Bhima and Karna Fight; Karna Withdraws

Verse 1 (7.131.1)

वर्तमाने महाराज सङ्ग्रामे रोमहर्षणे । व्याकुलेषु च सर्वेषु पीड्यमानेषु सर्वशः ॥

vartamāne mahārāja saṅgrāme romaharṣaṇe | vyākuleṣu ca sarveṣu pīḍyamāneṣu sarvaśaḥ

While that battle was raging, O great king, a battle to make the hair stand on end, with all the forces in turmoil and hard pressed on every side,

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text; star lines 7.106.000*0823_01-02 (printed before 7.106.1). The automatic alignment found no match. The sentence continues in verse 2.

Verse 2 (7.131.2)

राधेयो भीममानर्च्छ युद्धाय भरतर्षभ । यथा नागो वने नागं मत्तो मत्तमभिद्रवेत् ॥

rādheyo bhīmamānarccha yuddhāya bharatarṣabha | yathā nāgo vane nāgaṃ matto mattamabhidravet

Radheya came against Bhima to fight, O best of the Bharatas, like a maddened elephant in the forest charging another maddened elephant.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text; star lines 7.106.000*0823_03-04 (printed before 7.106.1). The automatic alignment found no match.

Verse 3 (7.131.3)

ततो व्यायच्छतामस्त्रैः पृथक्पृथगरिन्दमौ । मृदुपूर्वं च राधेयो दृढपूर्वं च पाण्डवः ॥

tato vyāyacchatāmastraiḥ pṛthakpṛthagarindamau | mṛdupūrvaṃ ca rādheyo dṛḍhapūrvaṃ ca pāṇḍavaḥ

Then the two subduers of their foes strove with weapons, each in his own way: Radheya at first gently, the Pandava at first with force.

Note on the text: Lines 1-2 are CE 7.104.33a and 33c (the critical edition has this couplet at 7.104.33, in its own adhyaya 104, which Wikisource divides differently). The automatic alignment found no match here. The page sets the couplet off with quote marks (removed); it continues the narration of Sanjaya.

Verse 4 (7.131.4)

यौ तौ कर्णश्च भीमश्च सम्प्रयुद्धौ महाबलौ । अर्जुनस्य रथोपान्ते कीदृशः सोऽभवद्रणः ॥

yau tau karṇaśca bhīmaśca samprayuddhau mahābalau | arjunasya rathopānte kīdṛśaḥ so'bhavadraṇaḥ

When Karna and Bhima, those two mighty men, met in combat near Arjuna's chariot, what was that fight like?

Verse 5 (7.131.5)

पूर्वं हि निर्जितः कर्णो भीमसेनेन संयुगे । कथं भूयः स राधेयो भीममागान्महारथः ॥

pūrvaṃ hi nirjitaḥ karṇo bhīmasenena saṃyuge | kathaṃ bhūyaḥ sa rādheyo bhīmamāgānmahārathaḥ

Karna had earlier been beaten by Bhimasena in battle. How was it that Radheya, that great chariot-warrior, came against Bhima again?

Verse 6 (7.131.6)

भीमो वा सूततनयं प्रत्युद्यातः कथं रणे । महारथसमाख्यातं पृथिव्यां प्रवरं रथम् ॥

bhīmo vā sūtatanayaṃ pratyudyātaḥ kathaṃ raṇe | mahārathasamākhyātaṃ pṛthivyāṃ pravaraṃ ratham

And how did Bhima go out in battle against the Suta's son, that foremost fighter on earth, renowned as a great chariot-warrior?

Verse 7 (7.131.7)

भीष्मद्रोणावतिक्रम्य धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः । नान्यतो भयमादत्त विना कर्णान्महारथात् ॥

bhīṣmadroṇāvatikramya dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | nānyato bhayamādatta vinā karṇānmahārathāt

Yudhishthira, the king of Dharma, who passed beyond Bhishma and Drona, took fright from no one except the great chariot-warrior Karna.

Verse 8 (7.131.8)

भयाद्यस्य महाबाहो न शेते बहुलाः समाः । चिन्तयन्नित्यशो वीर्यं राधेयस्य महात्मनः । तं कथं सूतपुत्रं तु भीमोऽयोधयताहवे ॥

bhayādyasya mahābāho na śete bahulāḥ samāḥ | cintayannityaśo vīryaṃ rādheyasya mahātmanaḥ | taṃ kathaṃ sūtaputraṃ tu bhīmo'yodhayatāhave

For fear of him, O mighty-armed one, he has not slept for many years, always dwelling on the valour of the high-souled Radheya. How did Bhima fight that Suta's son in the battle?

Note on the text: Lines 1-2 are the star lines 7.106.5b*0824_01-02 (placed within 7.106.5); line 3 is CE 7.106.5c (a recension variant). The automatic alignment found no match.

Verse 9 (7.131.9)

ब्रह्मण्यं वीर्यसम्पन्नं समरेष्वनिवर्तिनम् । कथं कर्णं युधां श्रेष्ठं योधयामास पाण्डवः ॥

brahmaṇyaṃ vīryasampannaṃ samareṣvanivartinam | kathaṃ karṇaṃ yudhāṃ śreṣṭhaṃ yodhayāmāsa pāṇḍavaḥ

How did the Pandava fight Karna, the best of warriors, devoted to Brahmins, rich in valour, who never turns back in battles?

Verse 10 (7.131.10)

यौ तौ समीयतुर्वीरौ वैकर्तनवृकोदरौ । कथं तावत्र युध्येतां महाबलपराक्रमौ ॥

yau tau samīyaturvīrau vaikartanavṛkodarau | kathaṃ tāvatra yudhyetāṃ mahābalaparākramau

Those two heroes who met, Vaikartana and Vrikodara, both of great strength and prowess: how did they fight here?

Note on the text: CE 7.106.7 (a recension variant: the CE has arjunasya rathaṃ prati and sūtaputravṛkodarau where Wikisource has वैकर्तनवृकोदरौ and महाबलपराक्रमौ; kept). The automatic alignment found no match.

Verse 11 (7.131.11)

भ्रातृत्वं दर्शितं पूर्वं घृणी चापि स सूतजः । कथं भीमेन युयुधे कुन्त्या वाक्यमनुस्मरन् ॥

bhrātṛtvaṃ darśitaṃ pūrvaṃ ghṛṇī cāpi sa sūtajaḥ | kathaṃ bhīmena yuyudhe kuntyā vākyamanusmaran

Karna had shown brotherhood earlier, and that Suta-born man is also tender-hearted. How did he fight Bhima, remembering Kunti's words?

Verse 12 (7.131.12)

भीमो वा सूतपुत्रेण स्मरन्वैरं पुरा कृतम् । अयुध्यत कथं शूरः कर्णेन सह संयुगे ॥

bhīmo vā sūtaputreṇa smaranvairaṃ purā kṛtam | ayudhyata kathaṃ śūraḥ karṇena saha saṃyuge

And how did Bhima, that hero, remembering the enmity the Suta's son had shown him long ago, fight Karna in battle?

Verse 13 (7.131.13)

आशास्ते च सदा सूतपुत्रे दुर्योधनो मम । कर्णो जेष्यति सङ्ग्रामे समस्तान्पाण्डवानिति ॥

āśāste ca sadā sūtaputre duryodhano mama | karṇo jeṣyati saṅgrāme samastānpāṇḍavāniti

My Duryodhana always hopes in the Suta's son: "Karna will conquer all the Pandavas in battle."

Note on the text: Line 2 reads समस्तान्पाण्डवानिति where CE 7.106.10c has sahitān pāṇḍavān iti, a variant, kept.

Verse 14 (7.131.14)

जयाशा यत्र पुत्रस्य मम मन्दस्य संयुगे । स कथं भीमकर्माणं भीमसेनमयोधयत् ॥

jayāśā yatra putrasya mama mandasya saṃyuge | sa kathaṃ bhīmakarmāṇaṃ bhīmasenamayodhayat

He on whom my wretched son rests his hope of victory in battle: how did he fight Bhimasena, whose deeds are terrible?

Note on the text: Line 2 reads स कथं भीमकर्माणं भीमसेनमयोधयत् where the CE has sa kathaṃ bhīmakarmāṇaṃ bhīmasenam ayudhyata; lines are otherwise as CE 7.106.11 (a variant, kept).

Verse 15 (7.131.15)

यं समासाद्य पुत्रैर्मे कृतं वैरं महारथैः । तं सूततनयं तात कथं भीमो ह्ययोधयत् ॥

yaṃ samāsādya putrairme kṛtaṃ vairaṃ mahārathaiḥ | taṃ sūtatanayaṃ tāta kathaṃ bhīmo hyayodhayat

That son of a charioteer, my dear one, on whom my sons, great warriors, relied when they made enmity: how did Bhima fight him?

Note on the text: Line 1 reads यं समासाद्य where CE 7.106.12a has yaṃ samāśritya, a variant, kept.

Verse 16 (7.131.16)

अनेकान्विप्रकारांश्च सूतपुत्रसमुद्भवान् । स्मरमाणः कथं भीमो युयुधे सूतसूनुना ॥

anekānviprakārāṃśca sūtaputrasamudbhavān | smaramāṇaḥ kathaṃ bhīmo yuyudhe sūtasūnunā

Remembering the many injuries that had come to him from the Suta's son, how did Bhima fight the charioteer's son?

Verse 17 (7.131.17)

योऽजयत्पृथिवीं सर्वां रथेनैकेन वीर्यवान् । तं सूततनयं युद्धे कथं भीमो ह्ययोधयत् ॥

yo'jayatpṛthivīṃ sarvāṃ rathenaikena vīryavān | taṃ sūtatanayaṃ yuddhe kathaṃ bhīmo hyayodhayat

He who, valiant, conquered the whole earth with a single chariot: how did Bhima fight that son of a charioteer in battle?

Verse 18 (7.131.18)

यो जातः कुण्डलाभ्यां च कवचेन सहैव च । तं सूतपुत्रं समरे भीमः कथमयोधयत् ॥

yo jātaḥ kuṇḍalābhyāṃ ca kavacena sahaiva ca | taṃ sūtaputraṃ samare bhīmaḥ kathamayodhayat

He who was born with earrings and armour together with his body: how did Bhima fight that Suta's son in battle?

Verse 19 (7.131.19)

अस्त्रहेतोः पुरा तात भार्गवं समपूजयत् । तस्य प्रसादाद्ब्रह्मास्त्रं लब्धवांश्च भृगूत्तमात् ॥

astrahetoḥ purā tāta bhārgavaṃ samapūjayat | tasya prasādādbrahmāstraṃ labdhavāṃśca bhṛgūttamāt

For the sake of weapons he once, my dear, did honour to Bhargava, and by his grace obtained the Brahma weapon from that best of the Bhrigus.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text; star lines 7.106.15d*0825_01-02 (placed after 7.106.15). The page sets the couplet off with quote marks (removed). The automatic alignment found no match.

Verse 20 (7.131.20)

यथा तयोर्युद्धमभूद्यश्चासीद्विजयी तयोः । तन्ममाचक्ष्व तत्त्वेन कुशलो ह्यसि सञ्जय ॥

yathā tayoryuddhamabhūdyaścāsīdvijayī tayoḥ | tanmamācakṣva tattvena kuśalo hyasi sañjaya

Tell me truly how the fight between those two went, and which of them was the victor. You are skilled in this, Sanjaya.

Verse 21 (7.131.21)

भीमसेनस्तु राधेयमुत्सृज्य रथिनां वरम् । इयेष गन्तुं यत्रास्तां वीरौ कृष्णधनञ्जयौ ॥

bhīmasenastu rādheyamutsṛjya rathināṃ varam | iyeṣa gantuṃ yatrāstāṃ vīrau kṛṣṇadhanañjayau

Bhimasena, leaving Radheya, the best of charioteers, wished to go to where the two heroes Krishna and Dhananjaya were.

Note on the text: Speaker heading printed as सञ्चय (misprint in Wikisource; च for ज); read as सञ्जय, here and in verses 22-23. Corrected कृष्णधनञ्चयौ → कृष्णधनञ्जयौ (misprint in Wikisource; ञ्च for ञ्ज; the CE has kṛṣṇadhanaṃjayau).

Verse 22 (7.131.22)

तं प्रयान्तमभिद्रुत्य राधेयः कङ्कपत्रिभिः । अभ्यवर्षन्महाराज मेघो वृष्ट्येव पर्वतम् ॥

taṃ prayāntamabhidrutya rādheyaḥ kaṅkapatribhiḥ | abhyavarṣanmahārāja megho vṛṣṭyeva parvatam

As he went, Radheya ran after him and rained heron-feathered arrows on him, O great king, as a cloud rains on a mountain.

Note on the text: Speaker: सञ्जय (the heading is misprinted सञ्चय in the input; see verse 21).

Verse 23 (7.131.23)

फुल्लता पङ्कजेनेव वक्त्रेण विहसन्बली । आजुहाव रणे यान्तं भीममाधिरथिस्तदा ॥

phullatā paṅkajeneva vaktreṇa vihasanbalī | ājuhāva raṇe yāntaṃ bhīmamādhirathistadā

With a face like a blooming lotus, laughing, the strong son of Adhiratha then called out to Bhima as he went on in the battle.

Note on the text: Speaker: सञ्जय (the heading is misprinted सञ्चय in the input; see verse 21). Line 1 reads विहसन्बली where CE 7.106.19a has vaktreṇābhyutsmayan balī, a variant, kept.

Verse 24 (7.131.24)

भीमाहितैस्तव रणः स्वप्नेऽपि न विभावितः । तद्दर्शयसि कस्मान्मे पृष्ठं पार्थदिदृक्षया ॥

bhīmāhitaistava raṇaḥ svapne'pi na vibhāvitaḥ | taddarśayasi kasmānme pṛṣṭhaṃ pārthadidṛkṣayā

O Bhima, never, even in a dream, have your enemies seen you in battle do such a thing. Why do you show me your back, in your wish to see Partha?

Note on the text: Rebuilt from the page: the speaker heading कर्ण उवाच, printed inside the verse, is made the speaker; the page's own verse-end mark falls after पार्थदिदृक्षया, so line 2 (which the input had joined to the next verse) is restored to this verse. Not in the critical edition's main text; star lines 7.106.19d*0826_01-02 (the CE heads them कर्ण उवाच, 0826_00). The automatic alignment found no match.

Verse 25 (7.131.25)

कुन्त्याः पुत्रस्य सदृशं नेदं पाण्डवनन्दन । तेन मामभितः स्थित्वा शरवर्षैरवाकिर ॥

kuntyāḥ putrasya sadṛśaṃ nedaṃ pāṇḍavanandana | tena māmabhitaḥ sthitvā śaravarṣairavākira

This is not fitting for the son of Kunti, O joy of the Pandavas. So stand facing me and cover me with showers of arrows.

Note on the text: Rebuilt from the page: line 1 is the second half of the input's verse 25, line 2 is the first line of the input's verse 26 (the page ends the verse with the mark after अवाकिर). Not in the critical edition's main text; star lines 7.106.19d*0826_03-04. The automatic alignment found no match. Karna is the speaker (no heading is repeated).

Verse 26 (7.131.26)

भीमसेनस्तदाह्वानं कर्णान्नामर्षयद्युधि । अर्धमण्डलमावृत्य सूतपुत्रमयोधयत् ॥

bhīmasenastadāhvānaṃ karṇānnāmarṣayadyudhi | ardhamaṇḍalamāvṛtya sūtaputramayodhayat

Bhimasena could not bear that challenge from Karna in the battle. Wheeling round in a half-circle, he fought the Suta's son.

Note on the text: Rebuilt from the page: the input's verse 26 had the first line of Karna's speech joined to this couplet; the page prints a new speaker heading (सञ्जय उवाच) before it. These two lines are CE 7.106.20a and 20c. The automatic alignment found no match.

Verse 27 (7.131.27)

अवक्रगामिभिर्बाणैरभ्यवर्षन्महायशाः । दंशितं द्वैरथे यत्तं सर्वशस्त्रविशारदम् ॥

avakragāmibhirbāṇairabhyavarṣanmahāyaśāḥ | daṃśitaṃ dvairathe yattaṃ sarvaśastraviśāradam

The very glorious one rained straight-flying arrows on Karna, armoured, resolute, a master of all weapons, in the chariot duel.

Note on the text: CE 7.106.21 (a recension variant: Wikisource has महायशाः and सर्वशस्त्रविशारदम् where the CE has mahāyasaiḥ and sarvaśastrabhṛtāṃ varam; kept).

Verse 28 (7.131.28)

विधित्सुः कलहस्यान्तं जिघांसुः कर्णमक्षिणोत् ॥

vidhitsuḥ kalahasyāntaṃ jighāṃsuḥ karṇamakṣiṇot

Wishing to bring the quarrel to an end and eager to kill Karna, he wore him down.

Note on the text: A single line on the page (5-131-28a): CE 7.106.22a. Its pair, CE 7.106.22c (in a variant form), opens the next verse.

Verse 29 (7.131.29)

हत्वा तस्यानुगांस्तं च हन्तुकामो महाबलः । तस्मै व्यसृजदुग्राणि विविधानि परन्तपः । अमर्षात्पाण्डवः क्रुद्धः शरवर्षाणि मारिष ॥

hatvā tasyānugāṃstaṃ ca hantukāmo mahābalaḥ | tasmai vyasṛjadugrāṇi vividhāni parantapaḥ | amarṣātpāṇḍavaḥ kruddhaḥ śaravarṣāṇi māriṣa

Wishing to kill Karna's followers and then Karna himself, the mighty Pandava, scorcher of foes, in anger and impatience loosed at him fierce showers of arrows of many kinds, O sire.

Note on the text: Line 1 is a variant of CE 7.106.22c; line 2 is CE 7.106.23a; line 3 is CE 7.106.23c. The automatic alignment found no match.

Verse 30 (7.131.30)

तस्य तानीषुवर्षाणि मत्तद्विरदगामिनः । सूतपुत्रोऽस्त्रमायाभिरग्रसत्परमास्त्रवित् ॥

tasya tānīṣuvarṣāṇi mattadviradagāminaḥ | sūtaputro'stramāyābhiragrasatparamāstravit

Those showers of his arrows, which sped like maddened elephants, the Suta's son, a master of the highest weapons, swallowed up with his weapon-illusions.

Verse 31 (7.131.31)

स यथावन्महाबाहुर्विद्यया वै सुपूजितः । आचार्यवन्महेष्वासः कर्णः पर्यचरद्बली ॥

sa yathāvanmahābāhurvidyayā vai supūjitaḥ | ācāryavanmaheṣvāsaḥ karṇaḥ paryacaradbalī

Mighty Karna, the great archer, rightly honoured for his skill, moved about the field with the mastery of a teacher.

Verse 32 (7.131.32)

युध्यमानं तु संरम्भाद्भीमसेनं हसन्निव । अभ्यपद्यत कौन्तेयं कर्णो राजन्वृकोदरम् ॥

yudhyamānaṃ tu saṃrambhādbhīmasenaṃ hasanniva | abhyapadyata kaunteyaṃ karṇo rājanvṛkodaram

As Bhimasena fought on in fury, Karna, smiling as it were, closed in on the son of Kunti, Vrikodara, O king.

Verse 33 (7.131.33)

तन्नामृष्यत कौन्तेयः कर्णस्य स्मितमाहवे । युध्यमानेषु वीरेषु पश्यत्सु च समन्ततः ॥

tannāmṛṣyata kaunteyaḥ karṇasya smitamāhave | yudhyamāneṣu vīreṣu paśyatsu ca samantataḥ

The son of Kunti could not bear Karna's smile in the battle, while the heroes fought on and all around looked on.

Verse 34 (7.131.34)

तं भीमसेनः सङ्ग्राप्तं वत्सदन्तैः स्तनान्तरे । विव्याध बलवान्क्रुद्धस्तोत्रैरिव महाद्विपम् ॥

taṃ bhīmasenaḥ saṅgrāptaṃ vatsadantaiḥ stanāntare | vivyādha balavānkruddhastotrairiva mahādvipam

As Karna came near, the angry and mighty Bhimasena pierced him in the chest with calf-tooth arrows, as one drives goads into a great elephant.

Verse 35 (7.131.35)

पुनश्च सूतपुत्रं तु स्वर्णपुङ्खैः शिलाशितैः । सुमुक्तैश्चित्रवर्माणं निर्बिभेद त्रिसप्तभिः ॥

punaśca sūtaputraṃ tu svarṇapuṅkhaiḥ śilāśitaiḥ | sumuktaiścitravarmāṇaṃ nirbibheda trisaptabhiḥ

And again he pierced the Suta's son, in his bright armour, with twenty-one well-loosed, gold-feathered arrows sharpened on stone.

Note on the text: Line 1 reads पुनश्च सूतपुत्रं तु where CE 7.106.29a has sūtaṃ tu sūtaputrasya (“the Suta's son's charioteer”), a variant, kept. त्रिसप्तभिः is rendered “twenty-one” (three sevens).

Verse 36 (7.131.36)

कर्णो जाम्बूनदैर्जालैः सञ्छन्नान्वातरंहसः । हयान्विव्याध भीमस्य पञ्चभिः पञ्चभिः शरैः ॥

karṇo jāmbūnadairjālaiḥ sañchannānvātaraṃhasaḥ | hayānvivyādha bhīmasya pañcabhiḥ pañcabhiḥ śaraiḥ

Karna struck Bhima's wind-swift horses, which were covered with nets of gold, with five arrows each.

Verse 37 (7.131.37)

ततो बाणमयं जालं भीमसेनरथं प्रति । कर्णेन विहितं राजन्निमेषार्धाददृश्यत ॥

tato bāṇamayaṃ jālaṃ bhīmasenarathaṃ prati | karṇena vihitaṃ rājannimeṣārdhādadṛśyata

Then a net of arrows, made by Karna, was seen over Bhimasena's chariot for half a moment, O king.

Note on the text: Corrected जलं → जालं (misprint in Wikisource; the long vowel has dropped out, so “water” stands for “net”; CE 7.106.31a has bāṇamayaṃ jālaṃ).

Verse 38 (7.131.38)

सरथः सध्वजस्तत्र ससूतः पाण्डवस्तदा । प्राच्छाद्यत महाराज कर्णचापच्युतैः शरैः ॥

sarathaḥ sadhvajastatra sasūtaḥ pāṇḍavastadā | prācchādyata mahārāja karṇacāpacyutaiḥ śaraiḥ

The Pandava, with his chariot, banner and charioteer, was then covered over by the arrows shot from Karna's bow, O great king.

Verse 39 (7.131.39)

तस्य कर्णश्चतुःषष्ट्या व्यधमत्कवचं दृढम् । क्रुद्धश्चाप्यहनत्पार्थं नाराचैर्मर्मभेदिभिः ॥

tasya karṇaścatuḥṣaṣṭyā vyadhamatkavacaṃ dṛḍham | kruddhaścāpyahanatpārthaṃ nārācairmarmabhedibhiḥ

Karna split his sturdy armour with sixty-four arrows, and in his anger struck Partha with heart-piercing nārācas.

Verse 40 (7.131.40)

ततोऽचिन्त्य महाबाहुः कर्णकार्मुकनिःसृतान् । समाश्लिष्यदसम्भ्रान्तः सूतपुत्रं वृकोदरः ॥

tato'cintya mahābāhuḥ karṇakārmukaniḥsṛtān | samāśliṣyadasambhrāntaḥ sūtaputraṃ vṛkodaraḥ

Then the mighty-armed Vrikodara, paying no heed to the arrows loosed from Karna's bow, unshaken, closed in on the Suta's son.

Verse 41 (7.131.41)

स कर्णचापप्रभवानिषूनाशीविषोपमान् । बिभ्रद्भीमो महाराज न जगाम व्यथां रणे ॥

sa karṇacāpaprabhavāniṣūnāśīviṣopamān | bibhradbhīmo mahārāja na jagāma vyathāṃ raṇe

Bearing the arrows born of Karna's bow, which were like venomous serpents, Bhima, O great king, felt no pain in the fight.

Verse 42 (7.131.42)

ततो द्वात्रिंशता भल्लैर्निशितैस्तिग्मतेजनैः । विव्याध समरे कर्णं भीमसेनः प्रतापवान् ॥

tato dvātriṃśatā bhallairniśitaistigmatejanaiḥ | vivyādha samare karṇaṃ bhīmasenaḥ pratāpavān

Then the glorious Bhimasena pierced Karna in the fight with thirty-two sharp, keen-edged broad-headed arrows.

Verse 43 (7.131.43)

अयत्नेनैव तं कर्णः शरैर्भृशमवाकिरत् । भीमसेनं महाबाहुं सैन्धवस्य वधैषिणम् ॥

ayatnenaiva taṃ karṇaḥ śarairbhṛśamavākirat | bhīmasenaṃ mahābāhuṃ saindhavasya vadhaiṣiṇam

Without effort Karna thickly showered arrows on the mighty-armed Bhimasena, who was bent on killing the Saindhava.

Verse 44 (7.131.44)

मृदुपूर्वं तु राधेयो भीममाजावयोधयत् । क्रोधपूर्वं तथा भीमः पूर्ववैरमनुस्मरन् ॥

mṛdupūrvaṃ tu rādheyo bhīmamājāvayodhayat | krodhapūrvaṃ tathā bhīmaḥ pūrvavairamanusmaran

Radheya fought Bhima in the battle gently at first, while Bhima fought with wrath at first, remembering their old enmity.

Verse 45 (7.131.45)

तं भीमसेनो नामृष्यदवमानममर्षणः । स तस्मै व्यसृजत्तूर्णं शरवर्षममित्रहा ॥

taṃ bhīmaseno nāmṛṣyadavamānamamarṣaṇaḥ | sa tasmai vyasṛjattūrṇaṃ śaravarṣamamitrahā

Bhimasena, quick to anger, could not bear that slight, and the destroyer of his foes swiftly loosed a shower of arrows at him.

Verse 46 (7.131.46)

ते शराः प्रेषितास्तेन भीमसेनेन संयुगे । निपेतुः सर्वतो वीरे कूजन्त इव पक्षिणः ॥

te śarāḥ preṣitāstena bhīmasenena saṃyuge | nipetuḥ sarvato vīre kūjanta iva pakṣiṇaḥ

Those arrows sent by Bhimasena in the fight fell from every side upon the hero, like birds crying out.

Verse 47 (7.131.47)

हेमपुङ्खा महावेगा भीमसेनधनुश्च्युताः । प्राच्छादयंस्ते राधेयं शलभा इव पावकम् ॥

hemapuṅkhā mahāvegā bhīmasenadhanuścyutāḥ | prācchādayaṃste rādheyaṃ śalabhā iva pāvakam

Gold-feathered and of great speed, shot from Bhimasena's bow, they covered Radheya as moths cover a fire.

Note on the text: Line 1 is a variant of CE 7.106.41a (the CE has hemapuṅkhā mahārāja bhīmasenadhanuścyutāḥ); line 2 reads प्राच्छादयंस्ते राधेयं शलभा इव पावकम् where CE 7.106.41c has abhyadravaṃs te rādheyaṃ vṛkāḥ kṣudramṛgaṃ yathā, a variant, kept.

Verse 48 (7.131.48)

कर्णस्तु रथिनां श्रेष्ठश्छाद्यमानः समन्ततः । राजन्व्यसृजदुग्राणि शरवर्षाणि भारत ॥

karṇastu rathināṃ śreṣṭhaśchādyamānaḥ samantataḥ | rājanvyasṛjadugrāṇi śaravarṣāṇi bhārata

But Karna, the best of charioteers, though covered on every side, loosed fierce showers of arrows, O king, O Bharata.

Verse 49 (7.131.49)

तस्य तानशनिप्रख्यानिषून्समरशोभिनः । चिच्छेद बहुभिर्भल्लैरसम्प्राप्तान्वृकोदरः ॥

tasya tānaśaniprakhyāniṣūnsamaraśobhinaḥ | ciccheda bahubhirbhallairasamprāptānvṛkodaraḥ

Those arrows of his, which looked like thunderbolts and shone in the battle, Vrikodara cut with many broad-headed arrows before they reached him.

Verse 50 (7.131.50)

पुनश्च शरवर्षेण च्छादयामास भारत । कर्णो वैकर्तनो युद्धे भीमसेनमरिन्दमः ॥

punaśca śaravarṣeṇa cchādayāmāsa bhārata | karṇo vaikartano yuddhe bhīmasenamarindamaḥ

And again Karna Vaikartana, the subduer of foes, covered Bhimasena with a shower of arrows in the battle, O Bharata.

Verse 51 (7.131.51)

तत्र भारत भीमं तु दृष्टवन्तः स्म सायकैः । समाचिततनुं सङ्ख्ये श्वाविधं शललैरिव ॥

tatra bhārata bhīmaṃ tu dṛṣṭavantaḥ sma sāyakaiḥ | samācitatanuṃ saṅkhye śvāvidhaṃ śalalairiva

There, O Bharata, we saw Bhima with his body thick with arrows in the fight, like a porcupine bristling with quills.

Note on the text: Removed a stray zero-width non-joiner inside the conjunct of सङ्ख्ये.

Verse 52 (7.131.52)

हेमपुङ्खाञ्छिलाधौतान्कर्णचापच्युताञ्छरान् । दधार समरे वीरः स्वरश्मीनिव रश्मिमान् ॥

hemapuṅkhāñchilādhautānkarṇacāpacyutāñcharān | dadhāra samare vīraḥ svaraśmīniva raśmimān

The hero bore in the battle the gold-feathered arrows, whetted on stone, that flew from Karna's bow, as the radiant sun bears his own rays.

Note on the text: Line 2 ends with a stray apostrophe on the page, which is removed. Line 1 reads हेमपुङ्खाञ्छिलाधौतान्कर्णचापच्युताञ्छरान् (as CE 7.106.46a); line 2 reads दधार समरे वीरः स्वरश्मीनिव रश्मिमान् where CE 7.106.46c has ...bhāskaraḥ (a variant, kept).

Verse 53 (7.131.53)

रुधिरोक्षितसर्वाङ्गो भीमसेनो व्यराजत । समृद्धकुसुमापीडो वसन्तेऽशोकवृक्षवत् ॥

rudhirokṣitasarvāṅgo bhīmaseno vyarājata | samṛddhakusumāpīḍo vasante'śokavṛkṣavat

Drenched with blood over all his limbs, Bhimasena shone like an ashoka tree in full bloom in spring.

Note on the text: Line 1 is a variant of CE 7.106.47a (the CE has bhīmaseno vyarocata); line 2 is the star line 7.106.47d*0829_01 (placed after 7.106.47).

Verse 54 (7.131.54)

तत्तु भीमो महाबाहोः कर्णस्य चरितं रणे । नामृष्यत महाबाहुः क्रोधादुद्वृत्तलोचनः ॥

tattu bhīmo mahābāhoḥ karṇasya caritaṃ raṇe | nāmṛṣyata mahābāhuḥ krodhādudvṛttalocanaḥ

But Bhima, the mighty-armed, could not bear that deed of Karna in the battle, and his eyes rolled up in rage.

Verse 55 (7.131.55)

स कर्णं पञ्चविंशत्या नाराचानां समार्पयत् । महीधरमिव श्वेतं गूढपादैर्विषोल्बणैः ॥

sa karṇaṃ pañcaviṃśatyā nārācānāṃ samārpayat | mahīdharamiva śvetaṃ gūḍhapādairviṣolbaṇaiḥ

He struck Karna with twenty-five nārācas, as if a white mountain were crawling with venomous snakes.

Verse 56 (7.131.56)

पुनरेव च विव्याध षड्भिरष्टाभिरेव च । मर्मस्वमरविक्रान्तः सूतपुत्रं तनुत्यजम् ॥

punareva ca vivyādha ṣaḍbhiraṣṭābhireva ca | marmasvamaravikrāntaḥ sūtaputraṃ tanutyajam

Again, with six and then eight arrows, Bhima, whose valour matched the gods', pierced the Suta's son in his vital parts, a man ready to give up his body.

Note on the text: Corrected षङ्भिः → षड्भिः (misprint in Wikisource; ङ् for ड्; the CE has ṣaḍbhir). Line 2 reads सूतपुत्रं तनुत्यजम् where CE 7.106.50c has sūtaputraṃ mahāraṇe, a variant, kept.

Verse 57 (7.131.57)

पुनरन्येन बाणेन भीमसेनः प्रतापवान् । चिच्छेद कार्मुकं तूर्णं कर्णस्य प्रहसन्निव ॥

punaranyena bāṇena bhīmasenaḥ pratāpavān | ciccheda kārmukaṃ tūrṇaṃ karṇasya prahasanniva

Then with another arrow the glorious Bhimasena swiftly cut Karna's bow, almost laughing as he did so.

Note on the text: Lines are a variant of CE 7.106.51 (the CE has tataḥ karṇasya saṃkruddho bhīmasenaḥ pratāpavān / ciccheda kārmukaṃ tūrṇaṃ sarvopakaraṇāni ca); kept.

Verse 58 (7.131.58)

जघान चतुरश्चाश्वान्सूतं च त्वरितः शरैः । नाराचैरर्करश्म्याभैः कर्णं विव्याध चोरसि ॥

jaghāna caturaścāśvānsūtaṃ ca tvaritaḥ śaraiḥ | nārācairarkaraśmyābhaiḥ karṇaṃ vivyādha corasi

He quickly killed his four horses and his charioteer with arrows, and pierced Karna in the chest with nārācas shining like the rays of the sun.

Verse 59 (7.131.59)

ते जग्मुर्धरणीमाशु कर्णं निर्भिद्य पत्रिणः । यथा जलधरं भित्त्वा दिवाकरमरीचयः ॥

te jagmurdharaṇīmāśu karṇaṃ nirbhidya patriṇaḥ | yathā jaladharaṃ bhittvā divākaramarīcayaḥ

Having pierced Karna, those feathered arrows went swiftly into the earth, as the sun's rays go through a cloud.

Note on the text: A recension variant of CE 7.106.53 (the CE has te jagmur dharaṇīṃ sarve karṇaṃ nirbhidya māriṣa / yathā hi jaladaṃ bhittvā rājan sūryasya raśmayaḥ); kept.

Verse 60 (7.131.60)

स वैक्लव्यं महत्प्राप्य च्छिन्नधन्वा शराहतः । तथा पुरुषमानी स लज्जामुत्सृज्य भारत । भीमसेनभयात्कर्णः प्रत्यपायाद्रथान्तरम् ॥

sa vaiklavyaṃ mahatprāpya cchinnadhanvā śarāhataḥ | tathā puruṣamānī sa lajjāmutsṛjya bhārata | bhīmasenabhayātkarṇaḥ pratyapāyādrathāntaram

Greatly shaken, his bow cut and his body wounded by arrows, Karna, who thought himself a man of valour, cast off shame, O Bharata, and out of fear of Bhimasena withdrew to another chariot.

Note on the text: Line 1 is CE 7.106.54a; lines 2-3 draw on CE 7.106.54c and the star lines 7.106.54c*0835_01-02 (the CE text is damaged there, marked ****).