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Pancharatra and Core: The death of Karna devastates Duryodhana. The sound of the conches Pāñcajanya and Devadatta resonated throughout the earth.
Sanjaya said:
Shalya, witnessing the forces of Karna and Arjuna being crushed by arrows, observed Duryodhana as he moved, and pointed out the battlefield, O Bharata.
Upon witnessing the devastation of his army, with chariots, horses, and elephants fallen, and the son of the charioteer killed, Duryodhana, overwhelmed with grief, repeatedly sighed, his eyes brimming with tears.
Karna, the valiant warrior, lay fallen on the ground, his body covered with arrows and smeared with blood. By chance, like the sun resting on the earth, those eager to see him stood around him.
Some were delighted, some frightened, some dejected, and some forgot themselves; others appeared as if overcome by grief. Among your people, some behaved with each other according to their nature.
Upon hearing that Karna, who had discarded his armor, ornaments, clothes, and weapons, was struck down by Dhananjaya (Arjuna) and his strength was vanquished, the Kauravas fled in panic, like cows in great distress when their leading bulls are slain.
After a fierce battle with Arjuna, Karna was slain like an elephant by a lion. Witnessing Karna lying on the ground, the king of Madra, in fear, swiftly retreated with his chariot.
The king of Madra, bewildered and distressed, quickly approached Duryodhana with his chariot's banner removed, and spoke to him.
Your army, with its scattered elephants, horses, chariots, and heroes, looked like the realm of Yama. When they encountered each other, they were slain by great warriors, horses, and elephants, resembling mountain peaks.
O Bhārata, there has never been a battle like this one today between Karna and Arjuna. Indeed, Karna has seized Krishna and all your enemies in the forest.
"Fate, which operates independently, protects the Pandavas and harms us. All those who were working for your success have been forcibly killed by the enemies."
The heroes, possessing qualities and strengths comparable to Kubera, Vaivasvata, Vāsava, and the lord of waters, are endowed with great valor, heroism, and strength.
The kings, thought to be immortal, have been slain by the Pandavas in battle, seeking praise. Therefore, do not grieve, O Bharata, for this is destined; success and failure alternate, and success is not always guaranteed.
Upon hearing the words of the king of Madra, Duryodhana, feeling dejected and losing consciousness, repeatedly sighed in distress, reflecting on his own situation.
He, deeply afflicted and silent in meditation, spoke to the distressed without compassion: "Behold this terrible battlefield filled with men, horses, and elephants, and the bodies of slain heroes."
The mountains and great elephants had fallen, pierced by arrows in their vital parts. They were thrown once, agitated and lifeless, with their machines, weapons, armor, and warriors destroyed.
The scene appeared as if it had been struck by thunderbolts and mighty mountains, with rocks, animals, trees, and herbs shattered. It was scattered with bells, hooks, spears, and banners, adorned with golden garlands, and flooded with streams of blood.
The scene was filled with broken shields and fallen horses, others breathing heavily and vomiting blood. Miserable and groaning, with rolling eyes, they bit the earth pitifully while crying.
The battlefield was strewn with the bodies of elephants, horses, and warriors, both living and dead. Men, horses, elephants, and chariots lay crushed, making the earth resemble the dreadful river Vaitarani, difficult to behold.
The earth was covered with elephants whose limbs were severed, trembling with fear and fallen on the ground; with glorious city chariots, horses, warriors, and foot soldiers who were facing and killed by others. It was like the earth covered with scattered armor, ornaments, garments, and weapons, resembling the end of night by fires.
The earth, struck by showers of arrows from the mighty and observed fallen by thousands, lay unconscious but reviving again, appeared as if accompanied by fires. The earth, fallen from the sky, appeared very bright at night with planets, making the sky seem pure and shining.
The arrows shot by Karna and Arjuna's arms tore through the bodies of elephants, horses, and men, swiftly taking their lives, and descended to the earth like great serpents returning to their dwelling, surrounded by weapons.
The battlefield was littered with the bodies of slain men, horses, and elephants, and the chariots shattered by arrows. The path of Dhananjaya and the great charioteer became impassable, making the earth extremely difficult to traverse.
The battlefield was filled with smashed chariots and excellent warriors; interwoven with charioteers, horses, excellent weapons, and banners. There were broken weapons, cut-off axles, wheels, yokes, and triple bamboo poles scattered around.
The earth was strewn with the remnants of battle: machines freed from their constraints, shattered by iron weapons, followers slain, quivers emptied, nests broken, all adorned with jewels and gold, resembling the sky filled with autumn clouds.
The chariots, adorned and drawn by swift horses, along with men, elephants, and horses, moved swiftly in various directions, causing destruction.
Weapons adorned with gold, including iron clubs, battle-axes, maces, pestles, and spears, fell down. Spotless and unsheathed swords, along with maces bound with gold bands, also fell.
Bows adorned with golden ornaments, arrows with golden and variegated feathers, spears that are yellow, pure, and unsheathed, along with javelins and swords that shine like gold.
There are umbrellas, fans made of hair, and conch shells; garlands adorned with the best flowers and gold. Cushions wrapped in flags and cloth, along with garlands of crowns and bright diadems.
Scattered and spread out were the blankets; chief among them were the shimmering pearl necklaces. There were head ornaments, excellent armlets and bracelets; neck ornaments and coins with golden threads.
There are excellent jewels, diamonds, gold, and pearls; various auspicious gems. The limbs are extremely comfortable, and the heads resemble moon-like faces.
They renounced their bodies, pleasures, and possessions; and after achieving great steadfastness in their duties, they reached the worlds filled with fame.
After speaking thus, Śalya fell silent. Duryodhana, overwhelmed with sorrow, cried out in distress, "Alas, Karna! Alas, Karna!" He was deeply anguished, unconscious, and his eyes were filled with tears.
The kings, led by Droṇa's son, consoled him and departed together, repeatedly gazing at Arjuna's magnificent banner, which was shining gloriously.
The battlefield, stained with the blood of men, horses, and elephants, looks like a woman dressed in red, shining and accessible to all.
In the fierce moment, the hidden forms, shining brightly with blood, did not remain as the Kurus observed; all departed to the heavenly realms.
They were deeply saddened by Karna's death; lamenting 'Alas, Karna! Alas, Karna!' they quickly returned to their camps, O king, while watching the red sun.
Karna, though slain, lies on the ground shining with arrows covering his body, resembling the sun with its rays.
The Sun, compassionate to his devotees, touches the blood-covered body of Karna with his hands and, in his red form, approaches the vast ocean to bathe.
Thus, after contemplating, the assemblies of divine sages set out for their respective abodes. Meanwhile, the people, having considered, departed comfortably to the sky and the earth.
Having heard of the wonderful and terrifying battle between the chief Kuru heroes, Dhananjaya and Adhiratha, the astonished people praised them and then departed.
The hero Karna, son of Radha, was struck down on the battlefield with his armor shattered by arrows. Yet, even in death, fortune did not desert him.
O king, the slain Karna, adorned with various ornaments and polished golden armlets, lies like a tree with sprouts.
The warrior, shining like the finest gold and blazing like fire, was subdued along with his son by Arjuna's brilliance, after having tormented the Pandavas and the Panchalas with his martial prowess, O king.
The noble person who promised 'I will give' but denied when asked by the seekers, was defeated in a duel by the virtuous, like a bull.
In whom everything was dedicated to the Brahmins and not for personal gain; even his own life was not withheld from the Brahmins.
The beloved benefactor, always cherished by people, has ascended to heaven, taking with him the hope of victory, happiness, and protection for your sons.
When Karna was slain, the rivers ceased to flow; the tainted sun descended. A planet, glowing with the hue of the sun, rose askew, O king, as if it were the son of Yama.
The sky split open and the earth echoed with sound; fierce winds blew with great force. The directions were filled with smoke and blazed intensely; the great oceans were agitated and roared loudly.
The forests and mountain ranges trembled, and the creatures were distressed, O gentle one. Bṛhaspati, after afflicting Rohiṇī, shone with a radiance equal to that of the moon and the sun.
After Karna was killed, the directions became unclear, enveloped in darkness. The sky trembled, and the earth shook. A bright meteor fell, and even the night creatures became joyful.
When Arjuna, whose face shone like the moon, cut off Karna's head with a razor, there arose a repeated cry of 'alas' from the people, both in the sky and on earth.
Arjuna, worshipped by gods, gandharvas, and humans, shone with supreme splendor after slaying his enemy Karṇa in battle, just as Indra did after defeating Vritra.
Then, the chariot, resounding like a cluster of clouds, shone with the brilliance of the sun in the autumn sky, adorned with flags and banners that roared fearsomely, and gleamed like snow, moon, conch, and crystal, embellished with gold, pearls, gems, diamonds, and corals, unmatched in its swiftness.
The best among men, who crushed the enemies of the Pāṇḍavas, shone fearlessly in the battlefield like the blazing sun and fire, resembling the equal chariots of Viṣṇu and Indra.
Then, with the resounding echoes of bowstrings and rims, having overpowered the enemies and stripped them of their strength, the warriors with the monkey and bird banners blew their conches loudly, demoralizing the enemy forces.
The best of men, having taken the excellent conches covered with a net of gold and white as snow, kissed them with their hands and blew them simultaneously with their beautiful faces.
The sound of the conches Pāñcajanya and Devadatta resonated throughout the earth, sky, and heavens, filling them with their mighty sound.
The two heroes, by blowing their conch, made the forests, mountains, rivers, and all directions echo with sound, terrifying your sons' army and delighting Yudhishthira.
Upon hearing the conches, the Kurus quickly left, abandoning the king of Madras and Duryodhana, O Bharata.
In the great battle, the assembled beings admired the brilliance of Dhananjaya. Then they rejoiced in Janardana, just as one would at the rising of the sun and moon.
Both Krishna and Arjuna, covered with Karna's arrows, shone brilliantly in the battle, dispelling darkness like the pure moon and sun adorned with rays.
Having left behind those groups of arrows, they then arrived, surrounded by friends of unmatched valor, and comfortably entered their own camp, like lords invited by the assembly, akin to Indra and Acyuta (Krishna).
Then, having slain Karna in the great battle, they were honored by the enemy, along with gods, gandharvas, humans, charanas, great sages, yakshas, and great serpents, with the increase of victory.
