08.059
Pancharatra and Core: The combined strength of Bhima and Arjuna foils the attack of the Kaurava army strategized by Karna.
sañjaya uvāca॥
Sanjaya said:
taṁ tu yāntaṁ mahāvegairaśvaiḥ kapivaradhvajam। yuddhāyābhyadravanvīrāḥ kurūṇāṁ navatī rathāḥ ॥ parivavrurnaravyāghrā naravyāghraṁ raṇe'rjunam ॥8-59-1॥
As Arjuna, bearing the monkey-banner, advanced with great speed on his horses, ninety chariots of the Kuru heroes rushed towards him for battle. The warriors, fierce as tigers, encircled Arjuna, the tiger among men, on the battlefield.
kṛṣṇaḥ śvetānmahāvegānaśvānkakanakabhūṣaṇān। muktājālapraticchannānpraiṣītkarṇarathaṃ prati ॥8-59-2॥
Krishna dispatched the swift white horses, adorned with gold and covered with a net of pearls, towards Karna's chariot.
tataḥ karṇarathaṃ yāntamarīnghnantaṃ dhanañjayam। bāṇavarṣairabhighnantaḥ saṃśaptarathā yayuḥ ॥8-59-3॥
Then, as Karna's chariot advanced, slaying enemies, Dhananjaya was struck by showers of arrows from the chariots of the Samsaptakas.
tvaramāṇāṃstu tānsarvānsasūteṣvasanadhvajān। jaghāna navatiṃ vīrānarjuno niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ ॥8-59-4॥
Arjuna swiftly killed all those ninety warriors, who were advancing with chariots and had their flags lowered, using his sharp arrows.
te'patanta hatā bāṇairnānārūpaiḥ kirīṭinā। savimānā yathā siddhāḥ svargātpuṇyakṣaye tathā ॥8-59-5॥
They fell from the sky, slain by Arjuna's diverse arrows, along with their celestial vehicles, just as celestial beings fall from heaven when their accumulated merit is exhausted.
tataḥ sarathanāgāśvāḥ kuravaḥ kurusattama। nirbhayā bharataśreṣṭhamabhyavartanta phalgunam ॥8-59-6॥
Then, O esteemed Kuru, the fearless Kurus, accompanied by chariots, elephants, and horses, advanced towards Arjuna, the best among the Bharatas.
tadāyastamamuktāstramudīrṇavaravāraṇam। putrāṇāṃ te mahatsainyaṃ samarautsīddhanañjayaḥ ॥8-59-7॥
Dhananjaya faced the great army of your sons, with his weapon still unreleased, rising like a magnificent elephant in the battle.
śaktyṛṣṭitomaraprāsairgadānistriṁśasāyakaiḥ। prācchādayanmaheṣvāsāḥ kuravaḥ kurunandanam ॥8-59-8॥
The great archers of the Kuru dynasty showered the son of Kuru with a barrage of spears, clubs, javelins, maces, swords, and arrows.
tāṃ kurūṇāṃ pravitatāṃ śastravṛṣṭiṃ samudyatām। vyadhamatpāṇḍavo bāṇaistamaḥ sūrya ivāṃśubhiḥ ॥8-59-9॥
The Pāṇḍava, with his arrows, dispelled the weapon-rain of the Kurus, much like the sun dispels darkness with its rays.
tato mlecchāḥ sthitairmattaistrayodaśaśatairgajaiḥ। pārśvato'bhyaḥananpārthaṃ tava putrasya śāsanāt ॥8-59-10॥
Then, by the command of your son, the barbarians, positioned with thirteen hundred intoxicated elephants, launched an attack on Arjuna from the flank.
karṇinālīkanārācaiḥ tomaraiḥ prāsaśaktibhiḥ। kampanairbhiṇḍipālaiśca rathasthaṃ pārthamārdayan ॥8-59-11॥
Arjuna, standing on his chariot, was tormented by a barrage of arrows, darts, iron arrows, spears, javelins, missiles, maces, and clubs.
tāmastravṛṣṭiṃ prahitāṃ dvipasthairyavanaiḥ smayan। ciccheda niśitairbhallairardhacandraiśca phalgunaḥ ॥8-59-12॥
Arjuna, with a smile, deftly intercepted and cut down the barrage of weapons launched by the Yavanas mounted on elephants, using his sharp crescent-shaped arrows.
atha tāndviradānsarvānnānāliṅgairmahāśaraiḥ। sapatākānsahārohāngirīnvajrairivābhinat ॥8-59-13॥
Then he attacked all those elephants, adorned with various marks and flags, along with their riders, as if striking mountains with thunderbolts.
te hemapuṅkhairiṣubhirācitā hemamālinaḥ। hatāḥ peturmahānāgāḥ sāgnijvālā ivādrayaḥ ॥8-59-14॥
The great serpents, adorned with golden-feathered arrows and golden garlands, were slain and fell like mountains with flames of fire.
tato gāṇḍīvanirghoṣo mahānāsīdviśāṃ pate। stanatāṃ kūjatāṃ caiva manuṣyagajavājinām ॥8-59-15॥
Then, O lord of the people, the great sound of Gandiva arose, mingling with the roars and cries of men, elephants, and horses.
kuñjarāśca hatā rājanprādravaṃste samantataḥ। aśvāśca paryadhāvanta hatārohā diśo daśa ॥8-59-16॥
The elephants were killed, O king, and they fled in all directions. The horses, whose riders were killed, ran around in all ten directions.
rathā hīnā mahārāja rathibhirvājibhistathā। gandharvanagarākārā dṛśyante sma sahasraśaḥ ॥8-59-17॥
O great king, thousands of chariots without charioteers and horses appeared like the city of Gandharvas.
aśvārōhā mahārāja dhāvamānāstatastataḥ। tatra tatraiva dṛśyantē patitāḥ pārthasāyakaiḥ ॥8-59-18॥
O great king, the horsemen are seen running here and there, struck down by Arjuna's arrows.
tasmiṅkṣaṇe pāṇḍavasya bāhvorbalamadṛśyata। yatsādino vāraṇāṃśca rathāṃścaiko'jayadyudhi ॥8-59-19॥
In that moment, the strength of the Pandava's arms was revealed, as he single-handedly conquered horsemen, elephants, and chariots in battle.
tatas tryaṅgeṇa mahatā balena bharatarṣabha। dṛṣṭvā parivṛtaṃ rājan bhīmasenaḥ kirīṭinam ॥8-59-20॥
Then, O best of the Bharatas, Bhimasena saw the crowned one surrounded by a great force with three divisions, O king.
hatāvaśeṣānutsṛjya tvadīyānkaticidrathān। javenābhyadravadrājandhanañjayarathaṃ prati ॥8-59-21॥
Leaving behind the remnants and abandoning some of your chariots, O king, he rushed swiftly towards Arjuna's chariot.
tatastatprādravatsainyaṃ hatabhūyiṣṭhamāturam। dṛṣṭvā yadarjunaṃ bhīmo jagāma bhrātaraṃ prati ॥8-59-22॥
Then that army, mostly defeated and distressed, fled. Upon seeing Arjuna, Bhima went towards his brother.
hatāvaśiṣṭāṃsturagānarjunena mahājavān। bhīmo vyadhamadabhrānto gadāpāṇirmahāhave ॥8-59-23॥
In the great battle, Arjuna killed the remaining swift horses, while Bhima, with his mace in hand, unperturbedly scattered them.
kālarātrimivātyugrāṃ naranāgāśvabhojanām। prākārāṭṭapuradvāradāraṇīmatidāruṇām ॥8-59-24॥
It was like the night of destruction, extremely fierce, devouring men, elephants, and horses, and tearing apart the city's ramparts, towers, and gates, presenting an extremely terrible sight.
tato gadāṁ nṛnāgāśveṣvāśu bhīmo vyavāsṛjat। sā jaghāna bahūnaśvānaśvārōhāṁśca māriṣa ॥8-59-25॥
Then Bhima, with great speed, hurled his mace upon the men, elephants, and horses, causing great destruction by killing many horses and horsemen, O lord.
kāṃsyāyasatanutrāṃstānnarānaśvāṃśca pāṇḍavaḥ। pothayāmāsa gadayā saśabdaṃ te'patanhatāḥ ॥8-59-26॥
The Pāṇḍava, with his mace, struck down the armored men and horses made of bronze and iron, causing a loud noise as they fell, lifeless.
hatvā tu tadgajānīkaṃ bhīmaseno mahābalaḥ। punaḥ svarathamāsthāya pṛṣṭhato'rjunamanvagāt ॥8-59-27॥
After slaying the elephant army, the mighty Bhimasena mounted his chariot once more and followed Arjuna from behind.
hataṃ parāṅmukhaprāyaṃ nirutsāhaṃ paraṃ balam। vyālambata mahārāja prāyaśaḥ śastraveṣṭitam ॥8-59-28॥
The great army, mostly turned away and dispirited, was hanging around, O great king, mostly surrounded by weapons.
vilambamānaṃ tatsainyamapragalbhamavasthitam। dṛṣṭvā prācchādayadbāṇairarjunaḥ prāṇatāpanaiḥ ॥8-59-29॥
Arjuna, observing the unsteady and delayed army, showered them with arrows that tormented their lives.
tataḥ kurūṇām abhavad ārtanādo mahāmṛdhe। ratha-aśva-nāga-asuharaiḥ vadhyatām arjuna-iṣubhiḥ ॥8-59-30॥
Then, in the great battle, a loud wailing arose from the Kurus as Arjuna's arrows took the lives of their chariots, horses, and elephants.
hāhākṛtaṃ bhṛśaṃ tasthau līyamānaṃ parasparam। alātacakravatsainyaṃ tadābhramata tāvakam ॥8-59-31॥
The army, making a loud noise, stood intensely as they merged with each other. Then, like a firebrand wheel, your army whirled around.
ādīptaṃ tava tatsainyaṃ śaraiśchinnatanucchadam। āsītsvaśoṇitaklinnaṃ phullāśokavanaṃ yathā ॥8-59-32॥
Your army, blazing and with its cover cut by arrows, was soaked in its own blood, resembling a blooming ashoka forest.
taddṛṣṭvā kuravastatra vikrāntaṃ savyasācinaḥ। nirāśāḥ samapadyanta sarve karṇasya jīvite ॥8-59-33॥
Upon witnessing the valiant Arjuna there, all the Kurus lost hope in Karna's survival.
aviṣahyaṃ tu pārthasya śarasampātamāhave। matvā nyavartankuravo jitā gāṇḍīvadhanvanā ॥8-59-34॥
The Kauravas, realizing the unstoppable barrage of arrows from Arjuna in the battle, retreated, defeated by him who wields the Gandiva bow.
te hitvā samare pārthaṃ vadhyamānāśca sāyakaiḥ। pradudruvurdiśo bhītāścukruśuścāpi sūtajam ॥8-59-35॥
In the battle, they left Arjuna and, being struck by arrows, fled in all directions in fear, calling out to Karna.
abhyadravata tān pārthaḥ kirañ śaraśatān bahūn। harṣayan pāṇḍavān yodhān bhīmasena-purogamān ॥8-59-36॥
Pārtha, the son of Pritha, charged at them, releasing numerous arrows, encouraging the Pandava warriors led by Bhimasena.
putrāstu te mahārāja jagmuḥ karṇarathaṃ prati। agādhe majjatāṃ teṣāṃ dvīpaḥ karṇo'bhavattadā ॥8-59-37॥
Your sons, O great king, approached Karna's chariot. In their dire situation, Karna became their refuge.
kuravo hi mahārāja nirviṣāḥ pannagā iva। karṇamevopalīyanta bhayādgāṇḍīvadhanvanaḥ ॥8-59-38॥
O great king, the Kurus, like serpents without venom, sought refuge in Karna alone, fearing the mighty archer who wielded the Gandiva bow.
yathā sarvāṇi bhūtāni mṛtyorbhītāni bhārata। dharmamevopalīyante karmavanti hi yāni ca ॥8-59-39॥
O Bharata, just as all beings are afraid of death and take refuge in righteousness, so do those who are engaged in actions.
tathā karṇaṃ maheṣvāsaṃ putrāstava narādhipa। upālīyanta santrāsātpāṇḍavasya mahātmanaḥ ॥8-59-40॥
Thus, O king, your sons, fearing the great-souled Pandava, approached Karna, the great archer.
tāñśoṇitapariklinnānviṣamasthāñśarāturān। mā bhaiṣṭetyabravītkarṇo hyabhito māmite ti ca ॥8-59-41॥
Karna, seeing those around him soaked in blood and afflicted by arrows in uneven places, reassured them by saying, "Do not fear," and also addressed me.
sambhagnaṃ hi balaṃ dṛṣṭvā balāt pārthena tāvakam। dhanurvisphārayan karṇas tasthau śatrujighāṃsayā॥ pāñcālān punar ādhāvat paśyataḥ savyasācinaḥ॥ 8-59-42॥
Seeing his forces broken by Arjuna, Karna stood firm, stretching his bow with the intent to kill. He then rushed again towards the Panchalas, under the watchful eyes of Arjuna.
tataḥ kṣaṇena kṣitipāḥ kṣatajapratimekṣaṇāḥ। karṇaṃ vavarṣurbāṇaughairyathā meghā mahīdharam ॥8-59-43॥
Then, in an instant, the kings, their eyes bloodshot, rained arrows upon Karna as clouds pour upon a mountain.
tataḥ śarasahasrāṇi karṇamuktāni māriṣa। vyayojayanta pāñcālānprāṇaiḥ prāṇabhṛtāṃ vara ॥8-59-44॥
Then, O sir, thousands of arrows released by Karna took the lives of the Panchalas, O best among the living beings.
tato raṇo mahān āsīt pāñcālānāṃ viśāṃ pate। vadhyatāṃ sūtaputreṇa mitrārthe 'mitraghātinām ॥8-59-45॥
Then a great battle ensued, O lord of the Pāñcālas, where the son of a charioteer killed the enemy slayers for the sake of his friends.
