(क्रमशः) अर्जुन और कर्ण का घोर युद्ध

Dhritarashtra said When under these circumstances the Kuru warrior Bhurisravas had been slain, relate to me, O Sanjaya how the battle progressed.

Sanjaya said After Bhurisravas had gone to the regions of the departed, O Bharata, that mighty-armed Arjuna urged Vasudeva sayingचोदयाश्वान् भृशं कृष्ण

O Krishna, urge the steeds to the top of their speed, so that they may soon carry me to spot where king Jayadratha is, O sinless one, it behoves you, to help me in the fulfilment of my vow!

O mighty-armed one, the orb of the day, is quickly going towards the Western hills. O foremost of men, I have undertaken to achieve a mighty task. But the ruler of the Sindhus on the other hand is protected by many foremnost warriors among the Kurus. O Krishna, do you drive the horses in such a manner that my vow may be fulfilled before sunset and that Jayadratha may be slain. were

Then the mighty-armed Krishna versed in horse-lore, urged those horses of Argentine hue towards the car of Jayadratha. Then as Arjuna proceeded shooting swift-flying arrows ever hitting their marks. O mighty monarch, the foremost warriors of yours troops quickly proceeded to meet him. They Duryodhana, Karna, Vrishasena, the king of the Madras.

Ashvatthaman, Kripa and the ruler of the Sindhus himself; encountering the Sindhu king who was standing before him, Vibhatsu.

Cast his eyes burning with rage on him and seemed to burn the former there with. Thereupon king Duryodhana addressing Radha's son quickly said. 'Beholding Arjuna exert himself for compassing the slaughter of Jayadratha.” O king, your royal son Suyodhana spoke these very words to Karna.

O son of Vikartana, the crisis in the battle has arrived. O high-souled warriors, now show your own strength. O Karna, do you so act as Jayadratha may not be slain in battle by Arjuna.

O foremost hero among men, very little remains of the day. Thwart the enemy now with the waves of your arrows. O foremost of men, if we can safely reach the expire of the day, victory will certainly be ours.

If the ruler of the Sindhus can be saved till the sun sets, then the son of Kunti, in consequence of his vow being baffled will fall upon.

O giver of honour, the brothers and the followers of Arjuna will not be able to live for a moment on the face of the earth, when he passes away from it.

When the Pandavas will be destroyed, O Karna, we shall enjoy this earth with its mountains, gardens and forests, without a thorn in our sides.

0 bestower of honor, confounded by adverse Destiny and through the perversion of his judgment, Arjuna has made this vow without judging what is practicable and what impracticable.

Surely, O Karna, the diadem-decked son of Pandu had vowed the slaughter of Jayadratha for encompassing his own destruction.

O son of Radha, how can Phalguna succeed in slaying the ruler of the Sindhus, before

sunset, when yourself indomitable in battle, is still alive?

How can Dhananjaya succeed in slaying in battle Jayadratha who is protected by the king of the Madras and the illustrious Kripa himself?

How can Vibhatsu, who it appears is urged on by Fate, reach the Sindhu-king, who is protected by Drona's son and myself and Dushasana?

Numerous heroic warriors are fighting for the sake of Jayadratha and the sun is also hanging low. O giver of honors, Partha will not be able to reach the ruler of the Sindhus in battle.

Now, O Karna, supported by myself, by other heroic mighty car-warriors, by Drona's son, by the king of the Madras and Kripa himself.

Do you fight with Pritha's son in battle, exerting to the best of your capabilities. Having been thus spoken to by your son, O sire, the son of Radha.

Replied to Duryodhana that foremost of the Kurus in these words-My body has been mangled with numerous net-works of arrows in the battle by the heroic Bhimasena of resolute aim and of skillful bowmanship. O bestower of honors, I now stay in battle-field, only because it is my duty to do so.

Afflicted with mighty shafts there is not a single limb of mine that is not suffering excruciating pain; still I shall fight to the best of my abilities. My very life is for you.

I shall do that by which this foremost of the Pandavas will not succeed in slaying the Sindhu-king. So long as I shall fight discharging sharp arrows.

The brave Dhananjaya, who can shoot weapons even with his left hand, will not be able to reach the ruler of the Sindhus. Everything that a man bearing love and devotion to you and always anxious for your welfare, ought to do for you.

Shall be done by me, O you of Kuru's race. As regards our victory it is under the disposal of Destiny. I shall exert myself in battle today to the best of my abilities, for the sake of the Sindhu king.

And also for accomplishing what would conduce to your good, O monarch. But, o king, victory depends upon Destiny. Relying on my prowess, I shall today fight with Arjuna.

For your sake, O foremost of men, but victory is dependent on Destiny. O foremost of the Kurus, let all the troops today witness the horripilating and fierce encounter that shall take place between myself and Pritha's son." When Karna and the king of the Kurus were thus talking to each other on the field.

Arjuna was engaged in slaughtering your army with his sharp arrows. He then cut-off with sharp Vallas the arms of unretreating heroes, arms that resembled bludgeons or trunks of elephants. That mighty-armed hero also severed many heads from the trunks of men with his arrows.

Vibhatsu also cut-off the trunks of elephants, the necks of steeds, the axels of cars and also horses and men steeped in blood and armed with lances, in two or three fragments with his Kshurapras. And horses and excellent elephants.

And standards and umbrellas and bows and chamaras and heads began to fall fast on all sides. The consuming your troops like fire consuming a heap of dry grass.

Partha soon made the earth deluged with blood. The mighty and indomitable son of Pritha of prowess incapable of being baffled, spreading a terrible carnage in that host of yours, soon reached the ruler of the Sindhus. Protected by Bhimasena and by Satvata, Vibhatsu.

O foremost of the Bharatas, appeared effulgent like a blazing fire. Then seeing Arjuna in that condition, all the fierce bowmen of your army, those foremost of men, possessed of the wealth of energy, could not brook him. Thereupon Duryodhana, Karna, Vrihasena, the ruler of the Madras.

Ashvatthaman, Kripa and the ruler of the Sindhus surrounded the diadem-decked Arjuna on all sides.

Then all those combatants skilled in fighting, placing the ruler Sindhus at their back and impelled by a desire for slaying Arjuna and Krishna, dauntlessly surrounded Partha, that hero versed in all modes of warfare., who then appeared to dance in the terrace of this chariot, emitting fierce sounds, with his bow-string and his palms and resembling the Destroyer himself with mouth agape.

Meanwhile the sun and the heavens had assumed a crimson hue. Desirous of the speedy setting of the sun, the Kaurava warriors bending their bows with arms resembling the tapering bodies of serpents.

Discharged their arrows by hundreds, towards Phalguna, arrows, that resembled the rays of the sun. Cutting off all those shafts thus sped towards him, into two, three or eight fragments, the diadem-decked Arjuna, indomitable in battle, pierced them all (with his arrows). Then Ashvatthaman owning the device of a lion's tail in his banner, displaying his might.

Began, O monarch, to resist Arjuna. Indeed the son of the daughter of Saradvata, piercing Partha with ten shafts and Krishna with seven.

Impeded the progress of Arjuna's chariot, with a view to protect the ruler of the Sindhus. Then many foremost one among the Kurus all great car-warriors, surrounded Arjuna on all sides with a large number of chariots, stretching their bows and discharging numerous arrows.

They began to exert themselves for protecting the ruler of the Sindhus, at the command of your son. We then beheld the strength of the heroic Partha's arms.

The inexhaustibility of his shafts and the strength also of his bow Gandiva. Repulsing with his own weapons, those of Drona's son and of Kripa.

He pierced every one of your warriors with nine arrows. Thereupon Drona's son pierced him with twenty-five arrows and Vrishasena pierced him with seven.

Duryodhana pierced him with twenty, Karna with three shafts. And all of them roared at him and went on piercing him without remission.

Shaking their bows, they encompassed him on all sides and they also made their chariots to be drawn in a compact circle around him.

Desirous of the speedy setting of the sun, those mighty fighters of the Kuru host possessed of great agility, began to roar at Arjuna and shaking their bows.

Covered him with showers of sharp arrows like clouds pouring rain over the mountainbreast; those brave warriors, having arms like heavy bludgeons and showed on that occasion, 0 monarch, on Dhananjaya's body their celestials weapons. Having spread a great carnage in your army, your army, the mighty.

And indomitable Dhananjaya, of prowess incapable of being baffled, came upon the ruler of the Sindhus. Karna however, O king, with his arrows, resisted him in that battle.

Before the very eyes, 0 Bharata of Bhimasena and Satvata. The mighty armed son of Pritha in the very sight of all the troops pierced the son of Suta, in return, with ten arrows, on the field of battle. Then Satvata, O sire, pierced Karna with three arrows.

Bhimasena pierced him with three and Partha again with seven arrows. Then Karna that mighty car-warrior pierced each of them with sixty shafts.

O king, then a terrible battle raged between Karna on one side and the many on the other, then, O sire, we beheld the wonderful prowess of the son of Suta.

In asmuchas single-handed, he succeeded in checking the three mighty warriors in battle; then the mighty armed Phalguna struck Karna on the vital limbs with a group of hundred arrows. Thereupon, the puissant son of Suta, steeped all over his body with blood.

Pierced the heroic Phalguna in return with fifty arrows. Beholding that lightness of hands displayed by him, Arjuna did not throok him.

Then Pritha's son busting his bow open, pierced him on his chariot with nine arrows of depressed knots, with great speed.

Then with great lightness at a time when lightness was necessary, Dhananjaya in order to slay Karna, sped at him an arrows of the effulgence of the solar rays.

As that arrows was coursing with vehemence through the sky, Drona's son with a sharp crescent-shaped arrow cut it off, thus cut down it fell down, on the ground.

Then the highly puissant son of Suta taking up another bow, covered Pandu's son with thousands of arrows.

Then with his arrows, Fritha's son scattered the unrivaled shower of arrows that proceeded from Karna's bow, like the tempest scattering masses of clouds.

Then again Arjuna covered him with arrows, before the eyes of all warriors, displaying great lightness of hands.

Karna also that slayer of foes, desirous of counteracting the feats of his antagonist, covered Phalguna with thousands of arrows.

Roaring at each other like two bulls, those foremost of men, those two mighty carwarriors, covered the welkin with clouds of straight-going shafts.

Each made invisible by the other's arrowy downpour, they went on striking each other; they roared at each other and wounded each other with their sharp arrows respectively saying, I am Partha wait or I am Karna, wait, O Phalguna. Indeed those two heroes fought with each wonderfully, displaying great skill and agility.

The sight they then presented was such that all the other combatants became spectators of the battle. Then praised by the Siddhas and the Charanas and the Pannagas.

They fought on with each other desirous of slaying each other. Then Duryodhana addressing your warriors said

“Heedfully protect the son of Radha. Without slaying Arjuna in battle, he will not abstain. Even these words had Vrisha said to me.

In the meantime, o king, beholding the prowess of Karna, Arjuna of white horses, with four shafts shot from the bow-string drawn back to the ear, dispatched the four horses of Karna to the regions of Death. Then with a bhalla he felled Karna's charioteer from his niche in the car.

Then he covered Karna himself with a network of arrows, even before the very eyes of your son. Thus covered with arrows, the steedless and driverless Karna.

Confounded with arrowy showers was completely embraced. Beholding him made carless, Ashvatthaman, O monarch, caused him to ride on his own chariot and went on fightin with Arjuna. Then the king of the Madras pierced the son of Kunti with thirty arrows.

The son of Saradvata pierced Vasudeva with twenty arrows; he then struck Dhananjaya with twelve arrows.

The king of the Sindhus with four. Vrishasena with Karna, separately pierced 0 mighty monarch, Krishna and Pritha's son.

Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti then in return pierced Drona's son with sixty-four and the ling of the Madras while hundred arrows.

He pierced the Sindhu ruler with Vallas and Vrishasena with three arrows and then piercing the son of Saradvata, Pritha's son uttered a loud war-cry.

Then your troops desirous of baffling the fulfillment of Savayasachin's vow, quickly fell upon him, all inflamed with rage.

Then striking terror into the hearts of the Dhritarastra's troops, Arjuna invoked into existence the Varuna weapon. Then Karna riding on his precious chariot, pouring showers of arrows, proceeded against the son of Pritha.

But, O Bharata, as that fierce stupefying and terrible battle progressed, the diademdecked Arjuna reaching the Sindhu king did not loose his senses and sped his arrows continuously.

Desirous of getting back the kingdom and keeping in mind all the wrongs inflicted by the Kurus on them during twelve years past, the high-souled Savyasachin of immeasurable prowess, shrouded all the points of the compass with shafts shot from the Gandiva.

The welkin then seemed to be illumined by blazing neteors; countless crows began to shoot down on the bodies of the troops. Meanwhile the diadem-decked Arjuna continued to slay the foe with his Gandiva of twany string like the wrathful Mahadeva slaying creatures with his Ajagara bow.

Then the highly-renowned Arjuna that subduer of hostile troops, scattering away the arrows of the son Drona by means of those shot from his own bow, slew many foremost warriors of the Kurus. mounted on their excellent steeds and elephants.

Then numerous monarchs taking up heavy maces and clubs of iron and swords and darts and many other kinds of strong weapons and assuming frightful appearance, advanced furiously upon Partha in that battle.

Arjuna bending his with the force of his arms, his terrible bow the Gandiva that resembled the bow of Indra and of which the twang was as loud as roar of clouds at the end of a Yuga, went on carnaging your soldiers and adding to the population of Death's domain.

Then that brave warrior caused those furious warriors with their cars and elephants and foot soldiers and bowmen supporting them, to be deprived of their arms and lives and thus considerable added to the population of Yama's kingdom.