संजय उवाच द्रौणि पराजित्य ततोऽग्रधन्वा कृत्वा महद् दुष्करं शूरकर्म। आलोकयामास ततः स्वसैन्यं धनंजयः शत्रुभिरप्रधृष्यः॥
Sanjaya said Having vanquished Drona's son and performed a highly difficult and heroic task, Dhananjaya, ever irrepressible to his enemies, with a bow ready in his hands, eyed his own army.
स युध्यमानान् पृतनामुखस्थान् शूरः शूरान् हर्षयन् सव्यसाची। पूर्वप्रहारैर्मथितान् प्रशंसन् स्थिरांश्चकारत्मरथाननीके॥
Cheering up the warriors that were still fighting at the heads of their respective detachments and speaking highly of their former successes Arjuna enjoined his carwarriors to be at their posts.
अपश्यमानस्तु किरीटमाली युधिष्ठिरं भ्रातरमाजमीढम्। उवाच भीमं तरसाभ्युपेत्य राज्ञः प्रवृत्तिं त्विह कुत्र राजा॥
Not finding his brother Yudhishthira, a descendant of Ajamida, Arjuna quickly approached Bhima and inquired of the king's whereabouts, saying “Where is the king?"
भीमसेन उवाच अपयात इतो राजा धर्मपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः। कर्मबाणाभितप्ताङ्गो यदि जीवेत् कथञ्चन्॥
Bhima said Wounded with Karna's arrows the pious king Yudhishthira had gone away from here. I doubt if he still survives.
अर्जुन उवाच तस्माद् भवाशीघ्रमितः प्रयातु राज्ञः प्रवृत्यै कुरुसत्तमस्य। नूनं स विद्धोनऽतिभृशं पृषत्कैः कर्णेन राजा शिबिरं गतोऽसौ॥
Arjuna said For this very reason proceed you quickly from here and bring the news of the king, that foremost of Kurus. Forsooth, greatly wounded with Karna's arrows the king has gone to his camp.
द्रोणेन विद्धोऽतिभृशं तरस्वी। तस्थौ स तत्रापि जयप्रतीक्षो द्रोणोऽपियावन्न हत: किलासीत्॥
Although struck greatly with sharpened arrows by Drona's son the king still waited in the battle-field, desirous of victory, until Drona was slain.
स संशयं गमितः पाण्डवाग्र्यः संख्येऽद्य कर्णेन महानुभावः। ज्ञातुं प्रयाह्यासु तमद्य भीम स्थास्याम्यहं शत्रुगणान् निरुद्धय॥
The high-minded chief of Pandus, undoubtedly met with peril in battle through Karna. go quickly, Bhima and learn of his condition. I will wait here and oppose the enemy.
भीमसेन उवाच त्वमेव जानाहिह महानुभाव राज्ञः प्रवृत्तिं भरतर्षभस्य। अहं हि यद्यर्जुन याम्यमित्रा वदन्ति मां भीत इति प्रवीराः॥
Bhima said O illustrious and leading descendant of Bharata, better go yourself and enquire after the king, If I go, O Arjuna, the leading warriors will explain that I am rightened in battle.
ततोऽब्रवीदर्जुनो भीमसेनं संशप्तकाः प्रत्यनीकं स्थिता मे। मितोऽपयातुं रिपुसङ्घगोष्ठात्॥
Then Arjuna said to Bhimasena-"The Samsaptakas are before my army, without killing these my enemies I cannot leave the post."
अथाब्रवीदर्जुनं भीमसेनः स्ववीर्यमासाद्य कुरुप्रवीर। संशप्तकान् प्रतियोत्स्यामि संख्ये सर्वानहं याहि धनंजय त्वम्॥
Bhima replied then to Arjuna-"O foremost of Kurus, with the aid of my own power, I will encounter the Samsaptakas in battle, you better go yourself, O Dhananjaya.
संजय उवाच तद् भीमसेनस्य वचो निशम्य सुदुष्करं भ्रातुरमित्रमध्ये। संशप्तकानीकमसामेकः सुदुष्करं धारयामीति पार्थः॥ उवाच नारायणमप्रमेय कपिध्वजः सत्यपराक्रमस्य। स्तदाहवे सत्यवतो महात्मा। द्रष्टुं कुरुश्रेष्ठमभिप्रयास्यन् प्रोवाच वृष्णिप्रवरं तदानीम्॥
Sanjaya said Arjuna reported the promise made by Bhimasena, his brother that he shall face the whole army of chivalrous Samsaptakas alone to Sri Krishna, the god incarnated of Narayana and descendant of Vrishni clan. It was really very tough to materialise. Hence, he immediately inclined to see Yudhishthira for consult. In the meantime, he said to lord Krishna-
अर्जुन उवाच चोदयाश्वान् हृषीकेश विहायैतद् बलार्णवम्। अजातशत्रु राजानं द्रष्टुमिच्छामि केशव॥
Arjuna said “Leave this ocean-like army, O Hrishikesha and drive the horses. I wish to see, OKeshava, the king who has no enemies."
संजय उवाच ततो हयान् सर्वदाशार्हमुख्यः प्रचोदयन् भीममुवाच चेदम्। नैतचित्रं तव कर्माद्य भीम यास्माम्यहं पार्थारिसंघान्॥
While he was about to drive the horses, the foremost of Dasharhas said to Bhima-"If it nothing wonder for you, O Bhima. Kill the enemies of Partha.
ततो ययौ हृषीकेश यत्र राजा युधिष्ठिरः। शीघ्रच्छीघ्रतरं राजन् वीजिभिर्गरुडोपमैः॥
Thereupon Hrishikesha drove quickly where Yudhishthira was. Quickly was he borne there, O king, by the horses resembling Garuda himself.
प्रत्यनीके व्यवस्थाप्य भीमसेनमरिंदमम्। संदिश्य चैतं राजेन्द्र युद्धं प्रति वृकोदरम्॥ ततस्तु गत्वा पुरुषप्रवीरौ राजानमासाद्य शयानमेकम्। रथादुभौ प्रत्यवरुद्य तस्माद् ववन्तुर्धर्मराजस्य पादौ॥
He had left there Bhimasena, the slayer of his enemies, O king, then driving in their car those two heroes approached the king who was lying alone on his bed. They got down from the car and saluted the feet of the righteous Yudhishthira.
तं दृष्ट्वा पुरुष व्याघ्रं क्षेमिणं पुरुर्षभम्। मुदाभ्युपगतौ कृष्णावश्विनाविव वासवम्॥ तावभ्यनन्दद् राजापि विवस्वानविनाविव। हते महासुरे जम्भे शक्रविष्णू यथा गुरुः॥
Seeing that foremost of men safe and sound the two Krishnas were filled with delight as the two Ashvins are on seeing Indra. As Vivasvan congratulated the two Asvinis, as Vrihaspati congratulated Indra and Vishnu after they had killed the powerful Asura Jambha so the king congratulated them both.
मन्यमानो हतं कर्णं धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः। हर्षगद्गदया वाचा प्रीतः प्राह परंतपः॥
Thinking that Karna had been killed the virtuous king was delighted and he then addressed them thus, with his with his accents suppressed with joy.
संजय उवाच अथोपयातौ पृथुलोहिताक्षौ शरचिताङ्गौ रुधिरप्रदिग्धौ। समीक्ष्य सेनाग्रनरप्रवीरौ युधिष्ठिरो वाक्यमिदं बभाषे॥
Sanjaya said Sri Krishna and Arjuna, the fore-front fighter in battle, the eminent warrior, having huge and red eyes when approached closer, the arrows stuck in their all organs of body were seen. They soaked in blood. Yudhishthira, on seeing them, started talking in following manner-
महासत्त्वौ हि तौ दृष्ट्वा सहितौ केशवार्जुनौ। हतमाधिरथिं मेने संख्ये गाण्डीवधन्वना॥
Having seen the mightiest Sri Krishna and Arjuna came together, he was conformed in mind that Arjuna, the holder of Gandiva has were killed Karna, the son of charioteer in the battlefield.
तावभ्यनन्दत् कौन्तयेः साम्ना परमवल्गुना। स्मितपूर्वममित्रघ्नं पूजयन् भरतर्षभ॥
O son of Kunti! Owing to all these facts, I am curious enough to listen from you in prolix, the episode of Karna's slaughter by you. So safely. Tell me all without missing minutest information.