Dronabhisheka Parva — The setting out of Karna

Sanjaya said Then Adhiratha's son of the Suta caste, knowing that Bhisma had fallen, became desirous of saving, like a brother, the army of your son from the calamity it was in, like a boat split in the midst of the unfathomable deep.

Having heard that the son of Shantanu, that foremost of men, the never-dropping one and the best of all car-warriors, had been slain, O king, Karna the repressor of enemies and the foremost of all bowmen, speedily arrived at the field of battle.

When that excellent of car-warriors, Bhishma had been slain by the enemy, Karna soon (came of the battle field), desirous of saving the army of your son resembling a boat sunk in the deep, like a father anxious for rescuing his sons.

Karna said When that Bhishma, who was endued with resoluteness, intelligence, prowess, energy, truthfulness, self-control and with all the other attributes of a hero; who was proficient in the use of celestial weapons; in whom there were humility, bashfulness, sweet speech and harmlessness; who was always grateful, the slayer of the enemies of the twice-borns, in whom there resided all these virtues for ever that Bhishma the destroyer of hostilc heroes had obtained his quietus, I consider the remaining warriors as already slain.

Owing to the constant connection with action, there is nothing in this world that is eternal. When that one of illustrious vows (Bhishma) has been killed today, what man can say with certitude that today, what man can say with certitude that tomorrow the sun will rise?

When that one of prowess equal to that of the Vasus, when he that was born of the energy of the Vasus, when that ruler of earth has gone back to the Vasus, do you then lament for your wealth, your sons and this army?

Sanjaya said When that giver of boons, that most puicsant hero, that lord of men, that one of great vigour had been slain, that when the Bharatas had been vanquished, Karna, with a sorrowful heart and shedding copious tears, began to comfort (the Kurus).

Having heard, O monarch, these wordr of the son of Radha, your sons and your soldiers, out of grief, broke out into loud lamentations and shed tears from their eyes, which were as copious as their wails were loud. When the sanguinary engagement waged anew and the Kaurava host led by kings once more roared forth (their battle-cry), then that foremost of all Maharathis (Karna) addressed these words to the mighty car-warriors, that imparted joy to their hearts.

This transient words is ever flying (towards death); considering this I always regard everything as unsteady. When you were all present here, how could that foremost of the Kurus (Bhishma), who resembled a mountain in steadiness, be slain in battle?

When like the sun dropping down on the earth, that foremost of car-warriors, the son of Shantanu has fallen, the monarchs (of the Kuru army) are hardly capable of withstanding Dhananjaya, like trees unable to withstand the hurricane that uproots even the hills.

As that high-minded one did, so today will I protect, in this dreadful battle, this army of the Kurus, whose appearance is cheerless and whose zeal has been destroyed by the enemy, which is helpless and whose best warriors have already been slain.

This heavy burden now devolves on myself; I shall that this world is transitory. That most excellent of warriors has also fallen in battle. Why shall I then entertain any apprehension for fighting?

Coursing (swiftly) in the battle-field, I shall send, by means of my straight-going shafts, to the abode of Death, the foremost descendants of Kuru's race (Pandavas). Considering fame to be the best of all worldly possessions, I shall kill them in the engagement or myself lie on the field being slain by them.

Yudhishthira is endued with resoluteness, intelligence, piety and vigour; Vrikodara equals a hundred elephants in might; Arjuna also is youthful and the begotten son of the foremost of celestials; so the army belonging to them is not to be easily vanquished even by the immortals.

As no one ever returns alive from the jaws of death, so no coward ever returns (alive) after having confronted that hostile army to which belong the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva), each resembling death himself in battle and in which are Satyaki and the son of Devaki.

Great power, begot of austerities, should be opposed by ascetic wealth. So should the wise oppose might with might. My mind is decided upon withstanding the enemy and it is resolutely fixed upon ensuring the safety (of my own troops).

For certain, O charioteer, I shall today oppose their force and shall defeat them by simply going to the field. This conflict of friends (internecine war) ought not to be tolerated by men. He that helps in rallying a routed army is the true friend.

I shall either achieve this pious act of manliness or shall follow Bhishma, renouncing my vital breaths. I shall either slay in battle my myriad enemies or slain by them I shall attain to the posthumous regions of the heroes.

I regard, indeed, this to be my bounden duty, O charioteer, when women and infants wail aloud for assistance and when Dhartarastra's pride has been humiliated. So I shall this day conquer the enemies of the monarch (Duryodhana)

Preserving the Kurus and massacring the sons of Pandu even at the cost of my very life in this dreadful fight and dispatching to Death my myriad enemies in this battle, I shall bestow this monarchy the of Dhritarashtra.

Fasten on me this magnificent, golden and resplendent armour radiant with gems and jewels. Let also my helmet lustrous like the sun and my bows and arrows resembling fire, poison or serpents, be donned. on son

Fasten sixteen quivers (to my chariot); fetch strongest bows and also arrows, spears, heavy maces and my conch with its body variegated with gold.

Procure also my standard, variegated, beautiful, magnificent, made of gold, burning with the luster of a lotus, bearing the emblem of the elephant's girth, after having cleansed it with a fine piece of cloth and having decorated it with festoons of flowers and a net-work of fine wires.

O son a charioteer, bring me also, in all haste, fleetest horses, of the colour of to tawny clouds, stout, washed with water hallowed by mantras and decorated with rich caparisons made of effulgent gold.

Procure, in all haste, a chariot, most magnificent, festooned with garlands of gold, adorned with gems resembling the Sun and the Moon, furnished with all necessary objects and offensive weapons and yoked with lusty horses.

Bring me also beautiful bows of great toughness and bow-strings of finest make, capable of throwing (arrows at great distances) and some large quivers well-stuffed with shafts and several cuirasses (to cover my person).

O hero, bring speedily all auspicious articles required at the time of setting ous (for battle) and brass and golden vessel filled with curds. Bring garlands of flowers and decorate my person with them; strike up, also, kettledrums for victory.

Drive, O charioteer, quickly thither where Kiritin (diadem-decked), Vrikodara, the virtuous Yudhishthira and the twins are. Confronting them either I shall slay them or being slain in battle by the foes, I shall follow Bhishma.

That host to which belongs, Yudhishthira, firm in truth, in which are Bhima and Arjuna and which contains the son of Vasudeva, Satyaki and the Srinjayas, that host I consider to incapable of being vanquished by these monarchs.

Even if all-devouring Death were to guard Arjuna in the encounter. with the utmost heed, still would I slay him confronting him in battle; or myself hie to the regions of Death following the trail of Bhishma.

It is not that, I say, that I shall not go amidst those heroes. Those that sow dissension's among friends, that are of veering devotion and of impious souls those are not my allies.

Sanjaya said Karna then drove out for victory, mounting excellent chariot, most lavishly furnished, invulnerable, with a magnificent pole, adorned with gold, auspicious, with (fluttering) penons and to which harnessed steeds fleet like the wind.

Worshipped by the best of the car-warriors of the Kuru party, like Indra by the immortals, that high-souled and most terrible of all wielders of bow, endowed with immeasurable vigour like the sun himself,-riding on his chariot decorated with gold, gems and jewels, mounted with a magnificent standard, to which were harnessed finest animals and the rattle of which resembled the rumbling of clouds, went, attended by a mighty host, to the battle-field where that foremost of the Bharata race (Bhishma) had obtained his quietus.

Then that son of Adhiratha, the mighty bowman and warrior Karna, blessed with a handsome appearance and effulgent like fire, riding on his Own auspicious chariot resplendent like fire, shone like the monarch of the celestials himself riding on his own heavenly chariot.