When the earth was thus shrouded with dust and when darkness covered
everything, thy troops, O king, fled on all sides from fear. When the
Kuru army was thus broken, the Kuru king, O monarch, viz., thy son,
rushed against all his foes advancing against him. Then Duryodhana
challenged all the Pandavas to battle, O chief of Bharata's race, like
the Asura Vali in days of yore challenging the gods. At this, all the
Pandava heroes, uniting together, rushed against the advancing
Duryodhana, shooting and hurling at him diverse weapons and upbraiding
him repeatedly. Duryodhana, however, filled with rage, fearlessly
slaughtered those enemies of his in hundreds and thousands, with keen
shafts. The prowess that we then beheld of thy son was exceedingly
wonderful, for alone and unsupported, he fought with all the Pandavas
united together. Duryodhana then beheld his own troops who, mangled with
arrows, had set their hearts on flight, gone not far from the field.
Rallying them then, O monarch, thy son who was resolved to maintain his
honour, gladdening those warriors of his, said these words unto them: "I
do not see that spot in the earth or on the mountains, whither if ye fly,
the Pandavas will not slay you! What use then in flying away? Small is
the force that the Pandavas now have. The two Krishnas also are
exceedingly mangled. If all of us stay for battle, victory will certainly
be ours. If we fly in disunion, the sinful Pandavas, pursuing us, will
certainly slay all of us. For this, it is better that we should die in
battle. Death in battle is fraught with happiness. Fight, observant of
the Kshatriya's duty. He that is dead knows no misery. On the other hand,
such a one enjoys eternal bliss hereafter. Listen, ye Kshatriyas, ay, all
of you, that are assembled here! When the destroyer Yama spareth neither
the hero nor the coward, who is there so foolish of understanding,
although observant of a Kshatriya's vow like us, that would not fight.
Would ye place yourselves under the power of the angry foe Bhimasena? It
behoveth you not to abandon the duty observed by your sires and
grandsires. There is no greater sin for a Kshatriya than flight from
battle. There is no more blessed path for heaven, ye Kauravas, than the
duty of battle. Slain in battle, ye warriors, enjoy heaven without
delay.'"
"Sanjaya continued, 'While even these words were being uttered by thy
son, the (Kaurava) warriors, exceedingly mangled, fled away on all sides,
regardless of that speech.'"
94
"Sanjaya said, 'The ruler of the Madras then, beholding thy son employed
in rallying the troops, with fear depicted on his countenance and with
heart stupefied with grief, said these words unto Duryodhana.
"'Shalya said, "Behold this awful field of battle, O hero, covered with
heaps of slain men and steeds and elephants. Some tracts are covered with
fallen elephants huge as mountains, exceedingly mangled, their vital
limbs pierced with shafts, lying helplessly, deprived of life, their
armour displaced and the weapons, the shields and the swords with which
they were equipped lying scattered about. These fallen animals resemble
huge mountains riven with thunder, with their rocks and lofty trees and
herbs loosened from them and lying all around. The bells and iron hooks
and lances and standards with which those huge creatures had been
equipped are lying on the ground. Adorned with housings of gold, their
bodies are now bathed in blood. Some tracts, again, are covered with
fallen steeds, mangled with shafts, breathing hard in pain and vomitting
blood. Some of them are sending forth soft wails of pain, some are biting
the earth with rolling eyes and some are uttering piteous neighs.
Portions of the field are covered with horsemen and elephant-warriors
fallen off from their animals, and with bands of car-warriors forcibly
thrown down from their cars. Some of them are already dead and some are
at the point of death. Covered also with the corpses of men and steeds
and elephants as also with crushed cars and other huge elephants with
their trunks and limbs cut off, the earth has become awful to look at
like the great Vaitarani (skirting the domains of Yama). Indeed, the
earth looketh even such, being strewn with other elephants, stretched on
the ground with trembling bodies and broken tusks, vomiting blood,
uttering soft cries in pain, deprived of the warriors on their backs,
divested of the armour that covered their limbs, and reft of the
foot-soldiers that protected their flank and rear, and with their quivers
and banners and standards displaced, their bodies adorned with housings
of gold struck deep with the weapons of the foe. The earth looked like
the cloud-covered welkin in consequence of being strewn with the fallen
bodies of elephant-warriors and horse-men and carwarriors, all of great
fame, and of foot-soldiers slain by foes fighting face to face, and
divested of armour and ornaments and attire and weapons. Covered with
thousands of fallen combatants mangled with arrows, fully exposed to
view, and deprived of consciousness, with some amongst them whose breaths
were returning slowly, the earth seemed as if covered with many
extinguished fires. With those foremost of heroes among both the Kurus
and the Srinjayas, pierced with arrows and deprived of life by Partha and
Karna, the earth seemed as if strewn with blazing planets fallen from the
firmament, or like the nocturnal firmament itself bespangled with blazing
planets of serene light. The shafts sped from the arms of Karna and
Arjuna, piercing through the bodies of elephants and steeds and men and
quickly stilling their lives, entered the earth like mighty snakes
entering their holes with heads bent downwards. The earth has become
impassable with heaps of slain men and steeds and elephants, and with
cars broken with the shafts of Dhananjaya and Adhiratha's son and with
the numberless shafts themselves shot by them. Strewn with well-equipped
cars crushed by means of mighty shafts along with the warriors and the
weapons and the standards upon them, cars, that is, with their traces
broken, their joints separated, their axles and yokes and Trivenus
reduced to fragments, their wheels loosened, their Upaskaras destroyed,
their Anukarsanas cut in pieces, the fastenings of their quivers cut off,
and their niches (for the accommodation of drivers) broken, strewn with
those vehicles adorned with gems and gold, the earth looks like the
firmament overspread with autumnal clouds. In consequence of
well-equipped royal cars deprived of riders and dragged by fleet steeds,
as also of men and elephants and cars and horses that fled very quickly,
the army has been broken in diverse ways. Spiked maces with golden bells,
battle-axes, sharp lances, heavy clubs, mallets, bright unsheathed
swords, and maces covered with cloth of gold, have fallen on the field.
Bows decked with ornaments of gold, and shafts equipped with beautiful
wings of pure gold, and bright unsheathed rapiers of excellent temper,
and lances, and scimitars bright as gold, and umbrellas, and fans, and
conchs, and arms decked with excellent flowers and gold, and caparisons
of elephants, and standards, and car fences and diadems, and necklaces,
and brilliant crowns, and yak-tails lying about, O king, and garlands
luminous with corals and pearls, and chaplets for the head, and bracelets
for both the wrist and the upper arms, and collars for the neck with
strings of gold, and diverse kinds of costly diamonds and gems and
pearls, and bodies brought up in a great luxury, and heads beautiful as
the moon, are lying scattered about. Abandoning their bodies and
enjoyments and robes and diverse kinds of agreeable pleasures, and
acquiring great merit for the devotion they showed to the virtuous of
their order, they have speedily gone in a blaze of flame to regions of
bliss. Turn back, O Duryodhana! Let the troops retire! O king, O giver of
honours, proceed towards thy camp! There, the Sun is hanging low in the
welkin, O lord! Remember, O ruler of men, that thou art the cause of all
this!"
"'Having said these words unto Duryodhana, Shalya, with heart filled with
grief, stopped. Duryodhana, however, at that time, deeply afflicted and
deprived of his senses, and with eyes bathed in tears, wept for the
Suta's son, saying, "Karna! Oh Karna!" Then all the kings headed by
Drona's son, repeatedly comforting Duryodhana, proceeded towards the
camp, frequently looking back at the lofty standard of Arjuna that seemed
to be ablaze with his fame. At that terrible hour when everything around
looked so resplendent, the Kauravas, all of whom had resolved to repair
to the other world, their features incapable of recognition owing to the
blood that covered them, beholding the earth, that was drenched with the
blood flowing from the bodies of men and steeds and elephants, looking
like a courtesan attired in crimson robes and floral garlands and
ornaments of gold, were unable, O king, to stand there! Filled with grief
at the slaughter of Karna, they indulged in loud lamentations, saying,
"Alas, Karna! Alas Karna!" Beholding the Sun assume a crimson hue, all of
them speedily proceeded towards their camp. As regards Karna, though
slain and pierced with gold-winged shafts whetted on stone and equipped
with feathers and dyed in blood and sped from gandiva, yet that hero,
lying on the ground, looked resplendent like the Sun himself of bright
rays. It seemed that illustrious Surya, ever kind to his worshippers,
having touched with his rays the gore-drenched body of Karna, proceeded,
with aspect crimson in grief, to the other ocean from desire of a bath.
Thinking so, the throngs of celestials and rishis (that had come there
for witnessing the battle) left the scene for proceeding to their
respective abodes. The large crowd of other beings also, entertaining the
same thought, went away, repairing as they chose to heaven or the earth.
The foremost of Kuru heroes also, having beheld that wonderful battle
between Dhananjaya and Adhiratha's son, which had inspired all living
creatures with dread, proceeded (to their nightly quarters), filled with
wonder and applauding (the encounter). Though his armour had been cut off
with arrows, and though he had been slain in course of that dreadful
fight, still that beauty of features which the son of Radha possessed did
not abandon him when dead. Indeed, everyone beheld the body of the hero
to resemble heated gold. It seemed to be endued with life and possessed
of the effulgence of fire or the sun. All the warriors, O king, were
inspired with fright at sight of the Suta's son lying dead on the field,
like other animals at sight of the lion. Indeed, though dead, that tiger
among men seemed ready to utter his commands. Nothing, in that
illustrious dead, seemed changed. Clad in beautiful attire, and possessed
of a neck that was very beautiful, the Suta's son owned a face which
resembled the full moon in splendour. Adorned with diverse ornaments and
decked with Angadas made of bright gold, Vaikartana, though slain, lay
stretched like a gigantic tree adorned with branches and twigs. Indeed,
that tiger among men lay like a heap of pure gold, or like a blazing fire
extinguished with the water of Partha's shafts. Even as a blazing
conflagration is extinguished when it comes in contact with water, the
Karna-conflagration was extinguished by the Partha-cloud in the battle.
Having shot showers of arrows and scorched the ten points of the compass,
that tiger among men, viz., Karna, along with his sons, was quieted by
Partha's energy. He left the world, taking away with him that blazing
glory of his own which he had earned on earth by fair fight. Having
scorched the Pandavas and the Pancalas with the energy of his weapons,
having poured showers of arrows and burnt the hostile divisions, having,
indeed, heated the universe like the thousand-rayed Surya of great
beauty, Karna, otherwise called Vaikartana, left the world, with his sons
and followers. Thus fell that hero who was a Kalpa tree unto those swarms
of birds represented by suitors. Solicited by suitors he always said, "I
give" but never the words "I have not!" The righteous always regarded him
as a righteous person. Even such was Vrisha who fell in single combat.
All the wealth of that high-souled person had been dedicated to the
Brahmanas. There was nothing, not even his life, that he could not give
away unto the Brahmanas. He was ever the favourite of ladies, exceedingly
liberal, and a mighty car-warrior. Burnt by the weapons of Partha, he
attained to the highest end. He, relying upon whom thy son had provoked
hostilities, thus went to heaven, taking away with him the hope of
victory, the happiness, and the armour of the Kauravas. When Karna fell,
the rivers stood still. The Sun set with a pale hue. The planet Mercury,
the son of Soma, assuming the hue of fire or the Sun, appeared to course
through the firmament in a slanting direction. The firmament seemed to be
rent in twain; the earth uttered loud roars; violent and awful winds
began to blow. All the points of the horizon, covered with smoke, seemed
to be ablaze. The great oceans were agitated and uttered awful sounds.
The mountains with their forests began to tremble, and all creatures, O
sire, felt pain. The planet Jupiter, afflicting the constellation Rohini
assumed the hue of the moon or the sun. Upon the fall of Karna, the
subsidiary points also of the compass became ablaze. The sky became
enveloped in darkness. The earth trembled. Meteors of blazing splendour
fell. Rakshasas and other wanderers of the night became filled with joy.
When Arjuna, with that razor-faced shaft, struck off Karna's head adorned
with a face beautiful as the moon, then, O king, loud cries of "Oh!" and
"Alas!" were heard of creatures in heaven, in the welkin, and on the
earth. Having in battle slain his foe Karna who was worshipped by the
gods, the gandharvas, and human beings, Pritha's son Arjuna looked
resplendent in his energy like the deity of a 1,000 eyes after the
slaughter of Vritra. Then riding on that car of theirs whose rattle
resembled the roar of the clouds and whose splendour was like that of the
meridian sun of the autumnal sky, which was adorned with banners and
equipped with a standard incessantly producing an awful noise, whose
effulgence resembled that of the snow or the Moon or the conch or the
crystal, and whose steeds were like those of Indra himself, those two
foremost of men, viz., the son of Pandu and the crusher of Keshi, whose
energy resembled that of the great Indra, and who were adorned with gold
and pearls and gems and diamonds and corals, and who were like fire or
the sun in splendour, fearlessly careered over the field of battle with
great speed, like Vishnu and Vasava mounted on the same chariot. Forcibly
divesting the enemy of his splendour by means of the twang of gandiva and
the slaps of their palms, and slaying the Kurus with showers of shafts,
the Ape-bannered Arjuna, the Garuda-bannered Krishna, both of whom were
possessed of immeasurable prowess, those two foremost of men, filled with
joy, took up with their hands their loud-sounding conchs adorned with
gold and white as snow, and placing them against their lips, blew
simultaneously with those beautiful mouths of theirs, piercing the hearts
of their foes with the sound. The blare of pancajanya and that of
devadatta filled the earth, the sky, and heaven.
At the sound of the heroic Madhava's conch as also at that of Arjuna's,
all the Kauravas, O best of kings, became filled with fright. Those
foremost of men, causing the forests, the mountains, the rivers and the
points of the compass to resound with the blare of their conchs, and
filling the army of thy son with fright, gladdened Yudhishthira
therewith. As soon as the Kauravas heard the blare of those conchs that
were thus being blown, all of them left the field with great speed,
deserting the ruler of the Madras and the chief of the Bharatas, O
Bharata, viz., Duryodhana. Then diverse creatures, uniting together,
congratulated Dhananjaya, that hero shining resplendent on the field of
battle, as also Janardana, those two foremost of men who then looked like
a couple of risen suns. Pierced with Karna's arrows, those two chastisers
of foes, Acyuta and Arjuna, looked resplendent like the bright and
many-rayed moon and the sun risen after dispelling a gloom. Casting off
those arrows, those two mighty warriors, both endued with unrivalled
prowess, surrounded by well-wishers and friends, happily entered their
own encampment, like the lords Vasava and Vishnu duly invoked by
sacrificial priests. Upon the slaughter of Karna in that dreadful battle,
the gods, gandharvas, human beings, caranas, great rishis, yakshas, and
great nagas, worshipped Krishna and Arjuna with great respect and wished
them victory (in all things). Having received all their friends then,
each according to his age, and applauded by those friends in return for
their incomparable feats, the two heroes rejoiced with their friends,
like the chief of the celestials and Vishnu after the overthrow of Vali.'"
95
"Sanjaya said, 'Upon the fall of Karna otherwise called Vaikartana, the
Kauravas, afflicted with fear, fled away on all sides, casting their eyes
on empty space. Indeed, hearing that the heroic Karna had been slain by
the foe, all thy troops, stupefied with fear, broke and fled in all
directions. Then, O king, the leaders, filled with anxiety, desirous of
withdrawing their troops, O Bharata, whose flight had been endeavoured to
be checked by thy son. Understanding their wishes, thy son, O bull of
Bharata's race, acting according to the advice of Shalya, withdrew the
army. Then Kritavarma, O Bharata, surrounded by thy unslaughtered remnant
of thy Narayana troops of thy army, quickly proceeded towards the
encampment. Surrounded by a 1,000 gandharvas, Shakuni, beholding the son
of Adhiratha slain, proceeded quickly towards the encampment.
Sharadvata's son, Kripa, O king, surrounded by the large elephant force
that resembled a mass of clouds, proceeded quickly towards the
encampment. The heroic Ashvatthama, repeatedly drawing deep breaths at
the sight of the victory of the Pandavas, proceeded quickly towards the
encampment. Surrounded by the unslaughtered remnant of the samsaptakas
which was still a large force, Susharma also, O king, proceeded, casting
his eyes on those terrified soldiers. King Duryodhana, deeply afflicted
and deprived of everything, proceeded, his heart filled with grief, and a
prey to many cheerless thoughts. Shalya, that foremost of car-warriors,
proceeded towards the camp, on that car deprived of standard, casting his
eyes on all sides. The other mighty car-warriors of the Bharata army,
still numerous, fled quickly, afflicted with fear, filled with shame, and
almost deprived of their senses. Indeed seeing Karna overthrown, all the
Kauravas fled away quickly, afflicted and anxious with fear, trembling,
and with voices choked with tears. The mighty car-warriors of thy army
fled away in fear, O chief of Kuru's race, some applauding Arjuna, some
applauding Karna. Amongst those thousands of warriors of thy army in that
great battle, there was not a single person who had still any wish for
fight. Upon the fall of Karna, O monarch, the Kauravas became hopeless of
life, kingdom, wives, and wealth. Guiding them with care, O lord, thy
son, filled with grief and sorrow, set his heart upon resting them for
the night. Those great car-warriors also, O monarch, accepting his orders
with bent heads, retired from the field with cheerless hearts and pale
faces.'"
96
"Sanjaya said, 'After Karna had thus been slain and the Kaurava troops
had fled away, he of Dasharha's race, embracing Partha from joy, said
unto him these words: "Vritra was slain by thee. Men will talk (in the
same breath) of the slaughter of Vritra and Karna in awful battle. Vritra
was slain in battle by the deity of great energy with his thunder. Karna
hath been slain by thee with bow and sharp arrows. Go, O son of Kunti,
and represent, O Bharata, unto king Yudhishthira the just, this prowess
of thine that is capable of procuring thee great fame and that hath
become well-known in the world. Having represented unto king Yudhishthira
the just, this slaughter of Karna in battle for compassing which thou
hadst been endeavouring for a long course of years, thou wilt be freed
from the debt thou owest to the king. During the progress of the battle
between thyself and Karna, the son of Dharma once came for beholding the
field. Having, however, been deeply and exceedingly pierced (with
arrows), he could not stay in battle. The king, that bull among men, then
went back to his tent." Partha answered Keshava, that bull of Yadu's
race, saying, "So be it!' The latter then cheerfully caused the car of
that foremost of car-warriors to turn back. Having said these words unto
Arjuna, Krishna addressed the soldiers, saying, "Blessed be ye, stand all
of you carefully, facing the foe!" Unto Dhrishtadyumna and Yudhamanyu and
the twin sons of Madri and Vrikodara and Yuyudhana, Govinda said, "Ye
kings, until we come back having informed the king of Karna's slaughter
by Arjuna, stand ye here with care." Having received the permission of
these heroes, he then set out for the quarters of the king. With Partha
in his company, Govinda beheld Yudhishthira, that tiger among kings,
lying on an excellent bed of gold. Both of them then, with great joy,
touched the feet of the king. Beholding their joy and the extraordinary
wounds on their bodies, Yudhishthira regarded the son of Radha to be dead
and rose quickly from his bed. That chastiser of foes, the mighty-armed
monarch, having risen from his bed, repeatedly embraced Vasudeva and
Arjuna with affection. That descendant of Kuru's race then asked Vasudeva
(the particulars of Karna's death). Then the sweet-speeched Vasudeva that
descendant of the Yadu race, spoke to him of Karna's death exactly as it
had happened. Smiling then, Krishna, otherwise called Acyuta, joined his
palms and addressed king Yudhishthira whose foes had been killed saying,
"By good luck, the wielder of Gandiva, and Vrikodara, the son of Pandu,
and thyself, and the two sons of Madri, are all safe, having been freed
from this battle that has been so destructive of heroes and that made the
very hair of the body to stand on end. Do thou those acts, O son of
Pandu, which should next be done. The Suta's son Karna, possessed of
great might and otherwise called Vaikartana, hath been slain. By good
luck, victory hath become thine, O king of kings. By good luck, thou
growest, O son of Pandu! The Earth drinketh today the blood of that
Suta's son, that wretch among men, who had laughed at the dice-won
Krishna. That foe of thine, O bull of Kuru's race, lieth today on the
bare ground, pierced all over with arrows. Behold that tiger among men,
pierced and mangled with shafts. O thou of mighty arms, rule now, with
care, this earth that is divested of all thy foes, and enjoy with us, all
kinds of enjoyable articles!'"
"Sanjaya continued, 'Having heard these words of the high-souled Keshava,
Yudhishthira, with great joy, worshipped in return that hero of
Dasharha's race. "Good luck, Good luck!" were the words, O monarch, that
he said. And he added, "It is not wonderful, O mighty-armed one, in thee,
O son of Devaki, that Partha, having obtained thee for his charioteer,
should achieve feats that are even super-human." Then that chief of
Kuru's race, that righteous son of Pritha, taking hold of Keshava's right
arm adorned with Angadas, and addressing both Keshava and Arjuna, said,
"Narada told me that ye two are the gods Nara and Narayana, those ancient
and best of Rishis, that are ever employed in the preservation of
righteousness. Gifted with great intelligence, the master Krishna
Dvaipayana, the highly blessed Vyasa, also hath repeatedly told me this
celestial history. Through thy influence, O Krishna, this Dhananjaya the
son of Pandu, facing his foes, hath vanquished them, without ever turning
back from any of them. Victory, and not defeat, we are certain to have,
since thou hast accepted the drivership of Partha in battle." Having said
these words, king Yudhishthira the just, that tiger among men, mounting
his car, adorned with gold and having steeds of ivory white and black
tails and fleet as thought harnessed unto it, and surrounded by many
Pandava troops, set out, conversing pleasantly with Krishna and Arjuna
along the way, for beholding the field of battle on which thousands of
incidents had taken place. Conversing with those two heroes, viz.,
Madhava and Phalguna, the king beheld Karna, that bull among men, lying
on the field of battle. Indeed, king Yudhishthira beheld Karna pierced
all over with arrows like a Kadamva flower with straight filaments all
around its body. Yudhishthira beheld Karna illuminated by thousands of
golden lamps filled with perfumed oil. Having beheld Karna with his son
slain and mangled with shafts sped from Gandiva, king Yudhishthira
repeatedly looked at him before he could believe his eyes. He then
applauded those tigers among men, Madhava and Phalguna, saying, "O
Govinda, today I have become king of the earth, with my brothers, in
consequence of thyself of great wisdom having become my protector and
lord. Hearing of the slaughter of that tiger among men, the proud son of
Radha, the wicked-souled son of Dhritarashtra will be filled with
despair, as regards both life and kingdom. Through thy grace, O bull
among men, we have acquired our objects. By good luck, victory hath been
thine, O Govinda! By good luck, the enemy hath been slain. By good luck,
the wielder of Gandiva, the son of Pandu, hath been crowned with victory.
Thirteen years we have passed in wakefulness and great sorrow. O thou of
mighty arms, through thy grace, we will sleep happily this night." In
this way, O ruler of men, king Yudhishthira the just, praised Janardana
greatly as also Arjuna, O monarch!'
"Sanjaya continued, 'Beholding Karna with his son slain with Partha's
shafts, that perpetuator of Kuru's race, Yudhishthira, regarded himself
as reborn. The kings (in the Pandava army), great car-warriors - all
filled with joy, approached Kunti's son Yudhishthira and gladdened him
greatly. Nakula, and Sahadeva, and Vrikodara the son of Pandu, and
Satyaki, O king, that foremost of car-warriors among the Vrishnis, and
Dhrishtadyumna, and Shikhandi, and others among the Pandus, the Pancalas,
and the Srinjayas, worshipped the son of Kunti at the slaughter of the
Suta's son. Extolling king Yudhishthira, the son of Pandu, those
delighters in battle, those effectual smiters, those heroes possessed of
sureness of aim and longing for victory, also praised those scorchers of
foes, viz., the two Krishnas, with speeches fraught with panegyrics. Then
those great car-warriors, filled with delight, proceeded towards their
own camp. Thus occurred that great carnage, making the hair stand on end,
in consequence, O king, of thy evil policy! Why dost thou grieve for it
now?'"
Vaishampayana continued, "Hearing those evil tidings, the Kuru king
Dhritarashtra suddenly fell down on the ground from his excellent seat.
Similarly, the royal lady Gandhari of great foresight fell down. She
indulged in diverse lamentations, for the slaughter of Karna in battle.
Then Vidura and Sanjaya both raised the fallen monarch and began to
console him. Similarly the Kuru ladies raised Gandhari. Thinking destiny
and necessity to be all powerful, that royal ascetic, under that great
grief, seemed to lose his senses. His heart filled with anxiety and
sorrow, the king, however, did not again swoon away. Comforted by them,
he remained silent, indulging in melancholy musing. He that reads of this
great battle, which is like unto a sacrifice, between the high-souled
Dhananjaya and Adhiratha's son, so also he that hears the account of this
battle read, both obtain, O Bharata, the fruit of a great sacrifice duly
performed. The learned say that the holy and the eternal Vishnu is
Sacrifice, and each of those other gods, viz., Agni, Wind, Soma, and
Surya, is so. Therefore, he that will, without malice, hear or recite
this Parvan, will be happy and capable of attaining to every region of
bliss. Filled with devotion, men always read this sacred and first of
Samhitas. They that do, rejoice, obtaining wealth, and grain, and fame. A
man must, therefore, ever hear it without malice. He that does so will
obtain all kinds of happiness. With that foremost of persons, Vishnu, and
the illustrious Self-born, and Bhava also, become pleased. A Brahmana, by
reading it, would obtain the fruit of having studied the Vedas; a
Kshatriya obtains strength and victory in battle; Vaishyas would obtain
immense wealth, and Shudras would obtain health and freedom from disease.
Then again the illustrious Vishnu is eternal. And since it is that god
who hath been glorified in this Parvan, it is for this that the man
reading or hearing it becometh happy and acquireth all the objects of his
heart. These words of the great Rishi (Vyasa) can never the untrue! The
merit that may be attained by listening to the recitation of the Karna
Parvan is equal to his who giveth away unceasingly for a whole year good
cows with calves."
The end of Karna Parva.
The Mahabharata
of
Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa
BOOK 9
Shalya-parva
Translated into English Prose from the Original Sanskrit Text
by
Kisari Mohan Ganguli
[1883-1896]
Scanned and Proofed by Mantra Caitanya. Additional proofing and
formatting at sacred-texts.com, by J. B. Hare, October 2003.
1
Om! Having bowed down unto Narayana and Nara, the most exalted of male
beings, and the goddess Sarasvati, must the word Jaya be uttered.
Janamejaya said, "After Karna had thus been slain in battle by Savyasaci,
what did the small (unslaughtered) remnant of the Kauravas do, O
regenerate one? Beholding the army of the Pandavas swelling with might
and energy, what behaviour did the Kuru prince Suyodhana adopt towards
the Pandavas, thinking it suitable to the hour? I desire to hear all
this. Tell me, O foremost of regenerate ones, I am never satiated with
listening to the grand feats of my ancestors."
Vaishampayana said, "After the fall of Karna, O king, Dhritarashtra's son
Suyodhana was plunged deep into an ocean of grief and saw despair on
every side. Indulging in incessant lamentations, saying, 'Alas, oh Karna!
Alas, oh Karna!' he proceeded with great difficulty to his camp,
accompanied by the unslaughtered remnant of the kings on his side.
Thinking of the slaughter of the Suta's son, he could not obtain peace of
mind, though comforted by those kings with excellent reasons inculcated
by the scriptures. Regarding destiny and necessity to be all-powerful,
the Kuru king firmly resolved on battle. Having duly made Shalya the
generalissimo of his forces, that bull among kings, O monarch, proceeded
for battle, accompanied by that unslaughtered remnant of his forces.
Then, O chief of Bharata's race, a terrible battle took place between the
troops of the Kurus and those of the Pandavas, resembling that between
the gods and the Asuras. Then Shalya, O monarch, having made a great
carnage in battle at last lost a large number of his troops and was slain
by Yudhishthira at midday. Then king Duryodhana, having lost all his
friends and kinsmen, fled away from the field of battle and penetrated
into the depths of a terrible lake from fear of his enemies. On the
afternoon of that day, Bhimasena, causing the lake to be encompassed by
many mighty car-warriors, summoned Duryodhana and having obliged him to
come out, slew him speedily, putting forth his strength. After
Duryodhana's slaughter, the three car-warriors (of the Kuru side) that
were still unslain (Ashvatthama and Kripa and Kritavarma), filled with
rage, O monarch, slaughtered the Pancala troops in the night. On the next
morning Sanjaya, having set out from the camp, entered the city (the Kuru
capital), cheerless and filled with grief and sorrow. Having entered the
city, the Suta Sanjaya, raising his arms in grief, and with limbs
trembling, entered the palace of the king. Filled with grief, O tiger
among men, he wept aloud, saying, 'Alas, O king! Alas, all of us are
ruined by the slaughter of that high-souled monarch. Alas, Time is
all-powerful, and crooked in his course, since all our allies, endued
with might equal to that of Shakra himself, have been slain by the
Pandavas.' Seeing Sanjaya come back to the city, O king, in that
distressful plight, all the people, O best of kings, filled with great
anxiety, wept loudly, saying, 'Alas, O king! The whole city, O tiger
among men, including the very children, hearing of Duryodhana's death,
sent forth notes of lamentation from every side. We then beheld all the
men and women running about, deeply afflicted with grief, their senses
gone, and resembling people that are demented.' The Suta Sanjaya then,
deeply agitated, entered the abode of the king and beheld that foremost
of monarchs, that lord of men, having wisdom for his eyes. Beholding the
sinless monarch, that chief of Bharata's race, seated, surrounded by his
daughters-in-law and Gandhari and Vidura and by other friends and kinsmen
that were always his well-wishers, and engaged in thinking on that very
subject - the death of Karna - the Suta Sanjaya, with heart filled with
grief, O Janamejaya, weepingly and in a voice choked with tears, said
unto him, 'I am Sanjaya, O tiger among men. I bow to thee, O bull of
Bharata's race. The ruler of the Madras, Shalya, hath been slain.
Similarly, Subala's son Shakuni, and Uluka, O tiger among men, that
valiant son of the gamester (Shakuni), have been slain. All the
Samsaptakas, the Kambojas together with the Sakas, the Mlecchas, the
Mountaineers, and the Yavanas, have also been slain. The Easterners have
been slain, O monarch, and all the Southerners. The Northerners have all
been slain, as also the Westerners, O ruler of men. All the kings and all
the princes have been slain, O monarch. King Duryodhana also has been
slain by the son of Pandu after the manner he had vowed. With his thighs
broken, O monarch, he lieth now on the dust, covered with blood.
Dhrishtadyumna also hath been slain, O king, as also the vanquished
Shikhandi. Uttamauja and Yudhamanyu, O king, and the Prabhadrakas, and
those tiger among men, the Pancalas, and the Cedis, have been destroyed.
The sons have all been slain as also the (five) sons of Draupadi, O
Bharata. The heroic and mighty son of Karna, Vrishasena, hath been slain.
All the men that had been assembled have been slain. All the elephants
have been destroyed. All the car-warriors, O tiger among men, and all the
steeds, have fallen in battle. Very few are alive on thy side, O lord. In
consequence of the Pandavas and the Kauravas having encountered each
other, the world, stupefied by Time, now consists of only women. On the
side of the Pandavas seven are alive, they are the five Pandava brothers,
and Vasudeva, and Satyaki and amongst the Dhartarashtras three are so,
Kripa, Kritavarma, and Drona's son, that foremost of victors. These three
car-warriors, O monarch, are all that survive, O best of kings, of all
the akshauhinis mustered on thy side, O ruler of men. These are the
survivors, O monarch, the rest have perished. Making Duryodhana and his
hostility (towards the Pandavas) the cause, the world, it seems, hath
been destroyed, O bull of Bharata's race, by Time.'"
Vaishampayana continued, "Hearing these cruel words, Dhritarashtra, that
ruler of men, fell down, O monarch, on the earth, deprived of his senses.
As soon as the king fell down, Vidura also, of great fame, O monarch,
afflicted with sorrow on account of the king's distress, fell down on the
earth. Gandhari also, O best of kings, and all the Kuru ladies, suddenly
fell down on the ground, hearing those cruel words. That entire conclave
of royal persons remained lying on the ground, deprived of their senses
and raving deliriously, like figures painted on a large piece of canvas.
Then king Dhritarashtra, that lord of earth, afflicted with the calamity
represented by the death of his sons, slowly and with difficulty regained
his life-breaths. Having recovered his senses, the king, with trembling
limbs and sorrowful heart, turned his face on every side, and said these
words unto Kshattri (Vidura). 'O learned Kshattri, O thou of great
wisdom, thou, O bull of Bharata's race, art now my refuge. I am lordless
and destitute of all my sons.' Having said this, he once more fell down,
deprived of his senses. Beholding him fallen, all his kinsmen that were
present there sprinkled cold water over him and fanned him with fans.
Comforted after a long while, that lord of earth, afflicted with sorrow
on account of the death of his sons, remained silent, sighing heavily, O
monarch, like a snake put into a jar. Sanjaya also wept aloud, beholding
the king so afflicted. All the ladies too, with Gandhari of great
celebrity, did the same. After a long while, O best of men,
Dhritarashtra, having repeatedly swooned, addressed Vidura, saying, 'Let
all the ladies retire, as also Gandhari of great fame, and all these
friends. My mind hath become greatly unsettled.' Thus addressed, Vidura,
repeatedly trembling, slowly dismissed the ladies, O bull of Bharata's
race. All those ladies retired, O chief of the Bharatas, as also all
those friends, beholding the king deeply afflicted. Then Sanjaya
cheerlessly looked at the king, O scorcher of foes, who, having recovered
his senses, was weeping in great affliction. With joined hands, Vidura
then, in sweet words, comforted that ruler of men who was sighing
incessantly.'"
2
Vaishampayana said, "After the ladies had been dismissed, Dhritarashtra,
the son of Ambika, plunged into grief greater than that which had
afflicted him before, began, O monarch, to indulge in lamentations,
exhaling breaths that resembled smoke, and repeatedly waving his arms,
and reflecting a little, O monarch, he said these words.
"Dhritarashtra said, 'Alas, O Suta, the intelligence is fraught with
great grief that I hear from thee, that the Pandavas are all safe and
have suffered no loss in battle. Without doubt, my hard heart is made of
the essence of thunder, since it breaketh not upon hearing of the fall of
my sons. Thinking of their ages, O Sanjaya, and of their sports in
childhood, and learning today that all of them have perished, my heart
seems to break into pieces. Although in consequence of my blindness I
never saw their forms, still I cherished a great love for them in
consequence of the affection one feels for his children. Hearing that
they had passed out of childhood and entered the period of youth and then
of early manhood, I became exceedingly glad, O sinless one. Hearing today
that have been slain and divested of prosperity and energy, I fail to
obtain peace of mind, being overwhelmed with grief on account of the
distress that has overtaken them. Come, come, O king of kings
(Duryodhana) to me that am without a protector now! Deprived of thee, O
mighty-armed one, what will be my plight? Why, O sire, abandoning all the
assembled kings dost thou lie on the bare ground, deprived of life, like
an ordinary and wretched king? Having been, O monarch, the refuge of