कर्ण पर्व — धृतराष्ट्रको पश्चात्ताप

Sanjaya said The sages consider you to be equal to Yayati, the son of Nahusha, in beauty, in lineage, in celebrity, in austerity and in the knowledge about the Shastras.

O monarch, you are equal to a great sage in learning; and you are highly successful in respect of all actions. So be you concentrated in self and let not your heart be plunged in sorrow.

Dhritarashtra said I consider Destiny to be superior and human effort to be fruitless; for the reason that Karna, who was like a Sala tree, was slain in battle.

Having slain the entire force of Yudhishthira as well as the car-warriors of the Panchala race and having afflicted, by the showers of arrows, the men in the different directions of the horizon.

And also having rendered the Parthas senseless in battle, even as Indra with the thunderbolt in his hand, stupifying the Asuras, how has that great car-warrior (Karna) been slain in battle, who now lies dead (in the field) like a large tree up-rotted by the wind.

I do not find the end of my so 'w like that of the overflowed ocean. My anxieties are growing more acute; and the desire for death has been growing in me.

Having heard of the intelligence of the slaughter of Karna and the victory of Falguna. To me, O Sanjaya, the death of Karna, seems to be incredible.

Really, my heart is pretty well hard and seems to be made up of the essence of the thunder-bolt, because it does not split up into thousand pieces on my hearing of the death of Karna.

Indeed, my life was ordained before (my birth) to be pretty long by Destiny; since, when having heard of the slaughter of Karna, I am still alive, although I am highly afflicted with grief.

O Sanjaya, let there be shame to this my life, who am deprived of friends. Rebuked to iny life, I have been reduced today to this hateful condition.

Foolish as I am and subject to universal pity, I shall (hereafter) have to lead a miserable life. O Suta, having at first been highly esteemed by all people, how shall I, being vanquished by the enemies, be able to hold my life?

O Sanjaya, on the death of Bhishma, Drona and the lofty-minded Karna, I have attained to the greatest sorrow and calamity.

When the son of Suta was slain in battle, I do not see the end (viz. that any one on my side will escape the slaughter); since he, indeed, O Sanjaya, was the best means of crossing over (this ocean of hostilities) to my sons.

While that hero was showering forth innumerable arrows, he was slain in battle. Without that foremost of persons what necessity have I for my life."

Having been highly afflicted with the showers of arrows, the son of Adhiratha, indeed, fell down from his car, like the summit of a mountain, split up by the fall of the thunder-bolt.

Surely having adorned the earth, he, besmeared with blood, sleeps in the ground, like an elephant killed by an infuriate lord of elephants.

That Karna who had been the strength of all the Dhartarashtras and who had been the object of terror to the Pandavas and who, again, had been the type of the best of all bowmen, was slain by Arjuna.

That heroic and mighty bowman, conferred fearlessness on my sons; and that warlike one, being in battle, lies on the ground like a mountain pierced by the lord of the celestials.

The realisation of the end of Duryodhana is even like the walking of the lame and like the fulfillment of the desires of the poor and also like straying out of the water drops from the mouth of the thirsty.

Actions considered in one way turn out differently. Alas, Destiny is really powerful and Time is insuperable?

O Suta, how was my son Dushasana slain, while that one of low spirit, that wretched one of little prowess, was flying away from the battle? O son, O Suta, has he not acted in a cowardly manner? Was not that hero slain, even as the other Kshatriyas were slain?

The stupid Duryodhana did not accept the constant advice of Yudhishthira viz. do not fight, which was like the wholesome drug.

Being asked for water by Bhishma, lying on his arrowy bed, Partha of great fame pierced the surface of the earth. Having seen the torrent of water flowing from the surface of the earth caused by the son of Pandu, that mighty-armed hero addressed him saying-"O son, do you conclude peace with the Pandavas." Stop all hostilities and then there will be peace. Let your war be concluded with my death. Do you enjoy sovereignty over the earth in brotherly feelings with the sons of Pandu.

am Having disregarded the advice of that one of long foresight, my son is surely repenting that advice of his is now realised into its effect..

O Sanjaya, I, who deprived of counsellor and sons, have too, obtained great misery consequent upon the game at dice, like a bird shorn of its wings.

O Sanjaya, even as the playful boys having caught a bird and torn off its wings most cheerfully let it go. And whose (the bird's) flight does not become possible in consequence of the loss of its wings; so I have become (motionless) like the bird deprived of its wings.

Now I am weak, destitute of all resources and deprived of all kinsmen and left my friends and also I am poor and possessed by my foes-To what point of the horizon shall I depart?

Vaishampayana said Dhritarashtra wailed so deep, became impatient in vagary of agony and grief and again said Sanjaya the following words-

Dhritarashtra said Who subdued all the Kambojas an the Ambashthas along with the Kekayas and the Gandharas and the Videhas; and having defeated them in battle for the fulfillment of his wishes. That lord subdued the entire earth for the aggrandisement of Duryodhana. But he himself was subdued by the heroic Pandavas of immense capacity and mighty arms.

When that mighty bowman Karna was slain in battle by the holder of Kiriti (Arjuna), what other heroes were still waiting in the field. Tell me this, O Sanjaya.

Was he not alone and forlorn, while slain by the Pandavas in battle? O son, it was told by you beforehand how the heroes my side were slain.

Shikhandin slew in battle, by means of the best of his darts, that great wielder of all weapons, Bhishma, who did not care for repelling the foes.

So also, O Sanjaya, by Dhristadyumna, the son of Drupada, lifting up his sword, was slain that mighty bowman Drona, practising severe asceticisin, who, being already pierced by innumerable weapons had put aside all his weapons in battle. I have, indeed, heard of this, viz. that these two, Bhishma and Drona, were slain at a disadvantage and especially by means of a stratagem.

Surely even the wielder of the thunderbolt (Indra) himself cannot slay in battle by just means both Bhishma and Drona, while contending in battle. Indeed, that I tell you truly.

While Karna was engaged in throwing down his innumerable celestial weapons in battle, how could Death touch that hero who was like Indra himself?

Purandara awarded that here, in exchange for his ear-rings, that celestial dust that had the splendour of lightning and also that was decked in gold and capable of destroying the foes. Whose that heroes' celestial arrow, known by the name of Snakemouthed, that was decked in gold and besmeared with soft sandal and also that was capable of slaying the enemies, was always laid up in the quiver. Having disregarded the heroic great car-warriors with Bhishma and Drona at their head, that hero, O mighty monarch, learnt the use of the Brahma weapon from the son of Jamadagni. Having seen the great warriors, with Drona at their head, deeply pierced by the arrows and turning away from the battle, that mighty-armed one had severed to a the the bow of the son of Subhadra by means of his sharp arrows. Having deprived, all on sudden, Bhimasena of his car, who was of never-failing energy and had the speed of wind and the strength of ten thousand elephants, that (mighty-armed) one afterwards laughed at him. Having subdued Sahadeva by means of his sharp and straight arrows and also having deprived him of his car, he did not slay him out of kindness and feelings of virtue. He had slain, by means of his arrow given to him by Shakra, Ghatotkacha, the lord of Rakshasas, who had made a thousand illusions and who was most desirous of victory. How could that hero be slain in battle, with whom even Dhananjaya was afraid to engage in a single combat for several days.

How Arjuna, the killer of chivalrous enemy in battle had killed the great warrior Karna who used to escape him in battle-field under pretext that-"I will slaughter Vaikartana Karna subsequent to kill the warriors who challenge me for battle toward another side?

When his car was not broken, nor his bow was cut-off, nor his weapons were exhausted, how could he (Karna), therefore, be slain by the enemies?

Who, indeed, was able to subdue Karna in battle, that foremost of persons, possessed of the speed of a tiger, while that mighty bowman was shaking his bow and shooting forth his terrible arrows and exhausting his celestial weapons in battle.

Surely his bow-string was torn; his car was engulfed in the earth; and his weapons were all spent, because you tell me that he was slain.

Indeed, I do not find any other cause of his slaughter. 'I will not have my feet washed, so long as I do not slay Falguna.' This was highly the terrible vow of the high-souled one.

Being afraid of him, the foremost of person Yudhishthira, the royal impersonation of justice, could not enjoy sleep, while exiled in the forest, for a period of thirteen years. Relaying upon the prowess of that high-souled hero of great energy, my son forcibly dragged the wife of the Pandavas to the assembly-hall. There in the midst of that assembly, that one (Karna) called the Princess of Panchala, in the very sight of the Pandavas and also in the presence of all the Kuru's, the wife of slaves. 'O Krishna (Panchali), all your husbands are no more; and if they really exist, they are more like the sesamum seeds without the Kernel. So do you, O beautiful lady, choose another husband.' That person of the Suta race had made, anger, Krishna listen to these harsh expressions in the midst of the assembly. How was he slain by the enemies?

That hero, having disregarded the severe touch of the shots from the Gandiva bow, addressed Krishna, saying,'Doubtless you have no husbands;' and he also cast his glance upon the sons of Pritha. Again, O Sanjaya, placing confidence upon the strength of his own arms, that hero had no fear even for a moment, aroused by the sons of Pritha accompanied as they were by their sons and Janardana himself. I do not consider that his slaughter can ever be brought about by all the celestials, rushing against him, headed by Vashava himself. Again, O son, how can it by the Pandavas?

While that son of Atiratha had touched the bow-string and put on his fences, surely there was no person, who could be bold enough to stand up in his front. Indeed, the earth might be deprived of the splendour of the Moon and the rays of the Sun; but the slaughter of the lord of men who did never turn away from the field could not be possible in battle.

Having been assisted by that hero as well as by his brother Dushasana, that my evil-souled and wicked-minded son had resolved upon to reject the proposals of Vasudeva himself. I consider that my son, having witnessed the fall of Karna of bull like shoulders and also having seen the slaughter of Dushasana, is surely lamenting.

Having seen that the son of Vikartana was slain by Savyasachin in a single combat and that the Pandavas were victorious, what, indeed, did Duryodhana say?

Having seen that both Durmarsana and Vrishasena were slain in battle and also having witnessed that his army being slaughtered by the mighty car-warriors, was dispersed and again, having seen that the kings (in his side), most unwilling to fight, were turning away from the field of battle and having beheld the great car-warriors already fled, I think my son is now surely lamenting.

What did that undaunted, proud and evil souled Duryodhana of uncontrolled passions say, after beholding his army grown pretty well dispirited?

Although having been forbidden by the friends, yet himself having created this fierce hostility, what did Duryodhana say, after beholding the slaughter of innumerable soldiers in battle?

Having seen that his brother was slain in battle and his blood was drunk by Bhimasena, what did Duryodhana say? w

He (my son) said in the midst of the assembly-hall with the king of the Gandharas that Karna would slay Arjuna in battle. But how having seen that hero slain, what did he (Duryodhana) say?

O son, when Karna was slain, what did Shakuni, the son of Subala, having at first played at dice with a cheerful heart and deceived the son of Pandu, say?

Beholding the son of Vikartana (slain in battle), what did that son of Hridika, Kritavarman, that mighty bowman, that great car-warrior amongst the Satvatas, say?

O Sanjaya, Most willing to acquire a knowledge in archery, the Brahmanas, the Kshatriyas and the Vaishyas received instructions of that highly intellectual son of Drona. What did that youthful, that handsomelooking, that highly famous Ashvatthaman, endued with beauty, say, when he saw Karna slain in battle?

What did that son of Sharadvata, Kripa of the Gautama race, that mighty, car-warrior, that teacher of archery, say when he saw Karna slain in battle?

On beholding the slaughter of Karna, what did the king of Madras, that mighty bowman, that ornament of assemblies, Shalya of the Shauvira tribe, that foremost of charioteers engaged in driving away the car (of Karna), that leading chief of the Madra warriors, who was possessed of mighty strength, say?

And again, O Sanjaya, what did the other warriors, who with difficulty could be vanquished, as well as all the kings of the earth, who had come with the desire of fighting, say, when they beheld the slaughter of the son of Vikartana?

When that hero, that foremost of the carwarriors, that best among men, Drona was slain (in battle), who, O Sanjaya, had been the leaders of the several divisions of the army in succession?

O Sanjaya, do you relate to me, how Shalya, the king of the Madras, that best among all the car-warriors, was engaged as the charioteer of the son of Vikartana?

While the son of Suta was fighting, who were the persons guarding his right wheel and those who protected his left and again, who were they that guarded his back.

What heroes did not forsake Karna and what mean-minded men flew away from him? While you had been present in the field, how could that mighty car-warrior be slain in battle?

O Sanjaya, How could the heroic and great car-warriors oppose the Pandavas, who were pouring forth showers of arrows like the clouds pouring forth drops of water. Do you relate to me, how then could that celestial snakemouthed arrow, that best one of its kind, become of no avail?

When the best of the leaders were slain, I do not see, O Sanjaya, that even some of the soldiers of my side, who had already lost their courage, will survive (the terrible slaughter).

Indeed, those two heroes, the great bowmen, were ready to give up their lives for my sake. Hearing of their (Bhishma and Drona) death, what use have I of my life?

Again and again, I cannot bear that Karna should be slain by the Pandavas; for whose strength of arms is equal to that of ten thousand elephants.

O Sanjaya, relate to me in detail what had happened in the battle that raged between the mighty heroes among men, namely, the Kauravas and their enemies, when Drona was slain.

Relate to me also how the sons of Kunti conducted the battle with Karna and do you tell me, again, how that slayer of enemies became quiet (was slain) in battle.