08.056
Pancharatra and Core: Praise for Karna's valour and description of how Pandava army was shattered by him single-handedly.
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca॥
Dhritarashtra said:
tato bhagneṣu sainyeṣu bhīmasenena saṃyuge। duryodhanobravītkiṃ nu saubalo vāpi sañjaya ॥8-56-1॥
Then, as the armies were shattered by Bhimasena in battle, Duryodhana asked, "What happened to Saubala or Sanjaya?"
karṇo vā jayatāṃ śreṣṭho yodhā vā māmakā yudhi। kṛpo vā kṛtavarmā ca drauṇirduḥśāsano'pi vā ॥8-56-2॥
Karna, the best among the victorious warriors, or my warriors in battle, whether it be Kripa, Kritavarma, Drona's son, or even Duhshasana.
atyadbhutam idaṃ manye pāṇḍaveyasya vikramam। yathāpratijñaṃ yodhānāṃ rādheyaḥ kṛtavān api ॥8-56-3॥
I find the valor of the son of Pandu to be truly remarkable. Radheya has fulfilled his promise to the warriors.
kurūṇām api sarveṣāṃ karṇaḥ śatruniṣūdanaḥ। śarma varma pratiṣṭhā ca jīvitāśā ca sañjaya ॥8-56-4॥
Karna, the destroyer of enemies, was the joy, armor, prestige, and hope of life for all the Kurus, including Sanjaya.
tatprabhagnaṁ balaṁ dṛṣṭvā kaunteyenāmitaujasā। rādheyānāmadhirathaḥ karṇaḥ kimakarodyudhi ॥8-56-5॥
Upon witnessing the formidable force shattered by the mighty son of Kunti, what action did Karna, the charioteer of the Radheya lineage, take on the battlefield?
putrā vā mama durdharṣā rājāno vā mahārathāḥ। etanme sarvamācakṣva kuśalo hyasi sañjaya ॥8-56-6॥
"O Sanjaya, tell me about my sons or the invincible kings or the great charioteers, as you are indeed skilled in this matter."
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
aparāhṇe mahārāja sūtaputraḥ pratāpavān। jaghāna somakānsarvānbhīmasenasya paśyataḥ ॥
In the afternoon, O great king, the valiant son of a charioteer killed all the Somakas while Bhīmasena was watching.
drāvyamāṇaṃ balaṃ dṛṣṭvā bhīmasenena dhīmatā। yantāramabravītkarṇaḥ pāñcālāneva mā vaha ॥8-56-8॥
Karna, observing the army being driven by the wise Bhimasena, instructed his charioteer not to carry only the Panchalas.
madrarājastataḥ śalyaḥ śvetānaśvānamahājavān। prāhiṇoccedipāñcālānkarūṣāṃśca mahābalaḥ ॥8-56-9॥
Then King Śalya of Madra sent forth his swift white horses along with the mighty warriors of Edi, Pāñcālas, and Karuṣas.
praviśya ca sa tāṃ senāṃ śalyaḥ parabalārdanaḥ। nyayacchatturagānhṛṣṭo yatra yatraicchadagraṇīḥ ॥8-56-10॥
Shalya, the destroyer of enemy forces, entered the army and joyfully restrained the horses wherever the leader wished.
taṁ rathaṁ meghasaṅkāśaṁ vaiyāghraparivāraṇam। saṁdṛśya pāṇḍupāñcālāstrastā āsanviśāṁ pate ॥8-56-11॥
Upon seeing that chariot, which was as formidable as a cloud and adorned with tiger symbols, the Pandavas and Panchalas were struck with fear, O lord of the people.
tato rathasya ninadaḥ prādurāsīnmahāraṇe। parjanyasamanirghoṣaḥ parvatasyeva dīryataḥ ॥8-56-12॥
Then the sound of the chariot arose in the great battle, resembling the roar of a cloud, as if the mountain itself were splitting apart.
tataḥ śaraśataistīkṣṇaiḥ karṇo'pyākarṇaniḥsṛtaiḥ। jaghāna pāṇḍavabalaṃ śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ ॥8-56-13॥
Then Karna, using his sharp arrows drawn to the ear, attacked the Pandava army in hundreds and thousands.
taṃ tathā samare karma kurvāṇamatimānuṣam। parivavrurmaheṣvāsāḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahārathāḥ ॥8-56-14॥
The great archers and warriors of the Pandavas surrounded him, who was performing superhuman feats in the battle.
taṁ śikhaṇḍī ca bhīmaśca dhṛṣṭadyumnaśca pārṣataḥ। nakulaḥ sahadevaśca draupadeyāḥ sasātyakāḥ ॥ parivavrurjighāṁsanto rādheyaṁ śaravṛṣṭibhiḥ ॥8-56-15॥
Shikhandi, Bhima, Dhrishtadyumna, the son of Prishata, Nakula, Sahadeva, the sons of Draupadi, and Satyaki surrounded Karna, intending to kill him with a barrage of arrows.
sātyakistu tataḥ karṇaṃ viṃśatyā niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ। atāḍayadraṇe śūro jatrudeśe narottamaḥ ॥8-56-16॥
Satyaki, the best among men, heroically struck Karna in the collarbone region with twenty sharp arrows during the battle.
śikhaṇḍī pañcaviṃśatyā dhṛṣṭadyumnaśca pañcabhiḥ। draupadeyāścatuḥṣaṣṭyā sahadevaśca saptabhiḥ ॥ nakulaśca śatenājau karṇaṃ vivyādha sāyakaiḥ ॥8-56-17॥
Shikhandi, Dhrishtadyumna, the sons of Draupadi, Sahadeva, and Nakula attacked Karna in battle with their respective forces, using arrows to pierce him.
bhīmasenastu rādheyaṃ navatyā nataparvaṇām। vivyādha samare kruddho jatrudeśe mahābalaḥ ॥8-56-18॥
Bhimasena, in his anger, pierced Radheya in the collar region with ninety arrows in the battle. The mighty warrior was furious.
tataḥ prahasyādhirathirvikṣipandhanaruttamam। mumoca niśitānbāṇānpīḍayansumahābalaḥ ॥ tānpratyavidhyadrādheyaḥ pañcabhiḥ pañcabhiḥ śaraiḥ ॥8-56-19॥
Then, with a smile, Adhirathi skillfully wielded his excellent bow and unleashed a volley of sharp arrows, demonstrating his immense strength. Radheya, however, skillfully countered each of those arrows with five of his own.
sātyakestu dhanuśchittvā dhvajaṃ ca puruṣarṣabhaḥ। athainaṃ navabhirbāṇairājaghāna stanāntare ॥8-56-20॥
The bull among men, after cutting down Satyaki's bow and flag, struck him in the chest with nine arrows.
bhīmasenastu taṃ kruddho vivyādha triṃśatā śaraiḥ। sārathiṃ ca tribhirbāṇairājaghāna parantapaḥ ॥8-56-21॥
Bhimasena, in his anger, shot thirty arrows at him and struck the charioteer with three arrows, demonstrating his prowess as a subduer of foes.
virathāndraupadeyāṃśca cakāra puruṣarṣabhaḥ। akṣṇornimeṣamātreṇa tadadbhutamivābhavat ॥8-56-22॥
The best among men, in an astonishing feat, rendered the sons of Draupadi without their chariots in the blink of an eye.
vimukhīkṛtya tānsarvāñśaraiḥ saṁnataparvabhiḥ। pāñcālānahanacchūraścedīnāṁ ca mahārathān ॥8-56-23॥
The hero, having turned all of them away with his curved arrows, struck down the Pāñcālas and the great chariot-warriors of the Cedis.
te vadhyamānāḥ samare cedimatsyā viśāṃ pate। karṇamekamabhidrutya śarasaṅghaiḥ samārdayan ॥ tāñjaghāna śitairbāṇaiḥ sūtaputro mahārathaḥ ॥8-56-24॥
The Chedis and Matsyas, being attacked in battle, O lord of men, focused their assault on Karna alone with volleys of arrows, harassing him. However, Karna, the great warrior and son of a charioteer, retaliated and killed them with his sharp arrows.
etad atyadbhutaṁ karṇe dṛṣṭavān asmi bhārata। yad ekaḥ samare śūrān sūtaputraḥ pratāpavān ॥8-56-25॥
I have witnessed this astonishing event, O Bhārata, where a single, glorious son of a charioteer stood valiantly among the heroes in battle.
yatamānān paraṃ śaktyāyodhayattāṃśca dhanvinaḥ। pāṇḍaveyān mahārāja śarairvāritavān raṇe ॥8-56-26॥
The archers, with all their might, engaged in battle and held back the Pandavas with their arrows, O great king.
tatra bhārata karṇasya lāghavena mahātmanaḥ। tutuṣurdevatāḥ sarvāḥ siddhāśca paramarṣayaḥ ॥8-56-27॥
There, O Bhārata, the swiftness of the great soul Karṇa pleased all the gods, the perfected ones, and the great sages.
apūjayanmaheṣvāsā dhārtarāṣṭrā narottamam। karṇaṃ rathavaraśreṣṭhaṃ śreṣṭhaṃ sarvadhanuṣmatām ॥8-56-28॥
The sons of Dhritarashtra, who were great archers, honored Karna, the supreme among men and the foremost of all chariot warriors.
tataḥ karṇo mahārāja dadāha ripuvāhinīm। kakṣamiddho yathā vahnirnidāghe jvalito mahān ॥8-56-29॥
Then, O great king, Karṇa burned the enemy army like a great fire blazing in the forest during summer.
te vadhyamānāḥ karṇena pāṇḍaveyāstatastataḥ। prādravanta raṇe bhītāḥ karṇaṃ dṛṣṭvā mahābalam ॥8-56-30॥
The sons of Pandu, being slain by the mighty Karna, fled here and there in fear upon seeing him in the battle.
tatrākrando mahān āsīt pāñcālānāṃ mahāraṇe। vadhyatāṃ sāyakais tīkṣṇaiḥ karṇacāpavaracyutaiḥ ॥8-56-31॥
In the great battle, the Pāñcālas cried out loudly as they were being slain by the sharp arrows shot from Karna's mighty bow.
tena śabdena vitrastā pāṇḍavānāṃ mahācamūḥ। karṇamekaṃ raṇe yodhaṃ menire tatra śātravāḥ ॥8-56-32॥
The sound terrified the great army of the Pandavas, and the enemies there regarded Karna as the sole warrior in the battle.
tatrādbhutaṃ paraṃ cakre rādheyaḥ śatrukarśanaḥ। yadekaṃ pāṇḍavāḥ sarve na śekurabhivīkṣitum ॥8-56-33॥
There, Radheya, the son of Radha, performed a supreme and wonderful feat that none of the Pandavas were able to witness.
yathaughaḥ parvataśreṣṭhamāsādyābhipradīryate। tathā tatpāṇḍavaṃ sainyaṃ karṇamāsādya dīryate ॥8-56-34॥
Just as a flood is shattered upon reaching the best of mountains, so too is the Pandava army shattered upon reaching Karna.
karṇo'pi samare rājanvidhūmo'gniriva jvalan। dahaṃstasthau mahābāhuḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahācamūm ॥8-56-35॥
Karna, with his mighty arms, stood in battle like a smokeless blazing fire, consuming the great army of the Pandavas, O king.
śirāṃsi ca mahārāja karṇāṃścañcalakuṇḍalān। bāhūṃśca vīro vīrāṇāṃ ciccheda laghu ceṣubhiḥ ॥8-56-36॥
O great king, the hero swiftly severed the heads, ears adorned with moving earrings, and arms of the warriors using arrows.
hastidantāntsarūn khaḍgān dhvajāñ śaktīr hayān gajān। rathāṃś ca vividhān rājan patākā vyajanāni ca ॥8-56-37॥
O king, there were elephant tusks, chariots, swords, flags, spears, horses, elephants, and various banners and fans.
akṣeṣāyugayoktrāṇi cakrāṇi vividhāni ca। ciccheda śatadhā karṇo yodhavratamanuṣṭhitaḥ ॥8-56-38॥
Karṇa, committed to his warrior's duty, skillfully dismantled the chariots by cutting their axles, yokes, harnesses, and wheels into numerous pieces.
tatra bhārata karṇena nihatairgajavājibhiḥ। agamyarūpā pṛthivī māṃsaśoṇitakardamā ॥8-56-39॥
In that place, O Bhārata, the ground was rendered impassable by Karṇa, as it was covered with the bodies of slain elephants and horses, and was soaked with flesh and blood.
viṣamaṃ ca samaṃ caiva hatairaśvapadātibhiḥ। rathaiśca kuñjaraiścaiva na prājñāyata kiñcana ॥8-56-40॥
The battlefield was so covered with the slain horses, foot soldiers, chariots, and elephants that nothing could be distinguished between the uneven and even ground.
nāpi sve na pare yodhāḥ prājñāyanta parasparam। ghore śarāndhakāre tu karṇāstre ca vijṛmbhite ॥8-56-41॥
In the terrifying darkness created by the arrows, neither their own warriors nor those of the enemy could recognize each other, but this changed when Karna's weapon was unleashed.
rādheyacāpanirmuktaiḥ śaraiḥ kāñcanabhūṣitaiḥ। sañchāditā mahārāja yatamānā mahārathāḥ ॥8-56-42॥
O great king, the great charioteers, in their efforts, were enveloped by the golden-adorned arrows released from the bow of Karna, the son of Radha.
te pāṇḍaveyāḥ samare karṇena sma punaḥ punaḥ। abhajyanta mahārāja yatamānā mahārathāḥ ॥8-56-43॥
The sons of Pandu were repeatedly broken in battle by Karna, despite their efforts, O great king, these mighty warriors could not withstand him.
mṛgasaṅghānyathā kruddhaḥ siṃho drāvayate vane। karṇastu samare yodhāṃstatra tatra mahāyaśāḥ ॥ kālayāmāsa tatsainyaṃ yathā paśugaṇānvṛkaḥ ॥8-56-44॥
"Just as an angry lion chases away herds of deer in the forest, the greatly renowned Karna destroyed the army here and there in battle, like a wolf does to herds of animals."
dṛṣṭvā tu pāṇḍavīṃ senāṃ dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ parāṅmukhīm। abhijagmurmaheṣvāsā ruvanto bhairavānravān ॥8-56-45॥
Upon seeing the Pandava army, the sons of Dhritarashtra, who were great archers, turned away and approached while shouting terrifying sounds.
duryodhano hi rājendra mudā paramayā yutaḥ। vādayāmāsa saṃhṛṣṭo nānāvādyāni sarvaśaḥ ॥8-56-46॥
Duryodhana, filled with immense joy, cheerfully ordered the playing of various musical instruments everywhere, O king.
pāñcālāpi maheṣvāsā bhagnā bhagnā narottamāḥ। nyavartanta yathā śūrā mṛtyuṃ kṛtvā nivartanam ॥8-56-47॥
The Panchalas, who were also great archers and the best of men, retreated like heroes, having accepted death as a form of retreat.
tānnivṛttānraṇe śūrānrādheyaḥ śatrutāpanaḥ। anekaśo mahārāja babhañja puruṣarṣabhaḥ ॥8-56-48॥
Radheya, known as Karna, repeatedly defeated the retreating heroes in battle, O great king, demonstrating his prowess as a formidable warrior.
tatra bhārata karṇena pāñcālā viṃśatī rathāḥ। nihatāḥ sādayaḥ krodhāccedayaśca paraḥśatāḥ ॥8-56-49॥
In that place, O Bhārata, Karṇa killed twenty chariots of the Pāñcālas. In his wrath, he also destroyed hundreds more.
kṛtvā śūnyān rathopasthān vājipṛṣṭhāṃś ca bhārata। nirmanuṣyān gajaskandhān pādātāṃś caiva vidrutān ॥8-56-50॥
O Bharata, the chariots, horsebacks, elephant backs, and foot soldiers were made empty and scattered.
āditya iva madhyāhne durnirīkṣyaḥ parantapaḥ। kālāntakavapuḥ krūraḥ sūtaputraścacāra ha ॥8-56-51॥
The son of a charioteer, who was like the sun at noon and difficult to look at, moved with a cruel form resembling the end of time, scorching his foes.
evametānmahārāja naravājirathadvipān। hatvā tasthau maheṣvāsaḥ karṇo'riganasūdanaḥ ॥8-56-52॥
Thus, O great king, Karṇa, the great archer, stood as the destroyer of the host of enemies, having slain these men, horses, chariots, and elephants.
yathā bhūtaganānhatvā kālastiṣṭhenmahābalaḥ। tathā sa somakān hatvā tasthāveko mahārathaḥ ॥8-56-53॥
Just as the mighty time stands after annihilating all beings, so did he stand alone, the great chariot-warrior, after slaying the Somakas.
tatrādbhutamapaśyāma pāñcālānāṃ parākramam। vadhyamānāpi karṇena nājahū raṇamūrdhani ॥8-56-54॥
There, we witnessed the extraordinary bravery of the Pāñcālas. Despite being struck down by Karṇa, they did not abandon the battlefield.
rājā duḥśāsanaścaiva kṛpaḥ śāradvatastathā। aśvatthāmā kṛtavarmā śakuniścāpi saubalaḥ ॥ nyahananpāṇḍavīṃ senāṃ śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ ॥8-56-55॥
The king Duḥśāsana, along with Kṛpa, Śāradvata, Aśvatthāmā, Kṛtavarmā, and Śakuni, the son of Subala, attacked the Pāṇḍava army in hundreds and thousands.
karṇaputrau ca rājendra bhrātarau satyavikramau। anāśayetāṃ balinaḥ pāñcālānvai tatastataḥ ॥ tatra yuddhaṃ tadā hyāsītkrūraṃ viśasanaṃ mahat ॥8-56-56॥
The sons of Karna, O king, known for their true valor, destroyed the mighty Panchalas in various places. At that time, there was a fierce and great slaughter indeed.
tathaiva pāṇḍavāḥ śūrā dhṛṣṭadyumnaśikhaṇḍinau। draupadeyāśca saṅkruddhā abhyaghnaṃstāvakaṃ balam ॥8-56-57॥
In the same way, the valiant Pandavas, along with Dhrishtadyumna and Shikhandi, and the sons of Draupadi, fiercely attacked your forces.
evameṣa kṣayo vṛttaḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ tatastataḥ। tāvakānāmapi raṇe bhīmaṃ prāpya mahābalam ॥8-56-58॥
Thus, the destruction of the Pandavas occurred gradually. Similarly, your forces also faced destruction in battle upon encountering the mighty Bhima.
