12.004
Pancharatra-Ext: Karna helps Duryodhana to win the maiden of Rājapura, in the territory of Kaliṅga, daughter of King Citrāṅgada, by defeating several kings.
nārada uvāca॥
Nārada said:
karṇas tu samavāpyaitad astraṃ bhārgava-nandanāt। duryodhanena sahito mumude bharatarṣabha ॥12-4-1॥
But Karṇa, having fully acquired this weapon from the son of Bhṛgu, rejoiced together with Duryodhana, O best of the Bharatas.
tataḥ kadācid rājānaḥ samājagmuḥ svayaṃvare. kaliṅgaviṣaye rājan rājñaś citrāṅgadasya ca ॥12-4-2॥
Then, O king, at some time, the kings assembled at the svayaṃvara in the territory of Kaliṅga, for King Citrāṅgada.
śrīmad-rājapuraṃ nāma nagaraṃ tatra bhārata। rājānaḥ śataśas tatra kanyārthaṃ samupāgaman ॥12-4-3॥
O Bhārata, in the city called the glorious Rājapura, hundreds of kings assembled there seeking the maiden.
śrutvā duryodhanas tatra sametān sarva-pārthivān। rathena kāñcana-aṅgena karṇena sahito yayau ॥12-4-4॥
When Duryodhana heard this, he saw all the assembled kings there; then, accompanied by Karṇa, he went in a chariot with golden ornaments.
tataḥ svayaṃvare tasmin sampravṛtte mahotsave। samāpetur nṛpatayaḥ kanyārthe nṛpasattama ॥12-4-5॥
O best of kings, then, when that great festival of the svayaṃvara commenced, the kings assembled there for the maiden.
śiśupālo jarāsandho bhīṣmako vakra eva ca। kapotaromā nīlaśca rukmī ca dṛḍhavikramaḥ ॥12-4-6॥
Śiśupāla, Jarāsandha, Bhīṣmaka, Vakra, Kapotaromā, Nīla, Rukmī, and the steadfastly valiant were present.
sṛgālaś ca mahārāja strī-rājyādhipatiś ca yaḥ। aśokaḥ śatadhanvā ca bhojo vīraś ca nāmataḥ ॥12-4-7॥
The jackal, the great king, the lord of the women's kingdom, and those named Aśoka, Śatadhanvā, Bhoja, and the hero.
ete cānye ca bahavo dakṣiṇāṃ diśam āśritāḥ। mlecchācāryāś ca rājānaḥ prācyodīcyāś ca bhārata ॥12-4-8॥
O Bhārata, many others, including foreign teachers and kings from the east and north, have also taken refuge in the southern direction.
kāñcanāṅgadinaḥ sarve baddhajāmbūnadasrajaḥ। sarve bhāsvaradehāś ca vyāghrā iva madotkaṭāḥ॥12-4-9॥
All wore golden armlets and garlands of Jambūnada gold; their bodies shone, and they were all as fiercely proud as tigers.
tataḥ samupaviṣṭeṣu teṣu rājasu bhārata। viveśa raṅgaṃ sā kanyā dhātrī-varṣa-dharānvitā ॥12-4-10॥
O Bhārata, when those kings were seated, that maiden, accompanied by her nurse and the cloud-bearer, entered the arena.
tataḥ saṃśrāvyamāṇeṣu rājñāṃ nāmasu bhārata। atyakrāma-d-dhārtarāṣṭraṃ sā kanyā varavarṇinī ॥12-4-11॥
Then, O Bhārata, as the names of the kings were being announced, that maiden of excellent complexion crossed over Dhritarashtra's son.
duryodhanas tu kauravyo nāmarṣayata laṅghanam। pratyaṣedhāc ca tāṃ kanyām asatkṛtya narādhipān ॥12-4-12॥
But Duryodhana, the Kaurava prince, could not tolerate the transgression and, having disrespected that maiden, restrained the kings.
sa vīrya-mada-mattatvād bhīṣma-droṇau upāśritaḥ। ratham āropya tāṃ kanyām ājuhāva narādhipān ॥12-4-13॥
Because of his intoxication with strength and pride, having taken refuge with Bhishma and Drona, he mounted the chariot and invited the kings along with the maiden.
tam-anvayād rathī khaḍgī bhad-dagodhāṅgulitravān। karṇaḥ śastrabhṛtāṃ śreṣṭhaḥ pṛṣṭhataḥ puruṣarṣabha ॥12-4-14॥
Karna, the best among weapon-bearers and a bull among men, wearing a ring made from an auspicious monitor lizard, followed him as his charioteer and sword-bearer from behind.
tato vimardaḥ sumahān rājñām āsīd yudhiṣṭhira। saṃnahyatāṃ tanutrāṇi rathān yojayatām api ॥12-4-15॥
Then, O Yudhiṣṭhira, a great conflict arose among the kings. Let the body-armors be donned and the chariots yoked as well.
te'bhyadhāvanta saṅkruddhāḥ karṇa-duryodhanāvubhau। śaravarṣāṇi muñcanto meghāḥ parvatayoriva ॥12-4-16॥
Both Karna and Duryodhana, enraged, rushed forward, releasing showers of arrows like clouds pouring on two mountains.
karṇasteṣāmāpatatāmekāikena kṣureṇa ha। dhanūṃṣi saśarāvāpānyapātayata bhūtale ॥12-4-17॥
Karna, with a razor-headed arrow, indeed caused the bows with quivers and arrows of each of those rushing towards him to fall on the ground.
tato vidhanuṣaḥ kāṃścit kāṃścid udyatakārmukān। kāṃścid udvahato bāṇān rathaśaktigadās tathā ॥12-4-18॥
Then, there were some without bows, some with raised bows, and some carrying arrows, chariots, spears, and maces as well.
lāghavād ākulīkṛtya karṇaḥ praharatāṃ varaḥ। hata-sūtān ca bhūyiṣṭhān avajigye narādhipān ॥12-4-19॥
By his swiftness, Karna, the best among fighters, threw the enemy into confusion, slew the charioteers, and conquered most of the kings.
te svayaṃ tvarayanto'śvāny āhi yāhīti vādināḥ। vyapeyus te raṇaṃ hitvā rājāno bhagnamānasāḥ ॥12-4-20॥
The kings themselves, urging their horses and shouting 'Drive, go!', left the battlefield and departed, their spirits broken.
duryodhanas tu karṇena pālyamāno'bhyayāt tadā। hṛṣṭaḥ kanyām upādāya nagaraṃ nāgasāhvayam ॥12-4-21॥
But Duryodhana, guarded by Karṇa, joyfully brought the maiden to the city of Nāgasāhvaya (Hastināpura) at that time.
