08.033
Core and Pancharatra: When Karna forces Yudhisthira to retreat in the direct attack, King Yudhisthira orders a counterattack. In the counterattack led by Bhimasena, Kaurava army starts retreating.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
vidārya karṇastāṃ senāṃ dharmarājamupādravat। rathahastyaśvapattīnāṃ sahasraiḥ parivāritaḥ ॥8-33-1॥
Karna, after piercing through that army, attacked Dharmaraja, surrounded by thousands of chariots, elephants, horses, and infantry.
nānāyudhasahasrāṇi preṣitānyaribhirvṛṣaḥ। chittvā bāṇaśatairugraistānavidhyadasambhramaḥ ॥8-33-2॥
The bull, undisturbed, shot down the thousands of diverse weapons sent by the enemies with hundreds of fierce arrows.
nicakarta śirāṃsyeṣāṃ bāhūnūrūṃśca sarvaśaḥ। te hatā vasudhāṃ peturbhagnāścānye vidudruvuḥ ॥8-33-3॥
He completely severed their heads, arms, and thighs. Those who were killed fell to the earth, while others, shattered, ran away.
dravir̥āndhraniṣādāstu punaḥ sātyakicoditāḥ। abhyardayañjighāṁsantaḥ pattayaḥ karṇamāhave ॥8-33-4॥
The Dravidas, Andhras, and Nishadas, once again urged by Satyaki, launched an attack on Karna's infantry in the battle, with the intent to kill.
te vibāhuśirastrāṇāḥ prahatāḥ karṇasāyakaiḥ। petuḥ pṛthivyāṃ yugapacchinnaṃ śālavanaṃ yathā ॥8-33-5॥
They fell to the ground together, their arms and helmets shattered by Karna's arrows, resembling a forest of sala trees felled at once.
evaṃ yodhaśatānyājau sahasrāṇyayutāni ca। hatānīyurmahīṃ dehairyaśasāpūrayaṃdiśaḥ ॥8-33-6॥
In this way, countless warriors were slain in the battle, their bodies covering the earth and their glory spreading in all directions.
atha vaikartanaṃ karṇaṃ raṇe kruddhamivāntakam। rurudhuḥ pāṇḍupāñcālā vyādhiṃ mantrauṣadhairiva ॥8-33-7॥
Then the Pandavas and Panchalas restrained Karna, the son of Vikartana, in battle as if he were an angry destroyer, like restraining a disease with mantras and herbs.
sa tānpramṛdyābhyapatatpunareva yudhiṣṭhiram। mantrauṣadhikriyātīto vyādhiratyulbaṇo yathā ॥8-33-8॥
He crushed them and attacked Yudhishthira again, like a very severe disease that is beyond the cure of mantras and medicines.
sa rājagṛddhibhī ruddhaḥ pāṇḍupāñcālakekayaiḥ। nāśakattānatikrāntuṃ mṛtyurbrahmavido yathā ॥8-33-9॥
He was restrained by the Pandavas, Panchalas, and Kekayas, who were greedy for the kingdom, and he could not surpass them, just as death cannot surpass one who knows Brahman.
tato yudhiṣṭhiraḥ karṇamadūrasthaṃ nivāritam। abravītparavīraghnaḥ krodhasaṃraktalocanaḥ ॥8-33-10॥
Then Yudhishthira, his eyes red with anger, addressed Karna, who was standing close by and had been restrained, as the slayer of enemy warriors.
karṇa karṇa vṛthādṛṣṭe sūtaputra vacaḥ śṛṇu। sadā spardhasi saṅgrāme phalgunena yaśasvinā ॥ tathāsmānbādhasenityaṃ dhārtarāṣṭramate sthitaḥ ॥8-33-11॥
"Karna, Karna, listen to the words of the son of a charioteer, who is seen in vain. You always compete in battle with the glorious Arjuna. Thus, you constantly trouble us, being aligned with the counsel of Dhritarashtra's son."
yad balaṃ yac ca te vīryaṃ pradveṣo yaś ca pāṇḍuṣu। tat sarvaṃ darśayasvādyapauruṣaṃ mahadāsthitaḥ ॥ yuddhaśraddhāṃ sa te'dyāhaṃ vineṣyāmi mahāhave ॥8-33-12॥
Show all your strength, valor, and enmity towards the Pandavas today, as you stand in your great manliness. Today, I will dispel your faith in battle in this great war.
evamuktvā mahārāja karṇaṃ pāṇḍusutastadā। suvarṇapuṅkhairdaśabhirvivyādhāyasmayaiḥ śitaiḥ ॥8-33-13॥
After speaking thus, O great king, the son of Pandu then proudly pierced Karna with ten sharp arrows adorned with golden shafts.
taṁ sūtaputro navabhiḥ pratyavidhyadariṁdamaḥ। vatsadantairmaheṣvāsaḥ prahasanniva bhārata ॥8-33-14॥
The son of a charioteer, a great archer, smilingly pierced the enemy with nine arrows having calf-teeth, O descendant of Bharata.
tataḥ kṣurābhyāṃ pāñcālyau cakrarakṣau mahātmanaḥ। jaghāna samare śūraḥ śaraiḥ saṃnataparvabhiḥ ॥8-33-15॥
Then, the hero, with two razors, killed the two sons of Draupadi, who were the protectors of the wheel, in the battle with arrows having bent joints.
tāvubhau dharmarājasya pravīrau paripārśvataḥ। rathābhyāśe cakāśete candrasyeva punarvasū ॥8-33-16॥
Those two heroes of Dharmaraja stand shining beside the chariot, like the Punarvasu stars near the moon.
yudhiṣṭhiraḥ punaḥ karṇamavidhyattriṁśatā śaraiḥ। suṣeṇaṁ satyaseṇaṁ ca tribhistribhiratāḍayat ॥8-33-17॥
Yudhishthira once more shot thirty arrows at Karna. He also hit Sushena and Satyasena with three arrows each.
śalyaṃ navatyā vivyādha trisaptatyā ca sūtajam। tāṃś cāsya goptṝn vivyādha tribhis tribhir ajihmagaiḥ ॥8-33-18॥
Shalya struck with ninety arrows, and the son of the charioteer with seventy-three. He also struck his protectors with three straight-moving arrows each.
tataḥ prahasyādhirathirvidhunvānaḥ sa kārmukam। bhittvā bhallena rājānaṃ viddhvā ṣaṣṭyānadanmudā ॥8-33-19॥
Then, with a smile, the great charioteer wielded his bow, pierced the king with an arrow, and joyfully roared after striking him sixty times.
tataḥ pravīrāḥ pāṇḍūnām abhyadhāvann yudhiṣṭhiram। sūtaputrāt parīpsantaḥ karṇam abhyardayañ śaraiḥ ॥8-33-20॥
Then the valiant warriors of the Pandavas charged towards Yudhishthira to shield him from the son of a charioteer, fiercely attacking Karna with arrows.
sātyakiś cekitānaś ca yuyutsuḥ pāṇḍya eva ca। dhṛṣṭadyumnaḥ śikhaṇḍī ca draupadeyāḥ prabhadrakāḥ ॥8-33-21॥
Satyaki, Chekitana, Yuyutsu, Pandya, Dhrishtadyumna, Shikhandi, the sons of Draupadi, and the Prabhadrakas were all present.
yamau ca bhīmasenaśca śiśupālasya cātmajaḥ। kārūṣā matsyaśeṣāśca kekayāḥ kāśikosalāḥ ॥ ete ca tvaritā vīrā vasuṣeṇamavārayan ॥8-33-22॥
Yama and his brother, Bhimasena, along with the son of Shishupala, the Karushas, Matsyas, Kekayas, Kashis, and Kosalas, swiftly moved to stop Vasushena.
janamejayaśca pāñcālyaḥ karṇaṃ vivyādha sāyakaiḥ। varāhakarṇairnārācairnālīkairniśitaiḥ śaraiḥ ॥ vatsadantairvipāṭhaiśca kṣurapraiścaṭakāmukhaiḥ ॥8-33-23॥
Janamejaya and Pāñcālya attacked Karna with a variety of arrows, including those with boar ears, iron tips, reeds, sharp points, calf teeth, splits, razor heads, and bird faces.
nānāpraharaṇaiścograi rathahastyaśvasādinaḥ। sarvato'bhyādravan karṇaṃ parivārya jighāṃsayā ॥8-33-24॥
With various fierce weapons and mounted on chariots, elephants, and horses, they surrounded Karna from all sides with the intent to kill.
sa pāṇḍavānāṃ pravaraiḥ sarvataḥ samabhidrutaḥ। udairayadbrāhmamastraṃ śaraiḥ sampūrayaṃdiśaḥ ॥8-33-25॥
He was attacked from all sides by the foremost warriors of the Pandavas and in response, he released the Brahma weapon, filling all directions with arrows.
tataḥ śaramahājvālo vīryoṣmā karṇapāvakaḥ। nirdahanpāṇḍavavanaṃ cāru paryacaradraṇe ॥8-33-26॥
Then, the arrow with a great flame, fueled by Karna's strength, burned through the Pandava forces, moving beautifully across the battlefield.
sa saṁvārya mahāstrāṇi maheṣvāso mahātmanām। prahasya puruṣendrasya śaraiściccheda kārmukam ॥8-33-27॥
The great archer, with a smile, countered the mighty weapons of the noble ones and skillfully cut the bow of the lord of men with his arrows.
tataḥ sandhāya navatiṃ nimeṣānnataparvaṇām। bibheda kavacaṃ rājño raṇe karṇaḥ śitaiḥ śaraiḥ ॥8-33-28॥
Then Karna, after taking careful aim for ninety moments, pierced the king's armor in battle with his sharp arrows.
tadvarma hemavikṛtaṃ rarāja nipatattadā। savidyudabhraṃ savituḥ śiṣṭaṃ vātahataṃ yathā ॥8-33-29॥
The golden armor shone brightly as it fell, resembling a cloud with lightning, left by the sun and struck by the wind.
tadaṅgaṃ puruṣendrasya bhraṣṭavarma vyarocata। ratnairalaṅkṛtaṃ divyairvyabhraṃ niśi yathā nabhaḥ ॥8-33-30॥
The body of the lord of men, with its fallen armor, shone brightly, adorned with divine jewels, resembling the clear night sky.
sa vivarmā śaraiḥ pārtho rudhireṇa samukṣitaḥ। kruddhaḥ sarvāyasīṃ śaktiṃ cikṣepādhirathiṃ prati ॥8-33-31॥
Arjuna, stripped of his armor and smeared with blood from the arrows, in his anger, hurled an iron spear at the charioteer.
tāṃ jvalantīm ivākāśe śaraiś ciccheda saptabhiḥ। sā chinnā bhūmim apatan maheṣvāsasya sāyakaiḥ ॥8-33-32॥
He struck her, who appeared like a burning figure in the sky, with seven arrows. She, being severed, fell to the ground by the arrows of the great archer.
tato bāhvorlalāṭe ca hṛdi caiva yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। caturbhistomaraiḥ karṇaṃ tāḍayitvā mudānadat ॥8-33-33॥
Yudhishthira then joyfully roared after striking Karna on his arms, forehead, and heart with four spears.
udbhinnarudhiraḥ karṇaḥ kruddhaḥ sarpa iva śvasan। dhvajaṃ ciccheda bhallena tribhirvivyādha pāṇḍavam ॥ iṣudhī cāsya ciccheda rathaṃ ca tilaśo'cchinat ॥8-33-34॥
Karna, covered in blood and filled with rage, breathed like a serpent. He severed the flag with an arrow and struck the Pandava with three arrows. He also cut his quiver and shattered his chariot into pieces.
evaṃ pārtho vyapāyāts nihatapārṣṭisārathiḥ। aśaknuvanpramukhataḥ sthātuṃ karṇasya durmanāḥ ॥8-33-35॥
Thus, Arjuna, distressed and unable to stand against Karna, retreated as his charioteer was slain.
tamabhidrutya radheyaḥ skandhaṃ saṃspṛśya pāṇinā। abravītprahasanrājankutsayanniva pāṇḍavam ॥8-33-36॥
Radheya approached him, touched his shoulder with his hand, and with a smile, said mockingly, "O king, Pāṇḍava."
kathaṁ nāma kule jātaḥ kṣatradharme vyavasthitaḥ। prajahyātsamare śatrūnprāṇānrakṣanmahāhave ॥8-33-37॥
How could someone born in a noble family, adhering to the warrior's duty, abandon their enemies in battle while protecting their own life in the great war?
na bhavān kṣatradharmeṣu kuśalo'sīti me matiḥ। brāhme bale bhavān yuktaḥ svādhyāye yajñakarmaṇi ॥8-33-38॥
My opinion is that you are not skilled in the duties of a warrior. You are more suited to the Brahmanical path, engaged in self-study and sacrificial duties.
mā sma yudhyasva kaunteya mā ca vīrānsamāsadaḥ। mā cainānapriyaṃ brūhi mā ca vraja mahāraṇam ॥8-33-39॥
"Do not fight, O son of Kunti, nor approach the heroes. Do not speak harshly to them, and do not enter the great battle."
evamuktvā tataḥ pārthaṃ visṛjya ca mahābalaḥ। nyahanatpāṇḍavīṃ senāṃ vajrahasta ivāsurīm ॥ tataḥ prāyāddrutaṃ rājanvrīḍanniva janeśvaraḥ ॥8-33-40॥
After addressing Arjuna, the mighty warrior released his attack, devastating the Pandava army as if wielding a thunderbolt against demons. Then, feeling a sense of shame, the lord of men swiftly departed, O king.
atha prayāntaṃ rājānam anvayus te tadācyutam। cedipāṇḍavapāñcālāḥ sātyakiś ca mahārathaḥ ॥ draupadeyās tathā śūrā mādrīputrau ca pāṇḍavau ॥8-33-41॥
Then, as King Acyuta was departing, he was followed by the Cedis, Pandavas, Panchalas, and the great warrior Satyaki. Along with them were the heroic sons of Draupadi and the sons of Madri, the Pandavas.
tato yudhiṣṭhirānīkaṃ dṛṣṭvā karṇaḥ parāṅmukham। kurubhiḥ sahito vīraiḥ pṛṣṭhagaiḥ pṛṣṭhamanvayāt ॥8-33-42॥
Then Karna, upon seeing Yudhishthira's army, turned away. Accompanied by the Kauravas and heroes, he followed them from behind.
śaṅkhabherīninādaśca kārmukāṇāṃ ca nisvanaiḥ। babhūva dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṃ siṃhanādaravastadā ॥8-33-43॥
Then, the sons of Dhritarashtra raised a tumultuous sound, like the roaring of lions, with the blaring of conches, the beating of drums, and the twanging of bows.
yudhiṣṭhirastu kauravya rathamāruhya satvaraḥ। śrutakīrtermahārāja dṛṣṭavānkarṇavikramam ॥8-33-44॥
Yudhishthira, the descendant of Kuru, swiftly mounted his chariot and witnessed the might of Karna, O great king.
kālyamānaṁ balaṁ dṛṣṭvā dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। tānyodhānabravītkroddho hataiṇaṁ vai sahasraśaḥ ॥8-33-45॥
Upon witnessing the torment of their strength, Dharmaraja Yudhishthira, in anger, commanded the warriors to kill him by the thousands.
tato rājñābhyanujñātāḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahārathāḥ। bhīmasenamukhāḥ sarve putrāṃste pratyupādravan ॥8-33-46॥
Then, with the king's permission, all the great warriors of the Pandavas, led by Bhimasena, launched an attack on the sons.
abhavattumulaḥ śabdo yodhānāṃ tatra bhārata। hastyaśvarathapattīnāṃ śastrāṇāṃ ca tatastataḥ ॥8-33-47॥
O Bhārata, there arose a great tumultuous noise from all sides, as the warriors, along with elephants, horses, chariots, and foot soldiers, clashed with their weapons.
uttiṣṭhata praharata praitābhipateti ca। iti bruvāṇā anyonyaṃ jaghnuryodhā raṇājire ॥8-33-48॥
The warriors, urging each other with cries of 'Arise, strike, go forth, attack,' fought fiercely and killed each other on the battlefield.
abhracchāyeva tatrāsīccharavṛṣṭibhirambare। samāvṛttairnaravarairnighnadbhiritaretaram ॥8-33-49॥
There, it appeared as if the sky was filled with a shadow of clouds, with showers of arrows, surrounded by the best of warriors striking each other.
vipatākādhvajacchatrā vyaśvasūtāyudhā raṇe। vyaṅgāṅgāvayavāḥ petuḥ kṣitau kṣīṇā hateśvarāḥ ॥8-33-50॥
In the battle, the warriors, stripped of their banners, flags, and umbrellas, without horses, charioteers, and weapons, with mutilated limbs and parts, fell on the ground, diminished and slain.
pravarāṇīva śailānāṃ śikharāṇi dvipottamāḥ। sārohā nihatāḥ peturvajrabhinnā ivādrayaḥ ॥8-33-51॥
The finest elephants, along with their riders, were struck down and fell like mountain peaks shattered by a thunderbolt.
chinnabhinnaviparyaistairvarmālaṅkāravigrahaiḥ। sārohāsturagāḥ peturhatavīrāḥ sahasraśaḥ ॥8-33-52॥
The battlefield was strewn with armors, ornaments, and bodies that were cut, broken, and disordered. Horses with their riders fell, and heroes were slain by the thousands.
vipraviddhāyudhāṅgāśca dviradāśvarathairhatāḥ। prativīraiśca saṃmarde pattisaṅghāḥ sahasraśaḥ ॥8-33-53॥
In the battle, the opposing heroes killed thousands of infantry groups, along with scattered weapons, limbs, elephants, horses, and chariots.
viśālāyatatāmrākṣaiḥ padmendusadṛśānanaiḥ। śirobhiryuddhaśauṇḍānāṃ sarvataḥ saṃstṛtā mahī ॥8-33-54॥
The earth was entirely covered with the heads of warriors, whose eyes were wide and coppery, and whose faces resembled lotuses and the moon.
tathā tu vitate vyomni nisvanaṃ śuśruvurjanāḥ। vimānairapsaraḥsaṅghairgītavāditranisvanaiḥ ॥8-33-55॥
Thus, the people heard the sound in the vast sky, created by aircraft and groups of apsaras with songs and musical instruments.
hatānkṛttānabhimukhānvīrānvīraiḥ sahasraśaḥ। āropyāropya gacchanti vimāneṣvapsarogaṇāḥ ॥8-33-56॥
The celestial nymphs, in thousands, ascend the aerial cars with the slain and mutilated heroes who are facing their enemies, and depart.
taddṛṣṭvā mahadāścaryaṃ pratyakṣaṃ svargalipsayā। prahṛṣṭamanasaḥ śūrāḥ kṣipraṃ jagmuḥ parasparam ॥8-33-57॥
Upon witnessing the great wonder directly, driven by their desire for heaven, the delighted heroes quickly approached one another.
rathino rathibhiḥ sārdhaṃ citraṃ yuyudhuraahave। pattayaḥ pattibhirnāgā nāgaiḥ saha hayairhayāḥ ॥8-33-58॥
The charioteers, along with other charioteers, fought marvelously in the battle; similarly, foot soldiers with foot soldiers, elephants with elephants, and horses with horses.
evaṃ pravṛtte saṅgrāme gajavājijanakṣaye। sainye ca rajasā vyāpte sve svāñjaghnuḥ pare parān ॥8-33-59॥
In the ongoing battle, as elephants, horses, and men were being destroyed and the army was enveloped in dust, they mistakenly killed their own kinsmen and others their enemies.
kacākaci babhau yuddhaṁ dantādanti nakhānakhi। muṣṭiyuddhaṁ niyuddhaṁ ca dehapāpmavināśanam ॥8-33-60॥
The battle was intense, shining with tooth-to-tooth and nail-to-nail combat. It included fist-fighting and wrestling, leading to the destruction of the body's sins.
tathā vartati saṅgrāme gajavājijanakṣaye। narāśvagajadehebhyaḥ prasṛtā lohitāpaga ॥ narāśvagajadehānsā vyuvāha patitānbahūn ॥8-33-61॥
In the battle, there was a great slaughter of elephants, horses, and men. A river of blood flowed from their bodies, carrying away many of the fallen.
narāśvagajasambādhe narāśvagajasādinām। lohitodā mahāghorā nadī lohitakardamā ॥ narāśvagajadehānsā vahantī bhīrubhīṣaṇī ॥8-33-62॥
In the midst of a throng of men, horses, and elephants, with riders atop them, flows a river with red waters and a terrifying appearance, carrying along the red mud and bodies of men, horses, and elephants, striking fear into the hearts of the timid.
tasyāḥ paramapāraṃ ca vrajanti vijayaiṣiṇaḥ। gādhena ca plavantaśca nimajjyonmajjya cāpare ॥8-33-63॥
Those who seek victory reach her ultimate shore, navigating with depth, floating, immersing, and emerging, while others follow.
te tu lohitadigdhāṅgā raktavarmāyudhāmbarāḥ। sasnustasyāṃ papuścāsṛṅmamlusca bharatarṣabha ॥8-33-64॥
But they, with their limbs smeared in red and clothed in blood-red armor and weapons, bathed in that river, drank the blood, and became weary, O best of the Bharatas.
rathānaśvānnarānnāgānāyudhābharaṇāni ca। vasanānyatha varmāṇi hanyamānān hatānapi ॥ bhūmiṁ khaṁ dyāṁ diśaścaiva prāyaḥ paśyāma lohitam ॥8-33-65॥
We see almost everything around us—chariots, horses, men, elephants, weapons, ornaments, garments, and armors—being struck down and killed. The earth, sky, heaven, and all directions appear red.
lohitásya tu gandhena sparśena ca rasena ca। rūpeṇa cātiriktena śabdena ca visarpatā ॥ viṣādaḥ sumahān āsīt prāyaḥ sainyasya bhārata ॥8-33-66॥
O Bharata, there was a great sorrow spreading through the army, caused by the overwhelming presence of the red, perceived through smell, touch, taste, form, and sound.
tattu viprahataṃ sainyaṃ bhīmasenamukhaistava। bhūyaḥ samādravanvīrāḥ sātyakipramukhā rathāḥ ॥8-33-67॥
Your army, though smashed by Bhimasena and his group, was once again charged by the heroes led by Satyaki's chariots.
teṣām āpatatāṃ vegam aviṣahya mahātmanām। putrāṇāṃ te mahatsainyam āsīd rājan parāṅmukham ॥8-33-68॥
The great souls attacked with such irresistible force that the sons' mighty army was turned away, O king.
tatprakīrṇarathāśvebhaṃ naravājisamākulam। vidhvastacarmakavacaṃ praviddhāyudhakārmukam ॥8-33-69॥
The battlefield was a chaotic scene, filled with scattered chariots, horses, elephants, and men, with armor and shields destroyed, and weapons and bows discarded.
vyadravattāvakaṃ sainyaṃ loḍyamānaṃ samantataḥ। siṃhārditaṃ mahāraṇye yathā gajakulaṃ tathā ॥8-33-70॥
Your army fled in all directions, shaken and terrified, just like a herd of elephants would scatter when attacked by a lion in a vast forest.
