संजय उवाच ततः कर्णः कुरुषु प्रदुतेषु वरूथिना श्वेतहयेन राजन्। पाञ्चालपुत्रान् व्यधमत् सूतपुत्रो महेषुभिर्वात इवाभ्रसंघान्॥
Sanjaya said O monarch, after the Kurus had been routed (by Arjuna) on whose car were attached white horses, Karna-the son of Suta, like the high wind dispersing the clouds, went on slaughtering the Panchalas.
सूतं रथादञ्जलिकैर्निपात्य जघान चाश्वाञ्जनमेजयस्या रवाकिरद् धनुषी चाप्यकृन्तत्॥
With Anjalika weapons he brought down the driver of Janamejaya from the car and broke down the bows of Satanikas Sutasoma covered them with broad-headed arrows.
जघानाश्वांस्तरसा तस्य संख्ये। हत्वा चाश्वान् सात्यकेः सूतपुत्रः कैकेयपुत्रं न्यवधीद् विसोकम्॥
Then he, striking Dhristadyumna with six arrows, almost instantly knocked down his and Satyaki's horses and then in quick succession killed Vishoka-the Kaikeya prince.
तमभ्यधावनिहते कुमारे कैकेयसेनापतिरुप्रकर्मा। शरैर्विधुिन्वन् भृशमुग्रवेगैः कर्णात्मजं चाप्यहनत् प्रसेनम्॥
Then the Kaikeya General Ugrakarman, seeing the Kaikeyas prince thus killed rushed on towards Karna and moving forward his bow repeatedly began to distress Karna's son Prasena with many powerful shafts.
तस्यार्धचन्द्रस्त्रिभिरुचकर्त प्रहस्य बाहू तच शिरश्च कर्णः। स स्यन्दनाद् गामगमद् गतासुः परश्वधैः शाल इवावरुग्णः॥
Then Karna, with three crescent-like shafts, severed his head and arms from the body and like a Sala tree cut down by an axe he (Ugrakarman) fell down lifeless from his car.
हताश्वमञ्जोगतिभिः प्रसेनः शिनिप्रवीरं निशितैः पृषत्कैः। प्रच्छाद्य नृत्यन्निव कर्णपुत्रः शैनेयबाणाभिहतः पपात॥
Then Prasena, if dancing with excitement, assailed the steedless grandson of Shini (Satyaki) with many straight arrows, by was in return killed by the grandson of Shini.
पुत्रे हते क्रोधपरीतचेताः कर्णः शिनीनामृषभं जिघांसुः। हतोऽसि शैनेय इति ब्रुवन् स व्यवासृजद् बाणममित्रसाहम्॥
Karna, filled with vengeance at the death of his son and wishing to slay that foremost of Shinis addressed him, “consider yourself a dead man" and struck him with a deadly arrow.
तमस्य चिच्छेद शरं शिखण्डी त्रिभिस्त्रिभिश्च प्रतुतोद् कर्णम्। शिखण्डिनः कार्मुकं च ध्वजं च छित्त्वा क्षुगभ्यां न्यपतत् सुजातः॥
as But Shikhandin severed that arrow with three shafts and with three other distressed Karna; then the wrathful son of Suta with two razor-like shafts struck off the bows, arrows and banners of Shikhandi.
शिखण्डिनं षड्भिरविध्यदुग्रो धार्टद्युम्नेः स शिरश्चोचकर्त। तथाभिनत् सुतसोमं शरेण सुसंशितेनाधिरथिर्महात्मा॥
With six other powerful arrows hit Shikhandi himself and killed Dhristadyumna's son; and the noble son of Adhiratha also struck Sutasoma with a very sharp arrows.
अथाक्रन्दे तुमुले वर्तमाने धार्टद्युम्ने निहते तत्र कृष्णः। अपाञ्चाल्यं क्रियते याहि पार्थ कर्ण जहीत्यब्रवीद् राजसिंह॥
O most powerful of monarchs, in that terrible fight loud lamentations were heard as the son of Dhristadumnya fell down and Krishna, hearing that, addressed Partha and said, “Partha go and kill Karna for he is destroying the whole Panchala race."
ततः प्रहस्याशु नरप्रवीरो रथं रथेनाधिरथेगाम्। रभ्याहतानां रथयूथपेन॥
Then in order to save the Panchalas from the fear of that great car-warrior, Karna, he (Arjuna) advanced on his car towards the chariot of the son of Adhiratha with a smile in his lips.
विस्फार्य गाण्डीवमथोग्रघोषं ज्यया समाहत्य तले भृशं च। बाणान्धकारं सहसैव कृत्वा जघान नागाश्वरथध्वजांश्च॥
Then rubbing his palm on the bow-string with a very loud twang he stretched out the Gandiva and suddenly made the Earth look dark by covering the sun with showers of arrows and also killed hosts of men, horses and elephants and destroyed many banners.
प्रतिश्रुतिः प्राचरदन्तरिक्ष गुहा गिरीणामपतन् वयांसि। यन्मण्डलज्येन विजृम्भामाणो रौद्रे मुहुर्तेऽभ्यपतत् किरीटी॥
At that fearful moment, when Kiritin (the diadem-decked Arjuna) greatly excited, with the Gandiva in his hands, bent almost to a circle, assailed his enemies the loud twang of his bow resounded through the skies and the birds being afraid took refuge in caves and mountains.
तं भीमसेनोऽनुययौ रथेन पृष्ठे रक्षन् पाण्डवमेकवीरः। तौ राजपुत्रौ त्वरितौ रथाभ्यां कर्णाय यातावरिभिर्विषक्तौ॥
The redoubtable Bhimasena followed Arjuna on his car guarding the rear and both the princes fighting their way on their respective cars advanced fast towards Karna.
तत्रान्तरे श्चक्रे युद्धं सोमकान् सम्प्रमृद्गन्। रथाश्वमातङ्गगणाञ्जघान प्रच्छादयामास शरैर्दिशश्च॥
In the meantime the son of Suta had been fighting terribly-he repeatedly thrashed the Somakas and and killed killed large numbers of elephants, horses and car-warriors; in fact he covered the atmosphere with his shafts.
तमुत्तमौजा जनमेजयश्च क्रुद्धौ युधामन्युशिखण्डिनौ च। कण बिभिदुः सहिताः पृषत्कैः संनर्दमानाः सह
Then Uttamaujas, Janamejaya, the wrathful Yudhamanyu, Shikhandin and Prishatha's son Dhristadumnya all in a body fiercely attacked Karna with many weapons and with loud roars.
ते पञ्च पाञ्चालरथप्रवीरा वैकर्तनं कर्णमभिद्रवन्तः। पार्षतेन।॥ धैर्यात् कृतात्मानमिवेन्द्रियार्थाः॥
As the objects of senses cannot extract the purity out of a holy man, so those five best Panchala warriors, though they tried their utmost, could not shake Vaikartana (Karna) from off his car.
स्तूर्ण पताकाश्च निकृत्य बाणैः। कर्णस्ततः सिंह इवोन्ननाद॥
Karna, with his arrows very soon rending asunder their bows, arrows, drivers and banners and striking each of them with five arrows, gave vent to a loud shout that resembled the roar of a lion.
तस्यास्यस्तानभिनिध्नतश्च ज्याबाणहस्तस्य धनुःस्वेनन। त्यनीव मत्वा जनता व्यषीदत्॥
When Karna was thus distressing his enemies with his bow and arrows in hand the whole world, with its mountains and trees, seemed to spilt into pieces by the loud twang of his bow and people became afraid.
स शक्रचापप्रतिमेन धन्वना भृशायतेनाधिरथिः शरान् सृजन्। बभौ रणे दीप्तमरीचिमण्डलो यथांशुमाली परिवेषवांस्तथा॥
The son of Adhiratha, with his large bow like that of Shakra fully drawn, went on throwing his arrows; indeed in that fight he looked brilliant like the sun with his firing rays in the midst of his corona.
च्छितैः शरैः षड्भिरथोत्तमौजसम्। गैस्त्रिभिस्त्रिभिः सोमकपार्षतात्मजौ॥
Suta's son then struck Shikhandin with twelve keen shafts, Uttamaujas with six and Yudhamanyu, Janmeyaya and Dhristadyumna with three each.
पराजिताः पञ्च महारथास्तु ते महाहवे सूतसुतेन मारिष। निरुद्यमास्तस्थुरमित्रनन्दना यथेन्द्रियार्थात्मवता पराजिताः॥
O respected king, as the objects of senses are conquered by a holy man of abstinence, so those five great warriors, overpowered by Suta's son in that dreadful fight, became confounded and inactive to the great delight of their enemy.
निमज्जतस्तानथ कर्णसागरे विपन्ननावो वणिजो यथार्णवे। उद्दधिरे नौभिरिवार्णवाद् स्थैः सुकल्पितैद्रौपदिजाः स्वमातुलान्॥
As ship-wrecked merchants are saved from drowning in a deep sea by means of other ships, so did the sons of Draupadi, with the help of their cars, save their maternal uncles from sinking under the pressure of Karna's weapons who resembled the sea.
निकृत्य कर्णप्रहितानिघून बहून। स्तवात्मजं ज्येष्ठमविध्यदष्टभिः॥
Then the most powerful of the Shinis (Satyaki) cut-off all the sharp arrows of Karna and struck him with many sharp arrows purely made of iron and your eldest son, Duryodhana, with eight.
कृपोऽथ भोजश्च तवात्मजस्तथा स्वयं च कर्णो निशितैरताडयत्। स तैश्चतुर्भिर्युयुधे यदूत्तमो दिगीश्वरैर्दैत्यपतिर्यथा तथा॥
Then Kripa, the Bhoja king, your son and Karna himself assaulted Satyaki in return with many sharp arrows, but that best of Yadu's race fought with those four great warriors as did the king of Daityas with the regents of the four quarters.
समाततेनेष्वसनेन कूजता भृशायतेनामितबाणवर्षिणा। बभूव दुर्धर्षतरः स सात्यकिः शरन्नभोमध्यगतो यथा रविः॥
As in autumn the Sun shines brilliantly in the sky, so with his outstretched bow, which was sounding loudly and sending forth arrows unrestrainedly, Satyaki became hard to face.
पुनः समास्थाय रथान् सुदंशिताः शिनिप्रवीरं जुगुपुः परंतपाः। समेत्य पाञ्चालमहारथा रणे मरुद्गणाः शक्रमिवारिनिग्रहे॥
As the Maruts helped Shakra (Indra) when he distressed his enemies, so the great Panchala car-warriors-the distressers of their enemies-all clothed in coats of mail, collected together, getting back upon their cars and protected that greatest man of the line of Shini.
ततोऽभवद् युद्धमतीव दारुणं तवाहितानां तव सैनिकैः सह। रथाश्चमातङ्गविनाशनं तथा यथा सुराणामसुरैः पुराभवत्॥
Many elephants, horses and men were then killed in that fight that took place between your enemies and your troops and it caged as hot and fierce as was the great battle which ensued between the Gods and the Asuras, in days of yore.
रथा द्विपा वाजिपदातयस्तथा भवन्ति नानाविधशस्त्रवेष्टिताः। विनेदुराती व्यसवोऽपतंस्तथा॥
All the infantry, car-warriors, elephants and steeds distressed with various weapons and struck by each other they began to move about sending forth dolorous cries of woe; some tumbled while other dropped down dead as they moved.
तथागते भीममभीस्तवात्मजः ससार राजावरजः किरशरैः। तमभ्यधावत् त्वरितो वृकोदरो महारुरुं सिंह इवाभिपोदिवान्॥
At that time your son Dushasana, the younger brother of the king, boldly going up to Bhimasena, shot hosts of shafts against him and Vrikodara like a lion taking his leap upon a big Ruru (deer) swiftly made a rush towards him.
ततस्तयोयुद्धमतीव दारुणं प्रदीव्यतोः प्राणदुरोदरं द्वयोः। रूदग्रयोः शम्बरशक्रयोर्यथा॥
As in days of yore Shakra and Shamvara fight with each other, so did those two brave warriors, both panting for revenge, fight with each other making their very lives the wager of the fight.
निजघ्नतुस्तावितरेतरं भृशम्। सकृत्प्रभिन्नाविव वासितान्तरे महागजौ मन्मथसक्तचेतसौ॥
As two lustful elephants fight for a sheelephant with fatty secretions streaming down their bodies, so did they strike each other with powerful and piercing shafts.
तवात्मजस्याथ वृकोदरस्त्वरन् धनुः क्षुराभ्यां ध्वजमेव चाच्छिनत्। ललाटमप्यस्य बिभेद पत्रिणा शिराश्च कायात् प्रजहार सारथेः॥
Then Vrikodara with two razor-like shafts struck off the banner and the bow and the arrows of your son and with another winged arrow he hurt him on the forehead and with a fourth, he severed the head his charioteer.
स राजपुत्रोऽन्यदवाय कार्मुकं वृकोदरं द्वादशभिः पराभिनत्। स्वयं नियच्छंस्तुरगानजिह्मगैः शरैश्च भीमं पुनरष्यवीवृषत्॥
Prince Dushasana, taking up another bow, hit Bhima with twelve arrows and taking hold of the reins of his horses rained upon Bhima hosts of shafts.
ततः शरं सूर्यमरीचिसप्रभं सुवर्णवज्रोत्तमरत्नभूषितम्। महेन्द्रवज्राशनिपातदुःसहं मुमोच भीमाङ्गविदारणक्षमम्॥
Then Dushasana sent against Bhima an arrow worked with gold, diamond and other valuable gems and brilliant as the sun's rays, deadly and powerful as Indra's thunder.
स तेन निर्विद्धतनुर्वृकोदरो निपातितः स्त्रस्ततनुर्गतासुवत्। प्रसार्य बाहू रथवर्यमाश्रितः पुनः स संज्ञामुपलभ्य चानदत्॥
Vrikodara being struck by that weapon with outstretched arms fell down on his car like one dead and powerless, but again regaining his senses he began to roar like a lion.