SECTION 73
"Sanjaya said, 'Once more Keshava of immeasurable soul said these words
unto Arjuna, who, O Bharata, was advancing (to battle), firmly resolved
upon slaying Karna, 'Today is the seventeenth day, O Bharata, of this
terrible massacre of men and elephants and steeds. At the outset vast was
the host that belonged to you. Encountering the foe in battle, that host
has been very much reduced in numbers, O king! The Kauravas also, O
Partha, were numerous at first, teeming with elephants and steeds.
Encountering thee, however, as their foe, they have been nearly
exterminated in the van of battle! These lords of Earth and these
Srinjayas, united together, and these Pandava troops also, obtaining thy
invincible self as their leader, are maintaining their ground on the
field. Protected by thee, O slayer of foes, the Pancalas, the Matsyas,
the Karushas, and the Cedis, have caused a great destruction of your foes.
Who is there that can vanquish the assembled Kauravas in battle? On the
other hand, who is there that can vanquish the mighty car-warriors of the
Pandavas protected by thee? Thou, however, are competent to vanquish in
battle the three worlds consisting of the gods, the asuras, and human
beings, united together. What need I say then of the Kaurava host? Save
thee, O tiger among men, who else is there, even if he resemble Vasava
himself in prowess, that could vanquish king Bhagadatta? So also, O
sinless one, all the lords of earth, united together, are incapable, O
Partha, of even gazing at this vast force that is protected by thee. So
also, O Partha, it is owing to their having been always protected by thee
that Dhrishtadyumna and Shikhandi succeeded in slaying Drona and Bhishma.
Who, indeed, O Partha, could vanquish in battle those two mighty
car-warriors of the Bharatas, Bhishma and Drona, both of whom were endued
with prowess equal to that of Sakra himself? Save thee, O tiger among
men, what other man in this world is able to vanquish those fierce lords
of akshauhinis, those unreturning and invincible heroes, all accomplished
in weapons and united together, Shantanu's son Bhishma, and Drona, and
Vaikartana, and Kripa, and Drona's son, and king Duryodhana himself?
Innumerable divisions of soldiers have been destroyed (by thee), their
steeds and cars and elephants having been mangled (with your shafts).
Numberless Kshatriyas also, wrathful and fierce, hailing from diverse
provinces, have been destroyed by thee. Teeming with horses and
elephants, large bodies of combatants of diverse Kshatriya clans, such as
the Govasas, the Dasamiyas, the Vasatis, O Bharata, and the Easterners,
the Vatadhanas, and the Bhojas that are very sensitive of their honour,
approaching you and Bhima, O Bharata, have met with destruction. Of
terrible deeds and exceedingly fierce, the Tusharas, the Yavanas, the
Khasas, the Darvabhisaras, the Daradas, the Sakas, the Kamathas, the
Ramathas, the Tanganas the Andhrakas, the Pulindas, the Kiratas of fierce
prowess, the Mlecchas, the Mountaineers, and the races hailing from the
sea-side, all endued with great wrath and great might, delighting in
battle and armed with maces, these all--united with the Kurus and
fighting wrathfully for Duryodhana's sake were incapable of being
vanquished in battle by anybody else save thee, O scorcher of foes! What
man, unprotected by thee, could advance, beholding the mighty and
swelling host of the Dhartarashtras arrayed in order of battle? Protected
by thee, O puissant one, the Pandavas, filled with wrath, and penetrating
into its midst, have destroyed that host shrouded with dust and
resembling a swollen sea. Seven days have elapsed since the mighty
Jayatsena, the ruler of the Magadhas, was slain in battle by Abhimanyu.
After that, 10,000 elephants, of fierce feats, that used to follow that
king, were slain by Bhimasena with his mace. After that, other elephants,
and car-warriors, by hundreds, have been destroyed by Bhima in that
exercise of his might. Even thus, O Partha, during the progress of this
awful battle, the Kauravas, with their steeds and carwarriors and
elephants, encountering Bhimasena and thee, O son of Pandu, have from
hence repaired to the region of Death. The van of the Kaurava army, O
Partha, having been struck down by the Pandavas, Bhishma shot showers of
fierce shafts, O sire! Conversant with the highest weapons, he shrouded
the Cedis, the Pancalas, the Karushas, the Matsyas, and the Kaikayas with
the shafts, and deprived them of life! The welkin became filled with
gold-winged and straight coursing shafts, capable of piercing the bodies
of all foes, that issued out of his bow. He slew thousands of
car-warriors, shooting showers of shafts at a time. In all, he slew a
100,000 men and elephants of great might. Abandoning the diverse motions,
each of a new kind, in which they careered, those wicked kings and
elephants, while perishing, destroyed many steeds and cars and elephants.
Indeed, numberless were the shafts that Bhishma shot in battle.
Slaughtering the Pandava host for ten days together, Bhishma made the
terraces of numberless cars empty and deprived innumerable elephants and
steeds of life. Having assumed the form of Rudra or of Upendra in battle,
he afflicted the Pandava divisions and caused a great carnage amongst
them. Desirous of rescuing the wicked Suyodhana who was sinking in a
raftless sea, he slaughtered many lords of Earth among the Cedis, the
Pancalas, and the Kaikayas, and caused a great massacre of the Pandava
army teeming with cars and steeds and elephants. Innumerable
foot-soldiers among the Srinjayas, all well-armed, and other lords of
earth, were incapable of even looking at that hero when he careered in
battle like the Sun himself of scorching splendour. At last the Pandavas,
with all their resources, made a mighty effort, and rushed against that
warrior who, inspired with the desire of victory, used to career in
battle even in this way. Without availing himself of any aid, he routed,
however, the Pandavas and the Srinjayas in battle, and came to be
regarded as the one foremost hero in the world. Encountering him,
Shikhandi, protected by thee, slew that tiger among men with his straight
shafts. Having obtained you that are a tiger among men (as his foe),
that grandsire is now stretched on a bed of arrows, like Vritra when he
obtained Vasava for his foe. The fierce Drona also slaughtered the
hostile army for five days together. Having made an impenetrable array
and caused many mighty car-warriors to be slain, that great car-warrior
had protected Jayadratha (for some time). Fierce as the Destroyer
himself, he caused a great carnage in the nocturnal battle. Endued with
great valour, the heroic son of Bharadwaja consumed innumerable
combatants with his arrows. At last, encountering Dhrishtadyumna, he
attained to the highest end. If, on that day, you had not checked in
battle all the (Dhartarashtra) car-warriors headed by the Suta's son,
Drona then would never have been slain. Thou heldst in check the whole
Dhartarashtra force. It was for this, O Dhananjaya, that Drona could be
slain by the son of Prishata. What other Kshatriya, save thee, could in
battle achieve such feats for compassing the slaughter of Jayadratha.
Checking the vast (Kaurava) army and slaying many brave kings, thou
killedest king Jayadratha, aided by the might and energy of your weapons.
All the kings regarded the slaughter of the ruler of the Sindhus to have
been exceedingly wonderful. I, however, do not regard it so; you didst
it and you are a great car-warrior. If this vast assemblage of
Kshatriyas, obtaining you as a foe, suffer extermination in course of
even a whole day, I should, I think, still regard these Kshatriyas to be
truly mighty. When Bhishma and Drona have been slain, the terrible
Dhartarashtra host, O Partha, may be regarded to have lost all its
heroes. Indeed, with all its foremost warriors slain, with its steeds,
cars, and elephants destroyed, the Bharata army looketh today like the
firmament, reft of the Sun, the Moon, and stars. Yonder host of fierce
prowess, O Partha, hath been shorn of its splendours today like the Asura
host in days of yore shorn of its splendours by Sakra's prowess. The
remnant of that grand master now consists of only five great
car-warriors, viz., Ashvatthama, Kritavarma, Karna, Shalya, and Kripa.
Slaying those five great car-warriors today, O tiger among men, be you a
hero that hath killed all his foes, and bestow you the Earth with all
her islands and cities on king Yudhishthira. Let Pritha's son
Yudhishthira of immeasurable energy and prosperity, obtain today the
whole earth with the welkin above it, the waters on it, and the nether
regions below it. Slaying this host like Vishnu in days of yore slaying
the Daityas and the Danavas, bestow the Earth on the king like Hari
bestowing (the three worlds) on Sakra. Let the Pancalas rejoice today,
their foes being slain, like the celestials rejoicing after the slaughter
of the Danavas by Vishnu. If in consequence of your regard for that
foremost of men, viz., your preceptor Drona, you cherishest compassion
for Ashvatthama, if, again, you hast any kindness for Kripa for the sake
of respect that is due to a preceptor, if, approaching Kritavarma, thou
dost not despatch him today to Yama's abode in consequence of the honour
that is due to one's kinsmen by the mother's side, if, O lotus-eyed one,
approaching your mother's brother, viz., Shalya, the ruler of the Madras,
thou dost not from compassion slay him, I ask thee, do thou, with keen
shafts, O foremost of men slay Karna today with speed, that vile wretch
of sinful heart who cherisheth the fiercest hate for the son of Pandu.
This is your noblest duty. There is nothing in it that would be improper.
We approve of it, and here is no fault in the act. The wicked-souled
Karna is the root, O you of unfading glory, of that attempt, O sinless
one, made in the night for burning your mother with all her children, and
of that conduct which Suyodhana adopted towards you in consequence of
that match at dice. Suyodhana always hopeth for deliverance through
Karna. Filled with rage, he endeavours to afflict me also (in consequence
of that support). It is the firm belief of Dhritarashtra's royal son, O
giver of honours, that Karna, without doubt, will slay all the Prithas in
battle. Though fully acquainted with your might, still, O son of Kunti,
Dhritarashtra's son hath selected war with you in consequence of his
reliance on Karna. Karna also always says, 'I will vanquish the assembled
Parthas and that mighty car-warrior, viz., Vasudeva of Dasharha's race'.
Buoying up the wicked-souled son of Dhritarashtra, the wicked Karna
always roareth in the (Kuru) assembly. Slay him today, O Bharata. In all
the acts of injury, of which Dhritarashtra's son hath been guilty towards
you, the wicked-souled Karna of sinful understanding hath been the
leader. I saw the heroic son of Subhadra of eyes like those of a bull,
slain by six mighty car-warriors of cruel heart belonging to the
Dhritarashtra army. Grinding those bulls among men, viz., Drona, Drona's
son, Kripa and other heroes, he deprived elephants of their riders and
mighty car-warriors of their cars. The bull-necked Abhimanyu, that
spreader of the fame of both the Kurus and the Vrishnis, deprived steeds
also of their riders and foot-soldiers of weapons and life. Routing the
(Kaurava) divisions and afflicting many mighty car-warriors, he
despatched innumerable men and steeds and elephants to Yama's abode. I
swear by Truth to thee, O friend, that my limbs are burning at the
thought that while the son of Subhadra was thus advancing, consuming the
hostile army with his shafts, even on that occasion the wicked-souled
Karna was engaged in acts of hostility to that hero, O lord! Unable, O
Partha, to stay in that battle before Abhimanyu's face, mangled with the
shafts of Subhadra's son, deprived of consciousness, and bathed in blood,
Karna drew deep breaths, inflamed with rage. At last, afflicted with
arrows, he was obliged to turn his back upon the field. Eagerly desirous
of flying away and becoming hopeless of life, he stayed for some time in
battle, perfectly stupefied and exhausted with the wounds he had
received. At last hearing those cruel words of Drona in battle--words
that were suited to the hour--Karna cut off Abhimanyu's bow. Made bowless
by him in that battle, five great car-warriors then, well-versed in the
ways of foul warfare, slew that hero with showers of shafts. Upon the
slaughter of that hero, grief entered the heart of everyone. Only, the
wicked-souled Karna and Suyodhana laughed in joy. (Thou rememberest also)
the harsh and bitter words that Karna cruelly said unto Krishna in the
(Kuru) assembly, in the presence of the Pandavas and Kurus, 'The
Pandavas, O Krishna, are dead! They have sunk into eternal hell! O thou
of large hips, choose other lords now, O you of sweet speeches! Enter
now the abode of Dhritarashtra as a serving woman, for, O you of curving
eye-lashes, your husbands are no more! The Pandavas will not, O Krishna,
be of any service to you today! Thou are the wife of men that are
slaves, O princess of Pancala, and you are thyself, O beautiful lady, a
slave! Today only Duryodhana is regarded as the one king on earth; all
other kings of the world are worshipping the agency by which his
administration is kept up. Behold now, O amiable one, how all the sons of
Pandu have equally fallen! Overwhelmed by the energy of Dhritarashtra's
son, they are now silently eyeing one another. It is evident that they
are all sesame seeds without kernel, and have sunk into hell. They will
have to serve the Kaurava (Duryodhana), that king of kings, as his
slaves.' Even these were the foul words that that wretch, viz., the
sinful Karna of exceedingly wicked heart, spoke on that occasion, in thy
hearing, O Bharata! Let gold-decked shafts whetted on stone and capable
of taking the life of him at whom they are sped, shot by thee, quench
(the fire of) those words and all the other wrongs that that
wicked-souled wight did unto thee. Let your shafts quench all those wrongs
and the life also of that wicked wight. Feeling the touch of terrible
arrows sped from Gandiva, let the wicked-souled Karna recollect today the
words of Bhishma and Drona! Let foe-killing cloth-yard shafts, equipped
with the effulgence of lightning, shot by thee, pierce his vital limbs
and drink his blood! Let fierce and mighty shafts, of great impetuosity,
sped by your arms, penetrate the vitals of Karna today and despatch him to
Yama's abode. Let all the kings of the earth, cheerless and filled with
grief and uttering wails of woe, behold Karna fall down from his car
today, afflicted with your arrows. Let his kinsmen, with cheerless faces,
behold Karna today, fallen down and stretched at his length on the earth,
dipped in gore and with his weapons loosened from his grasp! Let the
lofty standard of Adhiratha's son, bearing the device of the elephant's
rope, fall fluttering on the earth, cut off by you with a broad-headed
arrow. Let Shalya fly away in terror, abandoning the gold-decked car (he
drives) upon seeing it deprived of its warrior and steeds and cut off
into fragments with hundreds of shafts by thee. Let your enemy Suyodhana
today, beholding Adhiratha's son slain by thee, despair of both his life
and kingdom. Yonder, O Partha, Karna, equal unto Indra in energy, or,
perhaps, Sankara himself, is slaughtering your troops with his shafts.
There the Pancalas, though slaughtered by Karna with his whetted shafts,
are yet, O chief of Bharata's race, rushing (to battle), for serving the
cause of the Pandavas. Know, O Partha, that is prevailing over the
Pancalas, and the (five) sons of Draupadi, and Dhrishtadyumna and
Shikhandi, and the sons of Dhrishtadyumna, and Satanika, the son of
Nakula, and Nakula himself, and Sahadeva, and Durmukha, and Janamejaya,
and Sudharman, and Satyaki! The loud uproar made by those allies of
thine, viz., the Pancalas, O scorcher of foes, as they are being struck
by Karna in dreadful battle, is heard. The Pancalas have not at all been
inspired with fear, nor do they turn away their faces from the battle.
Those mighty bowmen are utterly reckless of death in great battle.
Encountering even that Bhishma who, single-handed, had encompassed the
Pandava army with a cloud of shafts, the Pancalas did not turn away their
faces from him. Then again, O chastiser of foes, they always strove with
alacrity to vanquish forcibly in battle their great foe, viz., the
invincible Drona, that preceptor of all wielders of the bow, that blazing
fire of weapons, that hero who always burnt his foes in battle. They have
never turned their faces from battle, afraid of Adhiratha's son. The
heroic Karna, however, with his shafts, is taking the lives of the
Pancala warriors endued with great activity as they are advancing against
him, like a blazing fire taking the lives of myriads of insects. The son
of Radha, in this battle, is destroying in hundreds the Pancalas that are
advancing against him,--those heroes, that are resolved to lay down their
lives for the sake of their allies! It behoveth thee, O Bharata, to
become a raft and rescue those brave warriors, those great bowmen, that
are sinking in the raftless ocean represented by Karna. The awful form of
that weapon which was obtained by Karna from that foremost of sages,
viz., Rama of Bhrigu's race, hath been displayed. Scorching all the
troops, that weapon of exceedingly fierce and awful form is blazing with
its own energy, surrounding our vast army. Those arrows, sped from
Karna's bow, are coursing in battle thick as swarm of bees, and scorching
thy troops. Encountering Karna's weapon in battle, that is irresistible
by persons not having their souls under control, there the Pancalas, O
Bharata, are flying away in all directions! Yonder, Bhima, of
unappeasable wrath, surrounded on all sides by the Srinjayas, is fighting
with Karna, O Partha, afflicted by the latter with keen shafts! If
neglected, Karna will, O Bharata, exterminate the Pandavas, the
Srinjayas, and the Pancalas, like a neglected disease whose germ has
entered the body. Save you I do not see another in Yudhishthira's army
that would come home safe and sound, having encountered the son of Radha
in battle. Slaying that Karna today with your keen shafts, O bull among
men, act according to your vow, O Partha, and win great fame. I tell thee
truly, you only are able to vanquish in battle the Kaurava host with
Karna amongst them, and no one else, O foremost of warriors! Achieving
this great feat, viz., slaying the mighty car-warrior Karna, attain thy
object, O Partha, and crowned with success, be happy, O best of men!'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 8 : UPA-PARVA 73 ---------------------
