The Sanskrit Epics, page 526
“Sanjaya continued, ‘While Karna was uttering those words, Kripa, the mighty armed son of Saradwat, smiling the while, addressed the Suta’s son in these words, “Thy speech is fair, O Karna! If words alone could lead to success, then with thee, O son of Radha, as his protector, this bull among the Kurus would be considered to have the amplest measure of protection. Thou boastest much, O Karna, in the presence of the Kuru chief, but thy prowess is seldom witnessed, nor, indeed, any result (of thy boastful speeches). Many a time have we seen thee encounter the sons of Pandu in battle. On every one of those occasions, O Suta’s son, thou hast been vanquished by the Pandavas. While Dhritarashtra’s son was being taken away (as a captive) by the Gandharvas, all the troops fought on that occasion except thy single self, who was the first to fly away. In Virata’s city also, all the Kauravas, united together, including thyself and thy younger brother were vanquished by Partha in battle. Thou art not a match for even one of the sons of Pandu, viz., Phalguna, on the field of battle. How then canst thou venture to vanquish all the sons of Pandu with Krishna at their head? Thou indulgest in too much brag, O Suta’s son! Engage thyself in battle without saying anything. To put forth prowess without indulging in brag is the duty of good men. Ever roaring aloud, O Suta’s son like the dry clouds of autumn, thou showest thyself, O Karna to be without substance. The king, however, does not understand it. Thou roarest, O son of Radha, as long as thou seest not the son of Pritha. These thy roars disappear when thou seest Partha near. Indeed, thou roarest as long as thou art out of the range of Phalguna’s shafts. Those roars of thine disappear when thou art pierced with Partha’s shafts. Kshatriyas evince their eminence by means of their arms; Brahmanas, by means of speech; Arjuna evinces his by means of the bow; but Karna, by the castles he builds in the air. Who is there that will resist that Partha who gratified Rudra himself (in battle)?” Thus railed at by Saradwat’s son, Karna, that foremost of smiters, answered Kripa in the following strain, “Heroes always roar like clouds in the season of rains, and like steeds put in the soil, quickly yield fruits. I do not see any fault in heroes that take great burdens on their shoulders, indulging in boastful speeches on the field of battle. When a person mentally resolves to bear a burden, Destiny itself aids him in the execution. Wishing in my heart bear a great burden, I always summon sufficient resolution. If, slaying the sons of Pandu with Krishna and Satwatas in battle, I indulge in such roars, what is it to thee, O Brahmana? They that are heroes never roar fruitlessly like autumnal clouds. Conscious of their own might, the wise indulge in roars! In my heart I am determined to vanquish in battle today Krishna and Partha united together and fighting with resolution! It is for this that I roar, O son of Gotama! Behold the fruit of these my roars, O Brahmana! Slaying the son of Pandu in battle, with all their followers, Krishna and Satwatas, I will bestow on Duryodhana the whole earth without a thorn in it.”
“‘Kripa said, “Little do I reckon, O Suta’s son, these delirious sayings of thine discovering thy thoughts, not deeds. Thou always speakest in depreciation of the two Krishnas and king Yudhishthira the just. He, O Karna, is certain, to have the victory who hath on his side those two heroes skilled in battle. Indeed, Krishna and Arjuna are incapable of being defeated by the celestials, the Gandharvas, the Yakshas, human beings, the Nagas, and the birds, all clad in mail. Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma is devoted to the Brahmanas. He is truthful in speech and self-restrained. He reverences the Pitris and the deities. He is devoted to the practice of truth and righteousness. He is, again, skilled in weapons. Possessed of great intelligence, he is also grateful. His brothers are all endued with great might and well-practised in all weapons. They are devoted to the service of their seniors. Possessed of wisdom and fame, they are also righteous in their practices. Their kinsmen and relatives are all endued with the prowess of Indra. Effectual smiters, they are all exceedingly devoted to the Pandavas. Dhrishtadyumna, and Sikhandin and Janamejaya, the son of Durmuksha and Chandrasen, and Madrasen, and Kritavarman, Dhruva, and Dhara and Vasuchandra, and Sutejana, the sons of Drupada, and Drupada himself, conversant with high and mighty weapons, and the king of the Matsyas also, with his younger brothers, all resolutely struggling for their sake, and Gajanika, and Virabhadra, and Sudarsana, and Srutadhwaja, and Valanika, and Jayanika, and Jayaprya, and Vijaya and Labhalaksha, and Jayaswa, and Kamaratha, and the handsome brothers of Virata, and the twins (Nakula and Sahadeva), and the (five) sons of Draupadi, and the Rakshasa Ghatotkacha, are all fighting for the Pandavas. The sons of Pandu, therefore, will not meet with destruction. These and many other hosts (of heroes) are for the sons of Pandu. Without doubt, the entire universe, with the celestials, Asuras, and human beings, with all the tribes of Yaksha and Rakshas and with all the elephants and snakes and other creatures, can be annihilated by Bhima and Phalguna by the prowess of their weapons. As regards Yudhishthira also, he can, with angry eyes only, consume the whole world. How, O Karna, canst thou venture to vanquish those foes in battle for whom Sauri of immeasurable might hath clad himself in mail? This, O Suta’s son, is a great folly on thy part, since thou always venturest to contend with Sauri himself in battle.”’
“Sanjaya continued, ‘Thus addressed (by Kripa), Karna the son of Radha, O bull of Bharata’s race, smiling the while, said these words unto the preceptor Kripa, the son of Saradwat, “The words thou hast spoken about the Pandavas, O Brahmana, are all true. These and many other virtues are to be seen in the sons of Pandu. It is true also that the Parthas are incapable of being vanquished by the very gods with Vasava at their head, and the Daityas, the Yakshas, and the Rakshasas. For all that I will vanquish the Parthas with the help of the dart given me by Vasava. Thou knowest, O Brahmana, that the dart given by Sakra is incapable of being baffled. With that I will slay Savyasachin in battle. Upon Arjuna’s fall, Krishna and the uterine brothers of Arjuna will never be able to enjoy the (sovereignty of the) earth without Arjuna (to aid them). All of them, therefore, will perish. This earth then, with her seas, will remain subject to the chief of the Kurus, O Gautama, without costing him any efforts. In this world everything, without doubt, becomes attainable by policy. Knowing this, I indulge in these roars, O Gautama! As regards thyself, thou art old, a Brahmana by birth, and unskilled in battle. Thou bearest much love for the Pandavas. It is for this thou insultest me thus. If, O Brahmana, thou tellest me again such words as these, I shall, then, drawing out my scimitar, cut off thy tongue, O wretch! Thou desirest, O Brahmana, to applaud the Pandavas, for frightening all the troops and the Kauravas, O thou of wretched understanding! As regards this also, O Gautama, listen to what I say. Duryodhana, and Drona, and Sakuni, and Durmukha, and Jaya, and Duhsasana, and Vrishasena, and the ruler of the Madras, and thyself too and Somadatta and Drona’s son, and Vivinsati, — all these heroes skilled in battle, — are here, clad in mail. What foe is there, endued with even the prowess of Sakra, that would vanquish these in battle? All those I have named are heroes, skilled in weapons, endued with great might, solicitous of admission into heaven, conversant with morality, and skilled in battle. They would stay the very gods in fight. These will take their places on the field for slaying the Pandavas, clad in mail on behalf of Duryodhana desirous of victory. I regard victory to be dependent on destiny, even in the case of the foremost of mighty men. When the mighty-armed Bhishma himself lieth pierced with a hundred arrows, as also Vikarna, and Jayadratha, and Bhurisravas, and Jaya, and Jalasandha, and Sudakshina, and Sala, that foremost of car-warriors, and Bhagadatta of great energy, I say, when these and many others, incapable of being easily vanquished by the very gods, heroes all and mightier (than the Pandavas), lie on the field of battle, slain by the Pandavas, what dost thou think, O wretch among men, but that all this is the result of destiny? As regards them also, viz., the foes of Duryodhana, whom thou adorest, O Brahmana, brave warriors of theirs, in hundreds and thousands, have been slain. The armies of both the Kurus and the Pandavas are diminishing in numbers; I do not, in this, behold the prowess of the Pandavas! With them, O lowest of men, whom thou always regardest to be so mighty, I shall strive, to the utmost extent of my might, to contend in battle, for Duryodhana’s good. As regards victory, that depends on destiny.”’”
SECTION CLVIII
“SANJAYA SAID, ‘SEEING his uncle thus addressed in harsh and insulting words by the Suta’s son, Aswatthaman, uplifting his scimitar, furiously rushed towards the latter. Filled with fury, Drona’s son rushed towards Karna, in the very sight of the Kuru king, like a lion at an infuriated elephant.
“‘And Aswatthaman said, “O lowest of men, Kripa was speaking of the virtues truly possessed by Arjuna. Of wicked understanding as thou art, thou rebukest, however, my brave uncle from malice. Possessed with pride and insolence, thou braggest today of thy prowess, not regarding any of the world’s bowmen in battle!209 Where was thy prowess and where were thy weapons when vanquishing thee in battle the wielder of Gandiva slew Jayadratha in thy very sight? Vainly, O wretch of a Suta, dost thou indulge in thy mind the hope of vanquishing him who formerly contended in battle with Mahadeva himself. The very gods with the Asuras united together and with Indra at their head had failed to vanquish Arjuna, that foremost of all wielders of weapons, having Krishna only for his ally. How then, O Suta, hopest thou, aided by these kings, to vanquish that foremost of heroes in the world, viz., the unvanquished Arjuna, in battle? Behold, O Karna of wicked soul, (what I do to thee) today! O lowest of men, O thou of wretched understanding, I shall presently sever thy head from thy trunk.”’
“Sanjaya continued, ‘Thus saying, Aswatthaman made a furious rush at Karna. The king himself, of great energy, and Kripa, that foremost of men, held him fast. Then Karna said, “Of wicked understanding, this wretch of a Brahmana thinks himself brave and boasts of his prowess in battle. Set him at liberty, O chief of the Kurus. Let him come in contact with my might.”
“‘Aswatthaman said, “O son of a Suta, O thou of wicked understanding, this (thy fault) is pardoned by us. Phalguna, however, will quell this risen pride of thine.”
“‘Duryodhana said, “O Aswatthaman, quell thy wrath. It behoveth thee, O giver of honours, to forgive. Thou shouldst not, O sinless one, be angry with the Suta’s son. Upon thee and Karna and Kripa and Drona and the ruler of the Madras and Suvala’s son resteth a great burthen. Drive away thy wrath, O best of Brahmanas! Yonder, all the Pandava troops are approaching from desire of fight with Radha’s son. Indeed, O Brahmana, yonder they come, challenging us all.”’
“Sanjaya continued, ‘Thus pacified by the king, the high-souled son of Drona, O monarch, whose ire had been excited, suppressed his wrath and forgave (Karna). Then the preceptor Kripa, of noble heart, who is of a quiet disposition, O monarch, and mild temper, therefore, returned soon unto him, said these words.’
“‘Kripa said, “O Suta’s son of wicked heart, this (thy fault) is pardoned by us. Phalguna, however, will quell this thy risen pride.”’
“Sanjaya continued, ‘Then the Pandavas, O king, and the Panchalas, celebrated for their prowess, uniting together approached in thousands, uttering loud shouts; Karna also, that foremost of car-warriors, endued with great energy, surrounded by many foremost ones among the Kuru warriors and resembling Sakra in the midst of the celestials, waited, drawing his bow and relying on the might of his own arms. Then commenced a battle between Karna and the Pandavas, O king, that was exceedingly dreadful and characterised by loud leonine roars. Then Pandavas, O monarch, and the Panchalas, celebrated for their prowess, beholding the mighty-armed Karna, loudly shouted, saying, “There is Karna,” “Where is Karna in this fierce battle.”— “O thou of wicked understanding, O lowest of men, fight with us!” — Others, beholding the son of Radha said, with eyes expanded in wrath, “Let this arrogant wretch of little understanding, this son of a Suta, be slain by the allied kings. He hath no need to live. This sinful man is always very hostile to the Parthas. Obedient to the counsels of Duryodhana, this one is the root of these evils. Slay him.” Uttering such words, great Kshatriya car-warriors, urged by Pandu’s son, rushed towards him, covering him with a dense shower of arrows, for slaying him. Beholding all those mighty Pandavas thus (advancing), the Suta’s son trembled not, nor experienced any fear. Indeed, seeing that wonderful sea of troops, resembling Death himself, that benefactor of thy sons, viz., the mighty and fight-handed Karna, never vanquished in battle, O bull of Bharata’s race, began, with clouds of shafts, to resist that force on all sides. The Pandavas also fought with the foe, shooting showers of shafts. Shaking their hundreds and thousands of bows they fought with Radha’s son, like the Daityas of old fighting with Sakra. The mighty Karna, however, with a dense arrowy shower of his own dispelled that downpour of arrows caused by those lords of earth on all sides. The battle that took place between them, and in which each party counteracted the feats of the other, resembled the encounter between Sakra and the Danavas in the great battle fought of yore between the gods and the Asuras. The lightness of arm that we then beheld of the Suta’s son was wonderful in the extreme, inasmuch as, all his foes, fighting resolutely, could not strike him in that battle. Checking the clouds of arrows shot by the (hostile) king, that mighty car-warrior, viz., Radha’s son, sped terrible arrows marked with his own name at the yokes, the shafts, the umbrellas, the cars, and the steeds (of his foes). Then those kings, afflicted by Karna and losing their coolness, began to wander on the field like a herd of kine afflicted with cold. Struck by Karna, large numbers of steeds and elephants and car-warriors were seen there to drop down deprived of life. The whole field, O king, became strewn with the fallen heads and arms of unreturning heroes. With the dead, the dying, and the wailing warriors, the field of battle, O monarch, assumed the aspect of Yama’s domain. Then Duryodhana, O king, witnessing the prowess of Karna, repaired to Aswatthaman and addressing him, said, “Behold, Karna, clad in mail, is engaged with all the (hostile) kings. Behold, the hostile army, afflicted with the arrows of Karna, is being routed like the Asura army overwhelmed with the energy of Kartikeya. Seeing his army vanquished in battle by that intelligent Karna, yonder cometh Vibhatsu from desire of slaying the Suta’s son. Let such steps, therefore, be taken as may prevent the son of Pandu from slaying that mighty car-warrior viz., Suta’s son, in the very sight of us all.” (Thus addressed), Drona’s son, and Kripa, and Salya, and that great car-warrior, viz., the son of Hridika, beholding the son of Kunti coming (towards them) like Sakra himself towards the Daitya host, all advanced against Partha for rescuing the Suta’s son. Meanwhile, Vibhatsu, O monarch, surrounded by the Panchalas, advanced against Karna, like Purandara proceeding against the Asura Vritra.’210
“Dhritarashtra said, ‘Beholding Phalguna excited with fury and looking like the Destroyer himself, as he appears at the end of the Yuga, what, O Suta, did Vikartana’s son Karna do next? Indeed, the mighty car-warrior Karna, the son of Vikartana, had always challenged Partha. Indeed, he had always said that he was competent to vanquish the terrible Vibhatsu. What then, O Suta, did that warrior do when he thus suddenly met his ever deadly foe?’211
“Sanjaya continued, ‘Beholding the son of Pandu rushing towards him like an elephant towards a rival elephant, Karna fearlessly proceeded against Dhananjaya. Partha, however, soon covered Karna who was thus advancing with great impetuosity, with showers of straight shafts, equipped with wings of gold. Karna also covered Vijaya with his shafts. The son of Pandu then once more shrouded Karna with clouds of arrows. Then Karna, filled with rage, pierced Arjuna with three shafts. The mighty car-warrior, Arjuna, beholding Karna’s lightness of hand, could not brook it. That scorcher of foes shot at the Suta’s son thirty straight shafts, whetted on stone and equipped with blazing points. Endued with great might and energy, he also pierced him, in rage, with another long arrow on the wrist of his left arm, smiling the while. Karna’s bow then dropped from that arm of his, which had thus been pierced with great force. Then the mighty Karna, taking up that bow within the twinkling of an eye, once more covered Phalguna with clouds of shafts, displaying great lightness of hand. Dhananjaya then, O Bharata, smiling the while, baffled with his own shafts, that arrowy shower shot by the Suta’s son. Approaching each other, those two great bowmen, desirous of counteracting each other’s feats, continued to cover each other with showers of shafts. The battle that took place between them, viz., Karna and the son of Pandu, became exceedingly wonderful, like that between the two wild elephants for the sake of a she-elephant in her season. Then the mighty bowman Partha, beholding Karna’s prowess, quickly cut off the latter’s bow at the handle. And he also despatched the four steeds of the Suta’s son to Yama’s abode with a number of broad-headed shafts. And that scorcher of foes also cut off from the trunk the head of Karna’s driver. Then, the son of Pandu and Pritha pierced the bowless, the steedless, and the driverless Karna with four shafts. Then that bull among men Karna, afflicted with those shafts, specially jumping down from that steedless car, mounted upon that of Kripa. Beholding the son of Radha vanquished, thy warriors, O bull of Bharata’s race, fled away in all directions. Seeing them fly away, king Duryodhana himself checked them and said these words, “Ye heroes, do not fly away. Ye bulls among Kshatriyas, stay in battle. I myself will now advance for slaying Partha in battle. I myself will slay Partha with the assembled Panchalas. While I shall fight with the wielder of Gandiva today, Partha will behold my prowess to resemble that of the Destroyer himself at the end of the Yuga. Today the Parthas shall behold my shafts shot in thousands to resemble flights of locusts. The combatants shall behold me today shooting, bow in hand, dense showers of shafts, like torrents of rain poured by the clouds at the end of the summer season. I shall today vanquish Partha with my straight shafts. Stay, ye heroes, in battle, and remove your fear of Phalguna. Encountering my prowess, Phalguna shall never be able to bear it, like the ocean, the abode of makaras, unable to overcome the continents.” Thus saying, the king proceeded in rage, his eyes red in wrath, surrounded by a large host, towards Phalguna. Beholding the mighty-armed Duryodhana thus proceeding, Saradwat’s son, approaching Aswatthaman, said these words, “Yonder, the mighty-armed Duryodhana, deprived of his senses by wrath, desireth to fight with Phalguna, like an insect desiring to rush into a blazing fire. Before this foremost of kings layeth down his life, in our very sight, in this battle with Partha, prevent him (from rushing into the encounter). The brave Kuru king can remain alive in battle as long only as he doth not place himself within the range of Partha’s shafts. Let the king be stopped before he is consumed into ashes by the terrible shafts of Partha, that resemble snakes just freed from their sloughs. When we are here, O giver of honours, it seems to be highly improper that the king should himself go to battle to fight, as if he had none to fight for him. The life of this descendant of Kuru will be in great danger if he engages in battle with the diadem-decked (Arjuna), like that of an elephant contending with a tiger.” Thus addressed by his maternal uncle, Drona’s son, that foremost of all wielders of weapons, quickly repaired unto Duryodhana and addressing him, said these words, “When I am alive, O son of Gandhari, it behoveth thee not to engage thyself in battle, disregarding me, O descendant of Kuru, that am ever desirous of thy good. Thou needst not be at all anxious about vanquishing Partha. I will check Partha! Stand here, O Suyodhana.”
