Critical Edition
संजय उवाच तं तु यान्तं महावेगैरश्वैः कपिवरध्वजम् युद्धायाभ्यद्रवन्वीराः कुरूणां नवती रथाः परिवव्रुर्नरव्याघ्रा नरव्याघ्रं रणेऽर्जुनम्
M. N. Dutt: Sanjaya said As the great ape-bannered Arjuna was advancing with swift horses, he was attacked by ninety brave car-warriors of the Kauravas.
Supplementary Passages:
8.59.1 After 1cd, N (except B2) T2 ins.: *903 कृत्वा संशप्तका घोराञ्शपथान्ब्राह्मलौकिकान्
कृष्णः श्वेतान्महावेगानश्वान्कनकभूषणान् मुक्ताजालप्रतिच्छन्नान्प्रैषीत्कर्णरथं प्रति
M. N. Dutt: But those swift horses of Arjuna decked with gold and strings of pearls were directed by Krishna towards Karna's car.
ततः कर्णरथं यान्तमरीन्घ्नन्तं धनंजयम् बाणवर्षैरभिघ्नन्तः संशप्तकरथा ययुः
M. N. Dutt: As the destroyer of his enemies, Dhananjaya was advancing towards Karna's car, he was followed by the ninety Samsaptaka car warriors who werc pouring down arrows him.
त्वरमाणांस्तु तान्सर्वान्ससूतेष्वसनध्वजान् जघान नवतिं वीरानर्जुनो निशितैः शरैः
M. N. Dutt: Then Arjuna, with sharp arrows, cut-off their bows, banners and sent them all with their drivers to the other world.
तेऽपतन्त हता बाणैर्नानारूपैः किरीटिना सविमाना यथा सिद्धाः स्वर्गात्पुण्यक्षये तथा
M. N. Dutt: As Siddhas (pure souls) are obliged to have a fall from heaven with their cars, when their virtues wear off, so those warriors were all knocked down by Kiriti's various weapons.
ततः सरथनागाश्वाः कुरवः कुरुसत्तम निर्भया भरतश्रेष्ठमभ्यवर्तन्त फल्गुनम्
M. N. Dutt: Then many Kauravas with their horses, elephants and cars boldly faced that foremnost man of Kuru and Bharata races viz. Phalguni.
Supplementary Passages:
8.59.6 After 6ab, B5 ins.: *904 क्षिप्रमेवाभिसंक्रुद्धाः समरेऽरिजिघांसया
तदायस्तममुक्तास्त्रमुदीर्णवरवारणम् पुत्राणां ते महत्सैन्यं समरौत्सीद्धनंजयः
M. N. Dutt: Then many spirited men of your sons' great army with numbers of horses and mighty and select elephants in front obstructed Dhananjaya's further progress.
शक्त्यृष्टितोमरप्रासैर्गदानिस्त्रिंशसायकैः प्राच्छादयन्महेष्वासाः कुरवः कुरुनन्दनम्
M. N. Dutt: Then that descendant of the line of Kuru race was surrounded by many great archers of the Kaurava army who were throwing lances, swords, cutlasses, darts and maces and other weapons upon him and covered him.
तां कुरूणां प्रविततां शस्त्रवृष्टिं समुद्यताम् व्यधमत्पाण्डवो बाणैस्तमः सूर्य इवांशुभिः
M. N. Dutt: The son of Pandu with his own weapons baffled those hosts of arrows which covered the skies even as the sun shines out in its own splendour dispelling the darkness by the power of the rays.
ततो म्लेच्छाः स्थितैर्मत्तैस्त्रयोदशशतैर्गजैः पार्श्वतोऽभ्यहनन्पार्थं तव पुत्रस्य शासनात्
M. N. Dutt: Then the son of Pandu was attacked on the side by thirteen hundred Mlecha troops on furious and unruly elephants.
कर्णिनालीकनाराचैस्तोमरैः प्रासशक्तिभिः कम्पनैर्भिण्डिपालैश्च रथस्थं पार्थमार्दयन्
M. N. Dutt: Partha on his chariot was distressed, by Nalikas, lances, darts spears, Kampanas, barbed arrows and other sorts throwing at him by them.
तामस्त्रवृष्टिं प्रहितां द्विपस्थैर्यवनैः स्मयन् चिच्छेद निशितैर्भल्लैरर्धचन्द्रैश्च फल्गुनः
M. N. Dutt: Phalguni cut-off with his broad-edged and crescent-shaped sharp arrows all those hosts of excellent weapons, although some of them were thrown by elephants with their tusks.
अथ तान्द्विरदान्सर्वान्नानालिङ्गैर्महाशरैः सपताकान्सहारोहान्गिरीन्वज्रैरिवाभिनत्
M. N. Dutt: As the mountain is broken to pieces by thunder, so those elephants, with their riders and their standards were knocked down by various choice shafts (from Arjuna).
ते हेमपुङ्खैरिषुभिराचिता हेममालिनः हताः पेतुर्महानागाः साग्निज्वाला इवाद्रयः
M. N. Dutt: Those mighty elephants adorned with golden necklaces, being distressed by goldwinged arrows, fell down dead.
ततो गाण्डीवनिर्घोषो महानासीद्विशां पते स्तनतां कूजतां चैव मनुष्यगजवाजिनाम्
M. N. Dutt: The twang of the Gandiva was prominent amid the loud shouts and distressful noises of hosts of men, elephants and horses.
कुञ्जराश्च हता राजन्प्राद्रवंस्ते समन्ततः अश्वाश्च पर्यधावन्त हतारोहा दिशो दश
AI Translation: Elephants were killed, O king, and they fled in all directions. Horses, with their riders killed, ran in the ten directions.
रथा हीना महाराज रथिभिर्वाजिभिस्तथा गन्धर्वनगराकारा दृश्यन्ते स्म सहस्रशः
AI Translation: The chariots, O great king, were without charioteers and horses, and were seen in thousands, looking like cities of gandharvas.
अश्वारोहा महाराज धावमानास्ततस्ततः तत्र तत्रैव दृश्यन्ते पतिताः पार्थसायकैः
M. N. Dutt: O monarch, many of your cavalry when flying on all directions were struck down lifeless by Partha's arrows.
Supplementary Passages:
8.59.18 After 18ab, D6 ins.: *905 नर्दन्तः कूजमानाश्च मनुष्यगजवाजिनः
तस्मिन्क्षणे पाण्डवस्य बाह्वोर्बलमदृश्यत यत्सादिनो वारणांश्च रथांश्चैकोऽजयद्युधि
M. N. Dutt: At that time Arjuna displayed the marvellous strength of his arms by destroying in battle, alone and unaided, car-warriors horsemen and elephants.
Supplementary Passages:
8.59.19 After 19, S ins.: *906 असंयुक्ताश्च ते राजन्परिवृत्ता रणं प्रति नरा नागा रथाश्चैव नदन्तोऽर्जुनमभ्ययुः
ततस्त्र्यङ्गेण महता बलेन भरतर्षभ दृष्ट्वा परिवृतं राजन्भीमसेनः किरीटिनम्
AI Translation: Then, O bull among the Bharata lineage, with great strength and three limbs, Seeing the crowned one surrounded, O king, Bhimasena said,
हतावशेषानुत्सृज्य त्वदीयान्कतिचिद्रथान् जवेनाभ्यद्रवद्राजन्धनंजयरथं प्रति
AI Translation: Having abandoned some of your own chariots that were left after being destroyed, he quickly charged towards Dhananjaya's chariot.
ततस्तत्प्राद्रवत्सैन्यं हतभूयिष्ठमातुरम् दृष्ट्वा यदर्जुनं भीमो जगाम भ्रातरं प्रति
M. N. Dutt: Seeing Bhimasena advance towards his brother those distressed men that were left unslain took to their heels.
हतावशिष्टांस्तुरगानर्जुनेन महाजवान् भीमो व्यधमदभ्रान्तो गदापाणिर्महाहवे
M. N. Dutt: Bhima of inexhaustible prowess, with mace in his hand, slaughtered in that great battle the remnant of the mighty Kaurava cavalry that were left after the havoc made by Arjuna.
Supplementary Passages:
8.59.23 After 23, S ins.: *907 गदापाणिं तदा भीमं दृष्ट्वा भारत भारताः मेनिरे तमनुप्राप्तं दण्डहस्तमिवान्तकम्
कालरात्रिमिवात्युग्रां नरनागाश्वभोजनाम् प्राकाराट्टपुरद्वारदारणीमतिदारुणाम्
AI Translation: Like a very fierce night of death, feeding on men, elephants, and horses, With a very terrible gate of the rampart and the city gate,
ततो गदां नृनागाश्वेष्वाशु भीमो व्यवासृजत् सा जघान बहूनश्वानश्वारोहांश्च मारिष
AI Translation: Then Bhima quickly released his mace at the men, elephants and horses. It killed many horses and their riders, O venerable one.
Supplementary Passages:
8.59.25 After 25ab, B2.5 T2 ins.: *908 गजानश्वान्हयारोहानुद्दिश्योद्दिश्य भारत
कांस्यायसतनुत्रांस्तान्नरानश्वांश्च पाण्डवः पोथयामास गदया सशब्दं तेऽपतन्हताः
M. N. Dutt: The son of Pandu knocked down horses and men with black armour on, by his mace; they all came crumbling down with great noise.
Supplementary Passages:
8.59.26 For 26cd, D6 T1.3 G M subst.: *909 क्षणेन भीमः संक्रुद्धस्तान्निन्ये वै यमक्षयम् D6 T1.3 G M cont.: T2 ins. after 26: *910 ततः स समरश्लाघी गजानीकमपातयत् गदया व्यधमत्संख्ये दण्डपाणिरिवान्तकः गजान्सकङ्कटान्मत्तान्सारोहान्सपताकिनः न्यहनल्लीलया राजञ्शिक्षया च बलेन च ते गजा बह्वशोभन्त हन्यमाना महारणे विनदन्तो यथा तूर्णं पक्षवन्त इवाद्रयः निपेतुरुर्व्यां समरे भीमसेनेन पीडिताः छिन्नपक्षा यथा काले वज्ररुग्णा इवाद्रयः T2 cont.: N (except D6) ins. after 26: *911 दन्तैर्दशन्तो वसुधां शेरते क्षतजोक्षिताः भग्नमूर्धास्थिचरणाः क्रव्यादगणभोजनाः असृङ्मांसवसाभिश्च तृप्ता मांसवसाशनाः अस्थीन्यप्यश्नती तस्थौ कालरात्रीव दुर्दृशा सहस्राणि दशाश्वानां हत्वा पत्तींश्च भूयसा भीमोऽभ्यधावत्संक्रुद्धो गदापाणिरितस्ततः गदापाणिं ततो भीमं दृष्ट्वा भारत तावकाः मेनिरे समनुप्राप्तं कालं दण्डोद्यतं यथा स मत्त इव मातङ्गः संक्रुद्धः पाण्डुनन्दनः प्रविवेश गजानीकं मकरः सागरं यथा विगाह्य च गजानीकं प्रगृह्य महतीं गदाम् क्षणेन भीमः संक्रुद्धस्तान्निन्ये यमसादनम् गजान्सकङ्कटान्मत्तान्सरोहान्सपताकिनः पततः समपश्याम सपक्षान्पर्वतानिव
हत्वा तु तद्गजानीकं भीमसेनो महाबलः पुनः स्वरथमास्थाय पृष्ठतोऽर्जुनमन्वगात्
AI Translation: Having killed that army of elephants, the very powerful Bhimasena again mounted his chariot and followed Arjuna from behind.
हतं पराङ्मुखप्रायं निरुत्साहं परं बलम् व्यालम्बत महाराज प्रायशः शस्त्रवेष्टितम्
M. N. Dutt: O king, your very army, about to fly, being thus slain and surrounded on all sides, with weapons, lost all energy and being greatly confounded, was at their wit's end as to what to do.
विलम्बमानं तत्सैन्यमप्रगल्भमवस्थितम् दृष्ट्वा प्राच्छादयद्बाणैरर्जुनः प्राणतापनैः
M. N. Dutt: Arjuna, seeing that host in that humble plight and so confounded, began to shower death-dealing shafts upon them.
Supplementary Passages:
8.59.29 After 29, N (except D6) T2 ins.: *912 नराश्वरथमातङ्गा युधि गाण्डीवधन्वना शरव्रातैश्चिता रेजुः कदम्बा इव केसरैः
ततः कुरूणामभवदार्तनादो महामृधे रथाश्वनागासुहरैर्वध्यतामर्जुनेषुभिः
M. N. Dutt: O monarch, thus hurt by Arjuna's arrows which were putting on end to elephants, carwarriors and horses, the Kaurava troops gave vent to loud lamentations.
Supplementary Passages:
8.59.30 D2 ins. after 30ab: D6 after 914*: *913 शतशो वध्यमानानां निशितैरर्जुनेषुभिः For 30, D6 T1.3 G M subst.: *914 कुरूणां तु महाराज आसीदार्तस्वरो महान् नराश्वनागासुहरान्दृष्ट्वा बाणान्किरीटिनः
हाहाकृतं भृशं तस्थौ लीयमानं परस्परम् अलातचक्रवत्सैन्यं तदाभ्रमत तावकम्
M. N. Dutt: Your troops, panic-stricken, kept close to each other and were turning round from this side to that side like a wheel on fire.
Supplementary Passages:
8.59.31 After 31, Ś2 K3 V1 B D (except D2) ins.: *915 ततस्तद्युद्धमभवत्कुरूणां सुमहद्बलम् न ह्यत्रासीदनिर्भिन्नो रथः सादी हयो गजः while S ins.: *916 ततः शरध्वस्तमभूत्कुरूणां सुमहद्बलम् न तत्रासीदनिर्भिन्नो रथो वाजी नरो गजः
आदीप्तं तव तत्सैन्यं शरैश्छिन्नतनुच्छदम् आसीत्स्वशोणितक्लिन्नं फुल्लाशोकवनं यथा
M. N. Dutt: Resembling a forest of blooming Asoka the troops, streaming with blood, with their armours broken, looked red as if they were ablaze with fire.
Supplementary Passages:
8.59.32 After 32, D6 S ins.: *917 तत्सैन्यं भरतश्रेष्ठ वध्यमानं शितैः शरैः न जहौ समरं प्राप्य फल्गुनं शत्रुतापनम् तत्राद्भुतमपश्याम कौरवाणां पराक्रमम् वध्यमानापि यत्पार्थं न जहुः समरे प्रभो
तद्दृष्ट्वा कुरवस्तत्र विक्रान्तं सव्यसाचिनः निराशाः समपद्यन्त सर्वे कर्णस्य जीविते
M. N. Dutt: Seeing Savyasachin (Arjuna) display so much prowess, all the Kauravas despaired of Karna's life.
अविषह्यं तु पार्थस्य शरसंपातमाहवे मत्वा न्यवर्तन्कुरवो जिता गाण्डीवधन्वना
M. N. Dutt: The Kauravas, beaten by Partha, the wielder of the Gandiva, not being able to bear the brunt of the battle, gave up fighting.
ते हित्वा समरे पार्थं वध्यमानाश्च सायकैः प्रदुद्रुवुर्दिशो भीताश्चुक्रुशुश्चापि सूतजम्
M. N. Dutt: Distressed to death by (Arjuna's) shafts they all, leaving Karna, began to disperse themselves on all directions abusing the son of Suta all the time.
अभ्यद्रवत तान्पार्थः किरञ्शरशतान्बहून् हर्षयन्पाण्डवान्योधान्भीमसेनपुरोगमान्
M. N. Dutt: The Pandava warriors, with Bhimasena at their head, were all very happy to see Partha follow the flying columns shooting inany hundreds of arrows.
पुत्रास्तु ते महाराज जग्मुः कर्णरथं प्रति अगाधे मज्जतां तेषां द्वीपः कर्णोऽभवत्तदा
M. N. Dutt: As persons, drowning in the deep sea, find shelter in an island, so your sons, O king, went towards Karna's car for their safety.
कुरवो हि महाराज निर्विषाः पन्नगा इव कर्णमेवोपलीयन्त भयाद्गाण्डीवधन्वनः
M. N. Dutt: O monarch, the Kauravas, all afraid of the holder of the Gandiva, like snakes whose stock of venom has exhausted, looked up to Karna for their safety.
यथा सर्वाणि भूतानि मृत्योर्भीतानि भारत धर्ममेवोपलीयन्ते कर्मवन्ति हि यानि च
AI Translation: Just as all beings are afraid of death, O descendant of Bharata, they resort to Dharma, for those who have deeds are bound to it.
तथा कर्णं महेष्वासं पुत्रास्तव नराधिप उपालीयन्त संत्रासात्पाण्डवस्य महात्मनः
AI Translation: O king, your sons were frightened and fled from the great-souled Pandava, even as Karna, the great archer, was being killed.
ताञ्शोणितपरिक्लिन्नान्विषमस्थाञ्शरातुरान् मा भैष्टेत्यब्रवीत्कर्णो ह्यभितो मामितेति च
M. N. Dutt: Karna who was not at all afraid, seeing them all bleeding and distressed by shafts (of Arjuna) re-assured them and said, “Do not fear, come to me."
संभग्नं हि बलं दृष्ट्वा बलात्पार्थेन तावकम् धनुर्विस्फारयन्कर्णस्तस्थौ शत्रुजिघांसया पाञ्चालान्पुनराधावत्पश्यतः सव्यसाचिनः
M. N. Dutt: And Karna, beholding that all the troops have been broken by the prowess of Partha, stretched out his bow for the purposed of killing his enemy.
Supplementary Passages:
8.59.42 For 42cd, D6 S (except T2) subst.: *918 विष्फारयित्वा दुर्धर्षश्चापमाधिरथिर्महत् After 42cd, N (except D6) T2 ins.: *919 तान्विद्रुतान्कुरून्दृष्ट्वा कर्णः शस्त्रभृतां वरः K4 V1 B2-5 Dn1 D3.4 (marg.).7 cont.: *920 संचिन्तयित्वा पार्थस्य वधे दध्रे मनः श्वसन् विस्फार्य सुमहच्चापं ततश्चाधिरथिर्वृषः
ततः क्षणेन क्षितिपाः क्षतजप्रतिमेक्षणाः कर्णं ववर्षुर्बाणौघैर्यथा मेघा महीधरम्
M. N. Dutt: As the clouds pour down heavy showers upon a mountain, SO Karna was almost immediately met by hosts of arrows from many rulers of the earth whose eyes were blood-red with wrath.
Supplementary Passages:
8.59.43 For 43cd, D6 S (except T2) subst.: *921 शरौघैश्छादयामास महामेघ इवाचलम्
ततः शरसहस्राणि कर्णमुक्तानि मारिष व्ययोजयन्त पाञ्चालान्प्राणैः प्राणभृतां वर
AI Translation: Then, O venerable one, thousands of arrows released by Karna separated the Panchalas from their lives, O best of beings.
Supplementary Passages:
8.59.44 For 44cd, D6 S (except T2) subst.: *922 पाञ्चालानां हरत्प्राणांस्तमांसीव तमोनुदः
ततो रणो महानासीत्पाञ्चालानां विशां पते वध्यतां सूतपुत्रेण मित्रार्थेऽमित्रघातिनाम्
AI Translation: Then, O lord of the earth, there was a great battle between the Panchalas and the son of the charioteer, who killed the enemies for the sake of friends.