Karna Parva — The beginning of battle

Sanjaya said Thereupon beholding that unrivalled arrangement of the army of Partha protected by Dhristadyumna who was capable of resisting all hostile armies Karna.

Proceeded sending up leonine shouts and making his chariot produce a loud rattle. He made the earth tremble with the loud din of musical instruments.

That chastiser of foes, irrepressible in battle, seemed to tremble in anger. Then arranging his own army in counter array, that hero of great energy, O best of Bharatas.

Made a great havoc of the Pandava army like Indra killing the Asura army. Then wounding Yudhishthira with many arrows he placed the son of Pandu to his right.

Dhritarashtra said How did, O Sanjaya, the son of Radha arrange his army against the Pandavas led by Dhristadyumna and protected by Bhimasena-all those great bowmen invincible even to the very gods. Who stood, O Sanjaya, at the one wing and at the other of my army?

Dividing themselves duly how were they stationed? How did also the sons of Pandu arrange their army against mine?

And how did that great and dreadful battle began? Where was Vibhatsu when Karna proceeded against Yudhishthira?

Who could successfully assail Yudhishthira before Arjuna? Who else except the son of Radha, who wishes to keep his life, would fight with Arjuna who had defeated single-handed formerly all creatures at Khandava?

Sanjaya said Hear now of the arrangement of the army and how Arjuna came and how the battle was fought by both sides encircling their respective kings.

O king, Saradvata's son Kripa, the highly active Magadhas and Kritavarma of the Satvata race stood at the right wing.

Standing at the right of these and accompanied by many dauntless Gandhara horse-men armed with bright lances and many invincible mountaineers numerous swarms of locusts and grim-visaged as the as the cars W Pishachas, Shakuni and the powerful carwarrior Uluka protected the Kuru army.

Thirty-four thousand of the Samsaptakas never to come back from the battle-field mad after fight, encircling your son and desirous of killing Krishna and Arjuna, protected the left side.

The Kambojas, the Sakas, the Yavanas, with their cars, horses and infantry stood on this left challenging Arjuna and the powerful Kesava.

In the centre, stood Karna at the head of the army, clad in armour and a beautiful coat of mail and adorned with bracelets and garlands, for protecting it.

Endued with the effulgence of the moon and fire, beautiful to look at and with twany eyes, protected by his greatly angry sons, that hero, the foremost of the wielders of weapons, shone at the head of his army drawing his bow.

The mighty-armed Dushasana, encircled by his soldiers, stood at the back of the army on a huge elephant and proceeded therefrom.

Protected by the highly energetic Madrakas and Kekayas the king shone there like the performer of hundred sacrifices surrounded by the celestials. Then followed him, O emperor, the king Duryodhana himself protected by his own brothers, clad in beautiful mails and riding on beautiful horses.

Ashvatthama and other leading car-warriors and many infuriate elephants shedding temporal juice, resembling a mass of clouds and driven by brave Mlechchas followed that car force.

With Vaijayanti flags, shining weapons and riders they appeared like hills filled with trees.

The rear of that elephant army was protected by thousands of horses with swords and Patticas never to return back from battle.

Brilliantly adorned with cavalry, carwarriors and elephants that best of armies looked exceedingly picturesque like that of that of the gods or of the demons.

That army arranged after the plan of Vrihaspati by its expert commander appeared to dance and strike terror into the hearts of the enemies.

Like the continual clouds of the rainy season, the infantry, cavalry, car-warriors and elephants, desirous of battle, began to issue from all the wings.

Beholding Karna at the head of the army Yudhishthira addressed the following words to Dhananjaya, that slayer of foes, the one heroes in the battle.

Behold, O Arjuna, the great army arranged by Karna. The enemy's army shines with all its wings.

In the face of such a huge army you should take such precautions as we may not be defeated.

Thus accosted by the king, Arjuna replied with joined hands “Every thing will be done as you say. Nothing will be otherwise."

I will bring about the destruction of the enemy, O Bharata. By killing the head of this encompass their destruction.

Yudhishthira said Having this in view you yourself proceed against the son of Radha; let Bhimasena proceed against Suyodhana; Nakula against Vrihsena, Sahadeva against the son of Subala, Satanika against Dushasana the best of Sinis; Shalyaki against the son of Hridika and Pandya against the son of Drona. I myself will fight with Kripa. army, I will

Let the sons of Draupadi, with Shikhandin proceed against the remaining sons of Dhritarashtra. Let the other heroes proceed against the rest of our enemies.

Sanjaya said Thus addressed by the pious Yudhishthira, Dhananjaya said-'so be it' and ordered his army. He then himself proceeded to the head.

Keshava and Arjuna proceeded to battle on that prime car, for which the leader of the universe Agni who derives his effulgence from Brahman became the horses and

Sri Krishna and Arjuna were marching forward to enemies for attack on an ancient chariot used by Brahma, Rudra, Indra and Varuna respectively for riding during ancient period.

Beholding that wonderful car advance Shalya once more addressed the following words to that highly energetic warrior the son of Adhiratha.

There comes the car drawn by white horses and having Krishna as its driver, the car which even all the soldiers cannot resist as the fruit follows the work. There comes the son of Kunti slaying all his foes along the way, he of whom you were inquiring.

Undoubtedly they are the great Vasudeva and Arjuna as a tremendous uproar deep as the muttering of clouds is being heard.

A cloud of dust is overspreading the welkin like a canopy. The whole earth, O Arjuna, is shaking cut deep by the wheels of Arjuna's cars.

Violent winds are raging on both the sides of the army. The carnivorous animals are yelling aloud and the animals are emitting dreadful cries.

Behold, O Arjuna, the dreadful and evil Ketu of vapoury form, capable of making hairs erect. It has appeared covering the sun.

Behold various sorts of animals in large numbers and many powerful wolves and tigers are looking at the sun.

Behold those terrible Kankas and vultures in thousands sitting with faces towards one another as if holding a conversation.

O Karna, the coloured chowries attached to your huge car are waving roughly and your pennon is also trembling.

See, your beautiful and large horses endued with great speed resembling the beautiful Garuda in the sky, are also trembling.

It is evident from these evil omens O Karna, that hundreds and thousands of kings, deprived of their lives, will sleep the eternal sleep in the field of battles.

There is being heard the hair-stirring and loud sound of the conch. The sound of drums and cymbals, O son of Radha, is being also heard on all sides.

The whizz of the various sorts of shafts and the noise of chariots, horses and men is also being heard. Listen, O Karna, to the twang of the bows of the various warriors.

Many flags of diverse colours and embroidered with gold, made by skillful artisans and shining on Arjuna's car shaken by the wind.

See, O Karna, also the banners of Arjuna, adorned with rows of bells and golden moons and stars, like lightning on the clouds.

Those banners, producing a sound, are being shaken by the wind; the high-souled Panchalas with their cars decked with flags look like the gods on their cars.

Behold the heroic Vibhatsu, the son of Kunti, invincible in battle and having a flag with the emblem of a monkey, is coming forward to assail his enemies.

On the top of Partha's banner a dreadful monkey is being seen capable of increasing the anger of the enemies.

These are the discus, club, Sranga bow and the conch of the intelligent Krishna. The Kaustava jewel appears beautiful (on the breast of) Krishna.

The highly energetic Vasudeva with club and Sranga bow in his hands is driving the yellow horses cndued with speed of the wind.

This is the twang of the bow Gandiva drawn by Savyasachin. These sharpened arrows discharged off his hands will kill the enemies.

The earth is strewn with the heads of the kings who never come back from the battlefield, having expansive coppery eyes and faces like the full moon.

There are falling, the arms, resembling the spiked maces, with weapons and smeared with scents, of warriors taking delight in fight and contending with uplifted weapons.

Horses with eyes, tongues and entrails drawn out, with their riders and falling, fallen and lie dead on earth.

Wounded, mangled and pierced by Partha, lifeless elephants, huge as mountain tops, are falling down like hills.

The cars, resembling the cities of the Gandharvas, with the kings slain are falling down like the celestial cars, on the wane of the piety of the inhabitants of heaven.

Behold, the army has been greatly assailed by Kiritin as various animals are by a lion.

Coming forward the heroic Pandavas are killing the kings, a good many elephants, horses, car-warriors and foot soldiers of your army engaged in battle.

Partha is not visible like the sun covered with clouds. The top of his car is being seen and the twang of his bow is being heard.

You will see him today, O Karna, about whom you are inquiring-that hero, with white horses and Krishna as his driver engaged in killing the enemies in battle.

You will see today, O Karna, stationed on the same car in battle those two foremnost of men with coppery eyes-the subduers of enemies-Krishna and Arjuna.

O son of Radha, you will be our king if you can slay him today who has Krishna for his driver and Gandiva for his bow.

Challenged by Samsaptakas Partha proceeds against them; the powerful warrior is making a great havoc of his enemies in battle.

Thereupon Karna in anger said to the king of Madras who had spoken thus. "See Partha is being assailed on all sides by the Samsaptakas.

Like the sun covered by cloud Partha is no longer visible. Plunged into the deep of warriors O Shalya, Partha is sure to die."

Shalya said Who is there who can slay the god of water with water and fire with fuel? Who is there who can get hold of the wind or drink off the ocean?

Methinks, to assail Partha is just like this. Even the very gods and demons united together with Indra at their head cannot discomfit Arjuna in battle.

Better satisfy yourself and make your mind comfortable by saying this. Partha is not to be conquered in battle. Better fulfill some other object you may have in view.

He who will lift up the earth on his two arms, or consume all creatures with his wrath of hurl down the gods from heaven, may defeat Arjuna in battle.

Behold Bhima, the other heroic son of Kunti who is never worn out with fatigue, shining in his native lustre, mighty armed and is like the second Meru.

With his anger always burning, bent on wrecking revenge the highly energetic Bhima stands there with a view to acquire victory, remembering all his wrongs.

There stands the impartial king Yudhishthira, the foremost of the pious and the conqueror of enemies' cities. The enemies can never resist him in battle.

There stand the twins Nakula Sahadeva, the two Asvinis, the two foremost of men, invincible in battle.

There stand the five Vrishni heroes like five inountains desirous of lighting all equal to Arjuna in battle.

There stand the proud, beautiful heroic and highly energetic sons of Draupadi headed by Dhristadyumna.

There advances against us Satyaki, the foremost of the Satvatas, irresistible like Indra, with view to fight like Death himself in anger.

While these two best of men were thus speaking to each other the two armies encountered in battle like the streams of Ganga and Yamuna. While these two best of men were thus speaking to each other the two armies encountered in battle like the streams of Ganga and Yamuna.