, if he desires it in his mind.
If someone were to inform me about Keśava and Arjuna, I would kill them both and give all their wealth to that person.
Karna, repeatedly uttering these words in battle, blew his excellent conch, which was melodious and born of the ocean.
Upon hearing the fitting words of the charioteer's son, King Duryodhana, along with his followers, was filled with joy.
Then there was the sound of drums and mridangas everywhere, accompanied by the lion's roar with musical instruments, and the trumpeting of elephants.
Then, O king, a sound arose in your army, O best of the Bharatas, from the delighted warriors.
In the midst of the elated army, the great chariot floated. Radheya, the tormentor of enemies, was boasting in battle when the King of Madra, with a smile, replied with these words.
"Do not, O son of a charioteer, give gold and six elephants with pride to the man; today you will see Dhananjaya (Arjuna)."
"From your early years, you have been abandoning wealth just like Kubera does. Today, without any effort, O son of Radha, you shall see Dhananjaya (Arjuna)."
You act foolishly by giving to the unworthy, failing to recognize the faults due to your delusion.
O Sūta, the wealth you proclaim in abundance can indeed be utilized to perform various sacrifices. Therefore, perform them with that wealth.
Your desire to kill the two Krishnas out of delusion is futile. We have never heard of jackals defeating lions in battle.
You seek friends without asking; indeed, those who do not quickly restrain you from falling into the fire are not truly your friends.
You are unaware of the timely actions that are matured by time and the doubts associated with them. Who, desiring to live, would speak of things that are complex and not meant to be heard?
Your intention is as if you wish to cross the ocean with your arms, having tied a stone around your neck, or to fall from the top of a mountain.
Accompanied by all the warriors and protected by the arranged troops, you should fight alongside Dhananjaya if you wish to achieve greatness.
I speak to you for the benefit of Dhritarashtra's son, not with harm. Believe what I have spoken, if you have the desire to live.
Karna said:
I rely on my own strength to challenge Arjuna, the enemy, in battle. However, you, pretending to be a friend, intend to intimidate me.
No one can deter me from my purpose today. Even if Indra himself raises his thunderbolt, what can a mere mortal do?
Sanjaya said:
At the conclusion of Karna's words, Shalya, the king of Madra, spoke again with the intent to provoke Karna greatly.
When you are struck by the swift arrows of Arjuna, propelled by his bowstring and released by his hand, with vulture-feathered, sharp-pointed shafts, then you will suffer from Arjuna's assault.
When Arjuna, known for his ambidexterity, takes up his divine bow and lights up the battlefield, he will strike you with sharp arrows; then, O son of a charioteer, you will regret your actions.
Just as a child lying in his mother's lap desires to grab the moon, you, in your delusion, are trying to defeat Arjuna today while standing on your chariot.
Embracing the trident with its sharp edge, you rub against all limbs; today, you, O Karna, desire to engage in battle with Arjuna.
A foolish child or a small bold animal may challenge a great maned lion; similarly, today, your challenge to Arjuna, the son of a charioteer, is like that.
Do not, O son of a charioteer, approach the mighty prince, the lion, just as a jackal satisfied with flesh in the forest; you will perish if you encounter Arjuna.
In the battle, you, with sharp teeth like a great serpent and a broken elephant's face, challenge the hare, Karna, Arjuna, and Dhananjaya.
In your childishness, you strike with a stick at the black snake in its hole, unaware that it is highly venomous and full of poison, O son of Pritha, and yet you wish to fight.
Like a foolish jackal overstepping its bounds, you roar at the mighty Karna, the Pandava, who is as fierce as a lion with a mane.
You summon mighty Garuda, the best of birds and son of Vinata, as if calling upon Karna, son of Pritha, and Dhananjaya in battle.
At moonrise, you wish to cross the vast, terrifying ocean filled with waves and fish, without a boat, as it turns.
In the battle, dear Karna, you summon Dhananjaya, the son of Pritha, who is like a bull with a neck like a drum, sharp-horned and a fierce striker.
O Arjuna, you croak like a frog with a great sound, resembling a great cloud, bringing desired rain to the world.
Just as a house dog barks at a tiger that has gone to the forest, you, O Karna, speak to Dhananjaya, the tiger among men, in the same way.
A jackal, living in the forest surrounded by hares, considers himself a lion until he actually sees a lion.
Thus, O son of Radha, you wish to see yourself as a lion, like Dhananjaya, the subduer of enemies and the tiger among men.
You consider yourself powerful like a tiger until you see Krishna and Arjuna together on the same chariot, resembling the sun and the moon.
As long as you do not hear the sound of the Gandiva bow in the great battle, you may speak as you wish, O Karna, but once you hear it, your words will be in vain.
With the sounds of chariots and bows echoing in all ten directions, and roaring like a tiger, upon seeing this, you will turn into a jackal.
You are always like a jackal, while Dhananjaya is always like a lion. O fool, due to your enmity with heroes, you always appear like a jackal.
Just as a rat can be like a cat, dog, or tiger in terms of strength and weakness, similarly, a jackal can be like a lion, and a hare like an elephant.
Just as falsehood and truth coexist, and poison and nectar have their own significance, you and Arjuna are renowned for your actions.
Sanjaya said:
Radheya, rebuked by the immensely powerful Shalya, spoke angrily to Shalya, expressing his words.
O Śalya, the virtuous understand the virtues of others, but the non-virtuous do not. You, being always devoid of virtues, how can you comprehend the virtues of others?
I am well aware of Arjuna's great weapons, his anger, valor, bow, and arrows; you do not know them as I do.
Thus, knowing my own strength and that of the Pandava, I challenge Shalya in battle, not recklessly like a moth drawn to a flame.
There is an arrow with an iron head, well-feathered and red in color, fitting perfectly in one quiver, winged, thoroughly cleaned, and beautifully adorned.
He has been lying there, worshipped with sandalwood for many years, an irresistible and fierce entity, capable of destroying groups of men, horses, and elephants.
I am the one hero, very fierce and capable of splitting body and bone, who, when angry, can even pierce Meru, the great mountain.
I never speak of this to anyone other than Arjuna or Krishna, the son of Devaki. Hear my truth here.
With his arrow, I will fight against Vāsudeva and Dhanañjaya, O Śalya, in a manner that befits my extreme anger.
Lakshmi resides in Kṛṣṇa among all the Vāsudevas, and victory resides in Arjuna among all the sons of Pandu. Who can surpass them having attained both?
Those two warriors, like tigers among men, are standing together in the chariot and approaching me alone. Behold my noble-born Shalya.
You will see the sons of your father's sister and maternal uncle, the unconquered brothers, like gems strung on a thread, killed by me.
In Arjuna, the Gandiva bow and in Krishna, the discus, with Garuda and monkey banners, they instill fear in the timid and bring joy to my side, Shalya.
You are of ill nature and foolish, unskilled in great battles. Overcome by fear and panic, you speak excessively without reason.
You praise them, but for some reason, those two born in a bad place, having killed in battle, will indeed kill you along with your relatives.
You, born in a sinful land and wicked-minded, a mean disgrace to the Kshatriyas, having once been a friend, why are you now, as an enemy, trying to frighten me with Krishna?
"Today, either they will be my killers, or I will kill them standing in battle. I do not fear the two Krishnas, as I am aware of my own strength."
"I alone will slay thousands of Vasudevas or hundreds of Phalgunas. Stay quietly, you who are born in a bad place."
Women, children, and the elderly, often found in play, sing songs together as if they are studying. Listen to those songs of mine, Shalya, among the wicked people of the Madras.
The Brahmins had previously told this properly in the presence of the king. Having heard it, O confused one, with a focused mind, are you capable of giving an answer or not?
A person from Madra who always harms friends and hates us is indeed from Madra. In Madra, there is no association with trivial words among the lowest of men.
The Madraka, known for his wickedness, is perpetually deceitful and crooked. It is said that as long as wickedness exists among the Madrakas, this is what we have heard.
"Father, mother, son, in-laws, uncles, son-in-law, daughter, brother, grandson, and all these are relatives."
Friends and others arrived, and maidservants and servants gathered. Men and women, both known and unknown, mingled freely by their own will.
In the houses of those cultured ones, who always eat barley gruel, having drunk liquor with beef, they roar and laugh.
How can righteousness exist among those who are unrestrained and engage with each other out of desire, speaking only of their desires?
Among the Madras, who are known for their destructive and inauspicious deeds, one should neither harbor enmity nor friendship.
In the region of Madra, there is no unity, as the people of Madra are indeed fickle. Among the Madras, impurity is found, while purity is found among the Gandharas.
The offering given in the sacrifice performed by the king is destroyed. Just as a Brahmin who performs rites for a Shudra meets ruin, so do the enemies of Brahmins always meet ruin here.
In the region of Madra, there is no association with the poison from the scorpion as it is destroyed. All peace is achieved through the Atharvan mantra.
Thus, the wise make remedies for those bitten by scorpions and afflicted by various poisons, and this truth is evident. Therefore, O learned one, sit calmly and listen to the answer here.
The women, intoxicated by wine, discard their garments and dance unrestrainedly, engaging in sexual union as they please. How can their son, Madraka, be fit to speak of dharma?
You, son, wish to speak of duty here, like those who stand and urinate like camels in the market, who are shameless and without shame everywhere.
The Madraka woman, when asked for the heroic one, scratches her buttocks and, unwilling to give, speaks harshly.
"Do not let anyone ask for Suvīraka, my beloved. I would give my son at every step, but not Suvīraka."
We have heard that the women of Madras are generally tall, shameless, covered with blankets, voracious, and have lost their purity.
Thus, starting from this, it is possible for me or others to speak at length about various matters, from the tip of the hair to the tip of the nails, even in unfavorable situations.
The Madras, Sindhus, and Sauvīras, being from sinful lands, are ignorant of dharma. How could they possibly understand it here?
We have heard that the most important duty of a warrior is to be slain in battle and lie honored by the virtuous.
When I am released from the battle of weapons, then that is not my first choice in death, as I desire heaven.
I am a dear friend of the wise Dhritarashtra. For that purpose, indeed, my life and whatever wealth I have.
You are clearly entrusted by the Pandavas, born in a sinful land. You act among us as if you were an enemy.
Indeed, it is not possible for me, even with hundreds like you, to turn someone away from battle, just as a knower of dharma cannot be turned by atheists.
"Like a deer tormented by the sun, you may lament and wither as you wish. I am not one to be frightened, as I stand firm in the duty of a warrior."
Remember the path described by Rama, the teacher, which is for those lion-hearted warriors who never retreat in battle and have sacrificed their lives.
Understand that I am committed to protecting my own, even if it means the destruction of enemies, and I am upholding the noble conduct of the Puru lineage.
O Madra, I perceive no being in the three worlds who can deter me from this resolve; such is my conviction.
Thus, wise one, sit silently. Why do you speak so much out of fear? I will not hand you over to the flesh-eaters after killing you, O lowest of the Madrakas.
You live by waiting for a friend, enduring the thorn of Dhritarashtra's son, and by forbearance against slander. Indeed, these three sustain you.
"O King of Madra, if you dare to utter such words again, I will strike your head down with my mace, as powerful as a thunderbolt."
Today, here, listeners or viewers, whether born in a bad place, wonder if Karṇa killed the two Krishnas or if Karṇa himself was killed by them.
After speaking thus, Radheya once more addressed the king of Madra, saying, "Proceed, proceed," calmly and without hurry.
