SECTION 37
"Sanjaya said, 'Beholding the mighty Karna take up his station from
desire of battle, the Kauravas, filled with delight, uttered loud shouts
from every side. With the beat of cymbals and the sound of drums, with
the whizz of diverse kinds of arrows and the roars of combatants endued
with great activity, all your troops proceeded to battle, making death
only the point at which to stop. When Karna set out and the warriors of
the Kuru army were filled with joy, the Earth, O king, trembled and made
a loud noise. The seven great planets including the Sun seemed to proceed
against one another (for combat). Meteoric showers became noticeable and
all the quarters seemed ablaze. Thunders fell from a cloudless sky, and
fierce winds began to blow. Animals and birds in larger numbers kept thy
army to their right, foreboding great calamities. After Karna had set
out, his steeds tumbled down on the Earth. A frightful shower of bones
fell from the sky. The weapons (of the Kuru warriors) seemed to be
ablaze; their standards trembled; and their animals, O monarch, shed
copious tears. These and many other terrible and awful portents appeared
for the destruction of the Kurus. Stupefied by destiny, none of them
regarded those portents at all. Beholding the Suta's son setting out, all
the rulers of men (in the Kaurava army) cried victory to him. The
Kauravas regarded the Pandavas to have been already vanquished. That
slayer of hostile heroes, that foremost of car-warriors, viz.,
Vaikartana, as he stayed on his car recollecting the death of Bhishma and
Drona, blazed up with splendour like the Sun or fire. Reflecting on the
mighty feats of Partha, and burning with self-conceit and pride, and
blazing with wrath and breathing long and hard, he addressed Shalya and
said these words: "When stationed on my car and armed with my bow, I
would not take fright at Indra himself armed with the thunder and excited
with wrath. Beholding those great heroes headed by Bhishma lying on the
field of battle, do not feel any anxiety. Seeing even the faultless
Bhishma and Drona, equal unto Indra and Vishnu, those crushers of
foremost of cars and steeds and elephants, those heroes that were
unslayable, slain by the foe, I do not still experience any fear in this
battle. Acquainted with mighty weapons, and himself the foremost of
brahmanas, why, indeed, did not the preceptor slay in battle all foes,
seeing them destroy the mightiest of our kings with their drivers and
elephants and cars? Remembering that Drona in great battle, I tell you
truly, listen to me, the Kurus, there is none amongst you, save myself,
that is competent to bear the advancing Arjuna, that warrior who
resembles Death himself in his fiercest form. In Drona were the skills
attendant on practice, and might, and bravery, and the highest of weapons
and policy. When even that high-souled one had to succumb to Death, I
regard all the others (of our army), strengthless and on the point of
death. In this world I do not find anything, even on reflection, to be
stable, in consequence of the inevitable connection of acts. When the
preceptor himself is dead, who then will indulge in the certain belief
that he will live till even today's sun-rise? When the preceptor was thus
slain by the enemy in battle, without doubt weapons, ordinary and
celestial, and might and prowess, and achievements and wise policy, are
not able to compass the happiness of man. In energy Drona was equal to
fire or the Sun, in prowess he resembled Vishnu or Purandara; in policy
he was equal to Brihaspati or Usana; irresistible as he was, weapons
could not yet protect him. When (our) women and children are weeping and
uttering loud wails, when the valour of the Dhartarashtras has been
defeated, I know it, O Shalya, that it is I who am to fight. Proceed
therefore, against the army of our enemies. Who else, save myself, will
be able to bear those troops amongst whom are stationed the royal son of
Pandu firm in truth, and Bhimasena and Arjuna, and Satyaki, and the
twins? Therefore, O ruler of the Madras, proceed quickly, in this battle,
towards the Pancalas, the Pandavas, and the Srinjayas. Encountering them
in battle, either I will slay them, or myself to Yama's presence by the
path taken by Drona. Do not think, O Shalya, that I will not go into the
very midst of those heroes. These intestine dissensions cannot be
tolerated by me. (Without seeking to tolerate them) I will even follow in
the wake of Drona. Wise or ignorant, when his period is run out,
everybody is equally regarded by the Destroyer; no one can escape, O
learned one, for this, I will proceed against the Parthas. I am unable to
transgress my destiny. The son of Vichitravirya's son is, O king, always
engaged in doing me good. For the accomplishment of his purpose, I will
cast away my life-breaths that are so dear, and this body that is so
difficult of being cast away. This foremost of cars covered with
tigerskins, with axle producing no sound equipped with a golden seat
endued with trivenu made of silver, and unto which are yoked these
foremost of steeds, Rama gave unto me. Behold, also, O Shalya, these
beautiful bows, these standards, these maces, these shafts of fierce
forms, this blazing sword, this mighty weapon, this white conch of fierce
and loud blare. Riding upon this car decked with banners, its wheels
producing a rattle deep as that of the thunder, having white steeds yoked
unto it, and adorned with excellent quivers, I will, putting forth my
might, slay in battle that bull among car-warriors, Arjuna. If Death
himself, that universal consumer, were to protect with vigilance the son
of Pandu in battle, I would still encounter him in fight and either slay
him or myself go to Yama's presence following Bhishma. If Yama, Varuna,
Kuvera, and Vasava, with all their followers coming hither, unitedly
protect the son of Pandu in this great battle, what need of many words, I
will still vanquish him with them.'"
"Sanjaya continued, 'Hearing these words of the bragging Karna who was
exceedingly delighted with the prospect of battle, the valiant king of
the Madras, deriding him, laughed aloud, and gave him the following reply
for checking him.
"'Shalya said, "Forbear, forbear, O Karna, from such bragging. Thou art
in transports of delight and sayest what you shouldst never say. Where
is Dhananjaya, that foremost of men, and where again, are thou, O lowest
of men? Who else, save Arjuna, could take away the younger sister of
(Keshava) that foremost of all persons, having forcibly agitated the home
of the Yadus that was protected by the younger brother of Indra and that
resembled heaven itself that is guarded by the chief of celestials? What
man save Arjuna who is endued with prowess that is equal to the prowess
of the chief of the celestials, could on the occasion of the dispute
caused by the slaughter of an animal, summon Bhava the Lord of Lords, the
Creator of the worlds, to battle? For the sake of honouring Agni, Jaya
had vanquished asuras and gods and great snakes and men and birds and
pishacas and yakshas and rakshasas with his shafts and gave unto that god
the food he had desired. Dost you remember, O Karna, the occasion when,
slaughtering those foes in large numbers with his excellent shafts endued
with the effulgence of the Sun, Phalguna liberated Dhritarashtra's son
himself among the Kurus? Dost you remember the occasion when, thyself
having been the first to fly away, the quarrelsome sons of Dhritarashtra
were liberated by the Pandavas after the latter had defeated those
rangers of the skies (the gandharvas headed by Citraratha)? On the
occasion also of the seizure of (Virata's) kine, the Kauravas, swelling
with numbers in respect of both men and animals, and having the preceptor
and the preceptor's son and Bhishma amongst them, were vanquished by that
foremost of men. Why, O son of Suta, didst you not vanquish Arjuna then?
For your destruction another excellent battle has now presented itself. If
thou dost not fly away from fear of your enemy, know O Suta's son, that as
soon as you goest to battle you wilt be slain.'"
"Sanjaya continued, 'When the ruler of the Madras was most heartily
engaged in addressing these harsh speeches to Karna and uttering these
praises of the latter's foe, that scorcher of foes, viz., the commander
of the Kuru army, excited with rage, said these words unto the Madra king.
"'Karna said, "Let it be so, let it be so. Why, however, dost thou
indulge in Arjuna's praises? A battle is about to ensue between myself
and him. If he vanquishes me in fight, then will these your praises be
regarded as well-uttered.'"
"Sanjaya continued, 'The ruler of the Madras said, "Let it be so," and
gave no reply. When Karna, from desire of fight, addressed Shalya,
saying, "Proceed," then that great carwarrior, having white steeds yoked
unto his vehicle and owning Shalya as his charioteer, proceeded against
his foes, slaying large numbers in battle along his way, like the Sun
destroying the darkness. Indeed, on that car covered with tiger-skins and
having white steeds yoked unto it, Karna proceeded with a cheerful heart,
and beholding the army of the Pandavas, speedily enquired after
Dhananjaya.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 8 : UPA-PARVA 37 ---------------------
