Karna Routed by the Gandharvas

Verse 1 (3.242.1)

ततस्ते सहिताः सर्वे दुर्योधनमुपागमन् । अब्रुवंश्च महाराज यदूचुः कौरवं प्रति ॥

tataste sahitāḥ sarve duryodhanamupāgaman | abruvaṃśca mahārāja yadūcuḥ kauravaṃ prati

Then they all went together to Duryodhana and, O great king, told him what the Gandharvas had said concerning the Kaurava.

Note on the text: Corrected दुर्याधनमुपागमन् → दुर्योधनमुपागमन् (misprint in Wikisource; the name is Duryodhana, as in the critical edition).

Verse 2 (3.242.2)

गन्धर्वैर्वारिते सैन्ये धार्तराष्ट्रः प्रतापवान् । अमर्षपूर्णः सैन्यानि प्रत्यभाषत भारत ॥

gandharvairvārite sainye dhārtarāṣṭraḥ pratāpavān | amarṣapūrṇaḥ sainyāni pratyabhāṣata bhārata

When his army had been turned back by the Gandharvas, the mighty son of Dhritarashtra, filled with indignation, spoke to his troops, O Bharata:

Verse 3 (3.242.3)

शासतैनानधर्मज्ञान्मम विप्रियकारिणः । यदि प्रक्रीडते सर्वैर्देवैः सह शचीपतिः । वयमत्र यथा प्रीताः क्रीडिष्यामो निरङ्कुशं ॥

śāsatainānadharmajñānmama vipriyakāriṇaḥ | yadi prakrīḍate sarvairdevaiḥ saha śacīpatiḥ | vayamatra yathā prītāḥ krīḍiṣyāmo niraṅkuśaṃ

"Punish these lawless men who do what displeases me, even if Shachi's lord himself were sporting here with all the gods. Here we shall sport as we please, without restraint."

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki quote marks (` and ') around the third line. Corrected प्रीता → प्रीताः (misprint in Wikisource; the plural visarga before क्रीडिष्यामः is lost; the apparatus line reads yathāprītāḥ). Lines 1–2 are the critical edition's 3.230.3 (with the variant प्रक्रीडते … शचीपतिः for prakrīḍito … śatakratuḥ); the third line is not in the critical text but appears in its apparatus (3.230.3*1108). Speaker set to Duryodhana: the verse is his direct speech, announced in verse 2.

Verse 4 (3.242.4)

दुर्योधनवचः श्रुत्वा धार्तराष्ट्रा महाबलाः । सर्व एवाभिसन्नद्धा योधाश्चापि सहस्रशः ॥

duryodhanavacaḥ śrutvā dhārtarāṣṭrā mahābalāḥ | sarva evābhisannaddhā yodhāścāpi sahasraśaḥ

Hearing Duryodhana's words, the mighty sons of Dhritarashtra all armed themselves, and so did the warriors in their thousands.

Verse 5 (3.242.5)

ततः प्रमथ्य सर्वांस्तांस्तद्वनं विविशुर्बलात् । सिंहनादेन महता पूरयन्तो दिशो दश ॥

tataḥ pramathya sarvāṃstāṃstadvanaṃ viviśurbalāt | siṃhanādena mahatā pūrayanto diśo daśa

Then, crushing all of them, they forced their way into the forest, filling the ten directions with a mighty lion-roar.

Verse 6 (3.242.6)

ततोऽपरैरवार्यन्त गन्धर्वैः कुरुसैनिकाः । साम्नैव तत्र विक्रान्ता मा साहसमिति प्रभो ॥

tato'parairavāryanta gandharvaiḥ kurusainikāḥ | sāmnaiva tatra vikrāntā mā sāhasamiti prabho

Then other Gandharvas held back the Kuru soldiers, saying gently, O lord, "Bold ones, commit no rash act here."

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki quote marks (` and ') around the second line. Corrected रतत्र → तत्र (misprint in Wikisource; a stray akshara; the apparatus reads tatra). Line 1 is the critical edition's 3.230.6ab; line 2 is in its apparatus (3.230.6*1109), not the critical text.

Verse 7 (3.242.7)

ते वार्यमाणा गन्धर्वैः साम्नैव वसुधाधिप । ताननादृत्य गन्धर्वांस्तद्वनं विविशुर्महत् ॥

te vāryamāṇā gandharvaiḥ sāmnaiva vasudhādhipa | tānanādṛtya gandharvāṃstadvanaṃ viviśurmahat

Though the Gandharvas restrained them with gentle words, O lord of the earth, they paid the Gandharvas no heed and entered the great forest.

Note on the text: Corrected वसुधायिप → वसुधाधिप (misprint in Wikisource; the vocative is vasudhādhipa, as in the critical edition). The verse is the critical edition's 3.230.6cdef (unmatched by the automatic alignment).

Verse 8 (3.242.8)

यदि वाचा न तिष्ठन्ति धार्तराष्ट्राः सराजकाः । ततस्ते खेचराः सर्वे चित्रसेने न्यवेदयन् ॥

yadi vācā na tiṣṭhanti dhārtarāṣṭrāḥ sarājakāḥ | tataste khecarāḥ sarve citrasene nyavedayan

When Dhritarashtra's sons and their king would not halt at a word, all those rangers of the sky reported it to Chitrasena.

Note on the text: Corrected वाता → वाचा (misprint in Wikisource; "by words" is meant, as in the critical edition's vācā).

Verse 9 (3.242.9)

गन्धर्वराजस्तान्सर्वानब्रवीत्कौरवान्प्रति । अनार्याञ्शासतेत्येतांश्चित्रसेनोऽत्यमर्षणः ॥

gandharvarājastānsarvānabravītkauravānprati | anāryāñśāsatetyetāṃścitraseno'tyamarṣaṇaḥ

Then Chitrasena, king of the Gandharvas, unable to bear it, said to all of them regarding the Kauravas, "Punish these ignoble men."

Verse 10 (3.242.10)

अनुज्ञाताश्च गन्धर्वाश्चित्रसेनेन भारत । प्रगृहीतायुधाः सर्वे धार्तराष्ट्रानभिद्रवन् ॥

anujñātāśca gandharvāścitrasenena bhārata | pragṛhītāyudhāḥ sarve dhārtarāṣṭrānabhidravan

Given leave by Chitrasena, O Bharata, all the Gandharvas took up their weapons and rushed at the sons of Dhritarashtra.

Verse 11 (3.242.11)

तान्दृष्ट्वाऽऽपततः शीघ्रान्गन्धर्वानुद्यतायुधान् । प्राद्रवंस्ते दिशः सर्वे धार्तराष्ट्रस्य पश्यतः ॥

tāndṛṣṭvā''patataḥ śīghrāngandharvānudyatāyudhān | prādravaṃste diśaḥ sarve dhārtarāṣṭrasya paśyataḥ

Seeing the Gandharvas swooping down swiftly with weapons raised, the Kauravas fled in all directions while Dhritarashtra's son looked on.

Verse 12 (3.242.12)

तान्दृष्ट्वा द्रवतः सर्वान्धार्तराष्ट्रान्पराङ्मुखान् । राधेयस्तु तदा वीरो नासीत्तत्रपराङ्मुखः ॥

tāndṛṣṭvā dravataḥ sarvāndhārtarāṣṭrānparāṅmukhān | rādheyastu tadā vīro nāsīttatraparāṅmukhaḥ

Seeing all the sons of Dhritarashtra turn their backs and flee, the hero Radheya alone did not turn his back there.

Verse 13 (3.242.13)

आपतन्तीं तु संप्रेक्ष्य गन्धर्वाणां महाचमूम् । महता शरवर्षेण राधेयः प्रत्यवारयत् ॥

āpatantīṃ tu saṃprekṣya gandharvāṇāṃ mahācamūm | mahatā śaravarṣeṇa rādheyaḥ pratyavārayat

Seeing the great host of the Gandharvas bearing down, Radheya checked it with a mighty shower of arrows.

Verse 14 (3.242.14)

क्षुरप्रैर्विशिखैर्भल्लैर्वत्सदन्तैस्तथाऽऽयसैः । गन्धर्वाञ्शतशोऽभिघ्नँल्लघुत्वात्सूतनन्दनः ॥

kṣuraprairviśikhairbhallairvatsadantaistathā''yasaiḥ | gandharvāñśataśo'bhighnam̐llaghutvātsūtanandanaḥ

With razor-edged shafts, plain arrows, broad-headed shafts and iron calf-tooth arrows, the charioteer's son, by his deftness, struck down Gandharvas by the hundred.

Verse 15 (3.242.15)

पातयन्नुत्तमाङ्गानि गन्धर्वाणां महारथः । क्षणेन व्यधमत्सर्वां चित्रसेनस्य वाहिनीम् ॥

pātayannuttamāṅgāni gandharvāṇāṃ mahārathaḥ | kṣaṇena vyadhamatsarvāṃ citrasenasya vāhinīm

Striking off the heads of the Gandharvas, the great chariot-warrior in a moment scattered the whole of Chitrasena's army.

Note on the text: Corrected क्षणएन → क्षणेन (misprint in Wikisource; a broken vowel sign; the critical edition has kṣaṇena).

Verse 16 (3.242.16)

ते वध्यमाना गन्धर्वाः सूतपुत्रेण धीमता । भूय एवाभ्यवर्तन्त शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः ॥

te vadhyamānā gandharvāḥ sūtaputreṇa dhīmatā | bhūya evābhyavartanta śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ

Though they were being slain by the wise son of the charioteer, the Gandharvas came on again, by hundreds and by thousands.

Note on the text: Corrected शततशोऽथ → शतशोऽथ (misprint in Wikisource; a doubled akshara; the critical edition has śataśo 'tha).

Verse 17 (3.242.17)

गन्धर्वभूता पृथिवी क्षणेन समपद्यत । आपतद्भिर्महावेगैश्चित्रसेनस्य सैनिकैः ॥

gandharvabhūtā pṛthivī kṣaṇena samapadyata | āpatadbhirmahāvegaiścitrasenasya sainikaiḥ

In a moment the earth was filled with Gandharvas, as Chitrasena's soldiers fell upon it with great speed.

Verse 18 (3.242.18)

अथ दुर्योधनो राजा शकुनिश्चापि सौबलः । दुःशासनो विकर्णश्च ये चान्ये धृतराष्ट्रजाः । न्यहनंस्तत्तदा सैन्यं रथैर्गरुडनिःस्वनैः ॥

atha duryodhano rājā śakuniścāpi saubalaḥ | duḥśāsano vikarṇaśca ye cānye dhṛtarāṣṭrajāḥ | nyahanaṃstattadā sainyaṃ rathairgaruḍaniḥsvanaiḥ

Then King Duryodhana, Shakuni the son of Subala, Duhshasana, Vikarna and the other sons of Dhritarashtra struck at that army from their chariots, which roared like Garuda.

Note on the text: Corrected गरुडनिःखनैः → गरुडनिःस्वनैः (misprint in Wikisource; ख for स्व; the critical edition has garuḍanisvanaiḥ, "roaring like Garuda").

Verse 19 (3.242.19)

सैन्यमायोधितं दृष्ट्वाकर्णो राजन्न मृष्यत ॥

sainyamāyodhitaṃ dṛṣṭvākarṇo rājanna mṛṣyata

Seeing the army under attack, O king, Karna could not bear it.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). This single line stands where the critical edition's 3.230.18ab reads bhūyaś ca yodhayām āsuḥ kṛtvā karṇam athāgrataḥ; the Wikisource commentary records that line as the reading of manuscript झ. Wikisource prints it as a one-line verse.

Verse 20 (3.242.20)

महता रथसङ्घेन रथचारेण चाप्युत । वैकर्तनं परीप्सन्तो गन्धर्वाः प्रत्यवारयन् । ततः संन्यपतन्सर्वे गन्धर्वाः कौरवं प्रति ॥

mahatā rathasaṅghena rathacāreṇa cāpyuta | vaikartanaṃ parīpsanto gandharvāḥ pratyavārayan | tataḥ saṃnyapatansarve gandharvāḥ kauravaṃ prati

With a great mass of chariots and with chariot manoeuvres, the Gandharvas, eager to seize Vaikartana, held them off. Then all the Gandharvas fell upon the Kaurava.

Note on the text: Wikisource divides this stretch differently from the critical edition: lines 1–2 are 3.230.18cdef (with the variants रथसङ्घेन for rathaghoṣeṇa and गन्धर्वाः प्रत्यवारयन् for gandharvān samavārayan), line 3 is 3.230.19ab (with कौरवं प्रति for kauravaiḥ saha).

Verse 21 (3.242.21)

तदा सुतुमुलं युद्धमभवद्रोमहर्षणम् । ततस्ते मृदवोऽभूवन्गन्धर्वाः शरपीडिताः ॥

tadā sutumulaṃ yuddhamabhavadromaharṣaṇam | tataste mṛdavo'bhūvangandharvāḥ śarapīḍitāḥ

Then a tumultuous battle took place that made the hair stand on end. Then the Gandharvas, pained by the arrows, began to weaken.

Note on the text: Corrected मृदवोऽभूवनगन्धर्वाः → मृदवोऽभूवन्गन्धर्वाः (misprint in Wikisource; the virama of अभूवन् is lost; the critical edition has mṛdavo 'bhūvan gandharvāḥ). The verse is 3.230.19cd + 20ab in the critical edition's division.

Verse 22 (3.242.22)

उच्चुक्रुशुश्च कौरव्यागन्धर्वान्प्रेक्ष्य पीडितान् ॥

uccukruśuśca kauravyāgandharvānprekṣya pīḍitān

And seeing the Gandharvas hard pressed, the Kauravas raised a shout.

Note on the text: Wikisource prints this single line as its own verse; it is the critical edition's 3.230.20cd.

Verse 23 (3.242.23)

गन्धर्वांस्त्रासितान्दृष्ट्वा चित्रसेनो ह्यमर्षणः । उत्पपातासनात्क्रुद्धो वधे तेषां समाहितः ॥

gandharvāṃstrāsitāndṛṣṭvā citraseno hyamarṣaṇaḥ | utpapātāsanātkruddho vadhe teṣāṃ samāhitaḥ

Seeing the Gandharvas terrified, the wrathful Chitrasena sprang up from his seat in anger, intent on destroying them.

Verse 24 (3.242.24)

ततो मायास्त्रमास्थाय युयुधे चित्रमार्गवित् । वियत्संछादयामास न ववौ तत्र मारुतः ॥

tato māyāstramāsthāya yuyudhe citramārgavit | viyatsaṃchādayāmāsa na vavau tatra mārutaḥ

Then, master of many modes of fighting, he fought by resorting to a weapon of illusion. He covered the sky, and no wind blew there.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki quote marks (` and ') around the second line. Line 1 is the critical edition's 3.230.22ab; line 2 is not in the critical text but appears in its apparatus (3.230.22*1110, line 2).

Verse 25 (3.242.25)

हस्त्यारोहा हताः पेतुर्हस्तिभिः सह भारत । हयारोहाः सह हयै रथैश्च रथिनस्तदा ॥

hastyārohā hatāḥ peturhastibhiḥ saha bhārata | hayārohāḥ saha hayai rathaiśca rathinastadā

Elephant-riders fell slain along with their elephants, O Bharata, horsemen with their horses, and chariot-fighters with their chariots.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); it appears only in the critical apparatus (3.230.22*1110, lines 3–4).

Verse 26 (3.242.26)

पत्तयश्च तथापेतुर्विशस्ताः शरवृष्टिभिः । तयाऽमुह्यन्त कौरव्याश्चित्रसेनस्य मायया ॥

pattayaśca tathāpeturviśastāḥ śaravṛṣṭibhiḥ | tayā'muhyanta kauravyāścitrasenasya māyayā

Foot soldiers too fell, cut down by showers of arrows. The Kauravas were bewildered by that illusion of Chitrasena.

Note on the text: Removed a stray wiki quote mark (') after the first line. Line 1 appears only in the critical apparatus (3.230.22*1110, line 5); line 2 is the critical edition's 3.230.22cd.

Verse 27 (3.242.27)

एकैको हि तदा योधो धार्तराष्ट्रस्य भारत । पर्यवार्यत गन्धर्वैर्दशभिर्दशभिर्युधि ॥

ekaiko hi tadā yodho dhārtarāṣṭrasya bhārata | paryavāryata gandharvairdaśabhirdaśabhiryudhi

Each single warrior of Dhritarashtra's son, O Bharata, was then surrounded in the fight by ten Gandharvas at a time.

Note on the text: Corrected धार्तारष्ट्रस्य → धार्तराष्ट्रस्य (misprint in Wikisource; transposed vowel; the critical edition has dhārtarāṣṭrasya).

Verse 28 (3.242.28)

ततः संपीड्यमानास्ते बलेन महता तदा । प्राद्रवन्त रणे भीता यत्रराजा युधिष्ठिरः ॥

tataḥ saṃpīḍyamānāste balena mahatā tadā | prādravanta raṇe bhītā yatrarājā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ

Then, hard pressed by that great force, they fled in fear from the field to where King Yudhishthira was.

Verse 29 (3.242.29)

भज्यमानेष्वनीकेषु धार्तराष्ट्रेषु सर्वशः । कर्णो वैकर्तनो राजंस्तस्थौ गिरिरिवाचलः ॥

bhajyamāneṣvanīkeṣu dhārtarāṣṭreṣu sarvaśaḥ | karṇo vaikartano rājaṃstasthau giririvācalaḥ

As the ranks of Dhritarashtra's sons broke on every side, Karna Vaikartana, O king, stood firm like a mountain.

Verse 30 (3.242.30)

दुर्योधनश्च तेजस्वी शकुनिश्चापि सौबलः । गन्धर्वान्योधयामासुः समरे भृशविक्षताः ॥

duryodhanaśca tejasvī śakuniścāpi saubalaḥ | gandharvānyodhayāmāsuḥ samare bhṛśavikṣatāḥ

Duryodhana in his splendour and Shakuni the son of Subala fought on against the Gandharvas, though badly wounded.

Verse 31 (3.242.31)

सर्व एव तु गन्धर्वाः शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः । जिघांसमानाः संरब्धाः कर्णमभ्यद्रवन्रणे ॥

sarva eva tu gandharvāḥ śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ | jighāṃsamānāḥ saṃrabdhāḥ karṇamabhyadravanraṇe

Then all the Gandharvas, by hundreds and by thousands, in fury and eager to kill, rushed at Karna on the field.

Note on the text: Corrected अभ्यद्रवत्रणे → अभ्यद्रवन्रणे (misprint in Wikisource; the plural verb abhyadravan is needed for "all the Gandharvas", as in the critical edition).

Verse 32 (3.242.32)

असिभिः पट्टसैः शूलैर्गदाभिश्च महाबलाः । सूतपुत्रं जिघांसन्तः समन्तात्पर्यवारयन् ॥

asibhiḥ paṭṭasaiḥ śūlairgadābhiśca mahābalāḥ | sūtaputraṃ jighāṃsantaḥ samantātparyavārayan

Those mighty ones, wishing to kill the charioteer's son, hemmed him in on every side with swords, pattisa blades, lances and maces.

Verse 33 (3.242.33)

अन्येऽस्य युगमच्छिन्दन्ध्वजमन्ये न्यपातयन् । ईषामन्ये हयानन्ये सूतमन्ये न्यपातयन् ॥

anye'sya yugamacchindandhvajamanye nyapātayan | īṣāmanye hayānanye sūtamanye nyapātayan

Some cut his yoke, others brought down his banner; some struck down his chariot-pole, others his horses, others his charioteer.

Verse 34 (3.242.34)

अन्ये च्छत्रं वरूथं च बन्धुरं च तथा परे । अन्ये संचूर्णयामासुश्चक्रे चाक्षौ तथा परे ॥

anye cchatraṃ varūthaṃ ca bandhuraṃ ca tathā pare | anye saṃcūrṇayāmāsuścakre cākṣau tathā pare

Others smashed his parasol, his chariot-guard and the chariot's fastenings; others ground his two wheels and the axle to pieces.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki quote marks (` and ') and a doubled danda around the second line. Corrected छत्रे → चक्रे (misprint in Wikisource; the parasol is already named in line 1, and the wheels are meant beside the axle; the apparatus reads cakre cākṣau). Line 1 is the critical edition's 3.230.30ab; line 2 appears only in its apparatus (3.230.30*1112).

Verse 35 (3.242.35)

गन्धर्वा बहुसाहस्रास्तिलशो व्यधमन्रथम् । ततो रथादवप्लुत्य सूतपुत्रोऽसिचर्मभृत् ॥

gandharvā bahusāhasrāstilaśo vyadhamanratham | tato rathādavaplutya sūtaputro'sicarmabhṛt

Many thousands of Gandharvas shattered his chariot to fragments. Then, leaping down from the chariot, the charioteer's son, holding sword and shield,

Note on the text: Wikisource divides this stretch differently from the critical edition: line 1 is 3.230.30cd (with तिलशो व्यधमन् for khaṇḍaśo 'bhyahanan), line 2 is 3.230.31ab.

Verse 36 (3.242.36)

अंसावलम्बितधनुर्धावमानो महाबलः । विकर्णरथमास्थाय मोक्षायाश्वानचोदयत् ॥

aṃsāvalambitadhanurdhāvamāno mahābalaḥ | vikarṇarathamāsthāya mokṣāyāśvānacodayat

his bow hanging from his shoulder, ran, the mighty one, and mounting Vikarna's chariot, urged on the horses to make his escape.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki quote marks (` and ') around the first line. Line 1 appears only in the critical apparatus (3.230.31*1113); line 2 is the critical edition's 3.230.31cd.