Karna Greets Bhishma on His Bed of Arrows

Verse 1 (7.3.1)

शरतल्पे महात्मानं शयानममितौजसम् । महावातसमूहेन समुद्रमिव शोषितम् ॥

śaratalpe mahātmānaṃ śayānamamitaujasam | mahāvātasamūhena samudramiva śoṣitam

Lying on his bed of arrows, the great soul of boundless vigour, like an ocean dried up by a great gathering of winds,

Verse 2 (7.3.2)

दृष्ट्वा पितामहं भीष्मं सर्वक्षत्रान्तकं गुरुम् । दिव्यैरस्त्रैर्महेष्वासं पातितं सव्यसाचिना । जयाशा तव पुत्राणां संभग्ना शर्म वर्म च ॥

dṛṣṭvā pitāmahaṃ bhīṣmaṃ sarvakṣatrāntakaṃ gurum | divyairastrairmaheṣvāsaṃ pātitaṃ savyasācinā | jayāśā tava putrāṇāṃ saṃbhagnā śarma varma ca

seeing grandfather Bhishma, the master who had been the destroyer of all the Kshatriyas, the great archer, felled by Savyasachin with divine weapons — the hope of victory of your sons, their shelter and their armour, was shattered.

Note on the text: Line 1 corresponds to CE star passage 7.3.1d*0023_01 (different opening words; CE: "utsādya cākhilām urvīṃ sarvakṣatrāntakaṃ gurum"); lines 2–3 = CE 7.3.2a and 7.3.2c.

Verse 3 (7.3.3)

अपाराणामिव द्वीपमगाधे गाधमिच्छताम् । स्रोतसा यामुनेनेव शरौघेण परिप्लुतम् ॥

apārāṇāmiva dvīpamagādhe gādhamicchatām | srotasā yāmuneneva śaraugheṇa pariplutam

like an island for those without a far shore, a foothold in the deep for those who seek one, overwhelmed by a flood of arrows as by the current of the Yamuna,

Verse 4 (7.3.4)

महान्तमिव मैनाकमहार्यं भुवि पातितम् । नभश्च्युतमिवादित्यं शक्रस्येवामृतं हृतम् ॥

mahāntamiva mainākamahāryaṃ bhuvi pātitam | nabhaścyutamivādityaṃ śakrasyevāmṛtaṃ hṛtam

like great Mainaka, immovable, thrown down on the earth; like the sun fallen from the sky; like the nectar of Shakra stolen away;

Note on the text: Wikisource's wording differs from CE 7.3.4 (similarity 0.759); a recension variant, Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 5 (7.3.5)

शतक्रतुमिवाचिन्त्यं पुरा वृत्रेण निर्जितम् । मोहनं सर्वसैन्यस्य युधि भीष्मं निपातितम् ॥

śatakratumivācintyaṃ purā vṛtreṇa nirjitam | mohanaṃ sarvasainyasya yudhi bhīṣmaṃ nipātitam

unthinkable, bewildering the whole army: Bhishma felled in battle, like Shatakratu overcome by Vritra of old,

Note on the text: Corrected शतक्रतुभिवाचिन्त्यं → शतक्रतुमिवाचिन्त्यं (misprint in Wikisource; भ for म; CE śatakrator ivācintyam). Corrected वृत्रेणा निर्जितम् → वृत्रेण निर्जितम् (misprint in Wikisource; stray ा after वृत्रेण; CE vṛtreṇa). Wikisource's wording differs from CE 7.3.5 (similarity 0.866); a recension variant, Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 6 (7.3.6)

ककुदं सर्वसैन्यानां लक्ष्म सर्वधनुष्मताम् । धनंजयशरैर्व्याप्तं पितरं ते महाव्रतम् ॥

kakudaṃ sarvasainyānāṃ lakṣma sarvadhanuṣmatām | dhanaṃjayaśarairvyāptaṃ pitaraṃ te mahāvratam

the summit of all armies, the very mark of all who bear bows, your father of the great vow, pierced all over by Dhananjaya's arrows —

Verse 7 (7.3.7)

तं वीरशयने वीरं शयानं पुरुषर्षभम् । भीष्ममाधिरथिर्दृष्ट्वा भरतानां पितामहम् ॥

taṃ vīraśayane vīraṃ śayānaṃ puruṣarṣabham | bhīṣmamādhirathirdṛṣṭvā bharatānāṃ pitāmaham

him, the hero, bull among men, grandfather of the Bharatas, lying on the hero's bed, Adhiratha's son Karna saw,

Verse 8 (7.3.8)

प्रस्कन्द्य स रथात्तूर्णं शोकमोहपरिप्लुतः । पद्भ्यामेव जगामार्तो बाष्पव्याकुललोचनः । अभिवाद्याञ्जलिं बद्ध्वा वन्दमानोऽभ्यभाषत ॥

praskandya sa rathāttūrṇaṃ śokamohapariplutaḥ | padbhyāmeva jagāmārto bāṣpavyākulalocanaḥ | abhivādyāñjaliṃ baddhvā vandamāno'bhyabhāṣata

sprang down from his chariot at once, overwhelmed with grief and bewilderment, and went on foot, afflicted, his eyes full of tears; and joining his palms in salutation he bowed and said:

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki quote marks (backtick and apostrophe). Lines 1–2 correspond to CE star passages 7.3.8a*0024_01–02 (the CE's first words of *0024_01 are lost, printed "**** ****"), which replace the CE's own line 7.3.8a–b ("avatīrya rathād ārto bāṣpavyākulitākṣaram"); line 3 = CE 7.3.8c.

Verse 9 (7.3.9)

कर्णोऽहमस्मि भद्रं ते वद मामभि भारत । पुण्यया क्षेमया वाचा चक्षुषा चावलोकय ॥

karṇo'hamasmi bhadraṃ te vada māmabhi bhārata | puṇyayā kṣemayā vācā cakṣuṣā cāvalokaya

"I am Karna — blessings on you! Speak to me, O Bharata; look upon me with kind and gracious speech and with your eyes.

Note on the text: The page prints no speaker heading between the narration (verse 8) and this verse, but from here to the end of the adhyaya the whole speech is Karna's address to Bhishma, so verses 9–25 are given to Karna.

Verse 10 (7.3.10)

न नूनं सुकृतस्येह फलं कश्चित्समश्नुते । यत्र धर्मपरो वृद्धः शेते भुवि भवानिह ॥

na nūnaṃ sukṛtasyeha phalaṃ kaścitsamaśnute | yatra dharmaparo vṛddhaḥ śete bhuvi bhavāniha

Surely no one in this world reaps the fruit of good deeds, if you, devoted to dharma and aged, lie here on the ground.

Verse 11 (7.3.11)

कोशसञ्चयने मन्त्रे व्यूहे प्रहरणेषु च । नाहमन्यं प्रपश्यामि कुरूणां कुरुपुङ्गव ॥

kośasañcayane mantre vyūhe praharaṇeṣu ca | nāhamanyaṃ prapaśyāmi kurūṇāṃ kurupuṅgava

In gathering treasure, in counsel, in battle-array and in the use of weapons, I see no one among the Kurus but you, O best of the Kurus.

Note on the text: Wikisource's wording differs from CE 7.3.11 (similarity 0.853); a recension variant, Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 12 (7.3.12)

बुद्ध्या विशुद्धया युक्तो यः कुरूंस्तारयेद्भयात् । योधांस्त्वमप्लवे हित्वा पितुलोकं गमिष्यसि ॥

buddhyā viśuddhayā yukto yaḥ kurūṃstārayedbhayāt | yodhāṃstvamaplave hitvā pitulokaṃ gamiṣyasi

Who is there, endowed with pure intellect, who could deliver the Kurus from danger? Leaving the warriors with no boat, you will go to the world of the fathers.

Note on the text: Corrected प्लुवे → प्लवे (misprint in Wikisource; CE aplave, "where there is no boat").

Verse 13 (7.3.13)

अद्यप्रभृति सङ्क्रुद्धा व्याघ्रा इव मृगक्षयम् । पाण्डवा भरतश्रेष्ठ करिष्यन्ति कुरुक्षयम् ॥

adyaprabhṛti saṅkruddhā vyāghrā iva mṛgakṣayam | pāṇḍavā bharataśreṣṭha kariṣyanti kurukṣayam

From today, O best of the Bharatas, the Pandavas, enraged like tigers among deer, will bring about the destruction of the Kurus.

Verse 14 (7.3.14)

अद्य गाण्डीवघोषेण वीर्यज्ञाः सव्यसाचिनः । कुरवः सन्त्रसिष्यन्ति वज्रघोषादिवासुराः ॥

adya gāṇḍīvaghoṣeṇa vīryajñāḥ savyasācinaḥ | kuravaḥ santrasiṣyanti vajraghoṣādivāsurāḥ

Today the Kurus, who know Savyasachin's prowess, will tremble at the twang of Gandiva as the Asuras trembled at the roar of the thunderbolt.

Note on the text: Corrected गाण्डीवधोपेण → गाण्डीवघोषेण (misprint in Wikisource; ध for घ and प for ष; CE gāṇḍīvaghoṣasya). Wikisource's wording differs from CE 7.3.14 (similarity 0.853); a recension variant, Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 15 (7.3.15)

अद्य गाण्डीवमुक्तानामशनीनामिव स्वनः । त्रासयिष्यति बाणानां कुरूनन्यांश्च पार्थिवान् ॥

adya gāṇḍīvamuktānāmaśanīnāmiva svanaḥ | trāsayiṣyati bāṇānāṃ kurūnanyāṃśca pārthivān

Today the roar of the arrows loosed from Gandiva, like that of thunderbolts, will terrify the Kurus and the other kings.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (CE 7.3.15 "svanaḥ"; Wikisource has lost the word (printed as x marks)): xxxः → स्वनः. Restored from the critical edition (CE 7.3.15 "pārthivān"; Wikisource has lost the end of the line (printed "पथि" and x marks)): पथिxx → पार्थिवान्. Wikisource's wording differs from CE 7.3.15 (similarity 0.805); a recension variant, Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 16 (7.3.16)

समिद्धोऽग्निर्यथा वीर महाज्वालो द्रुमान्दहेत् । धार्तराष्ट्रान्प्रधक्ष्यन्ति तथा बाणाः किरीटिनः ॥

samiddho'gniryathā vīra mahājvālo drumāndahet | dhārtarāṣṭrānpradhakṣyanti tathā bāṇāḥ kirīṭinaḥ

As a blazing fire with great flames might burn trees, O hero, so will the arrows of the diadem-wearer burn Dhritarashtra's sons.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (CE 7.3.16 "drumān dahet"; Wikisource has lost the end of the line (printed with x marks)): द्रुमान्दxxxत् → द्रुमान्दहेत्. Corrected धार्तराष्ट्राः इधक्ष्यन्ति → धार्तराष्ट्रान्प्रधक्ष्यन्ति (misprint in Wikisource; misprint; the verb needs an accusative object; CE dhārtarāṣṭrān pradhakṣyanti). Restored from the critical edition (CE 7.3.16 "kirīṭinaḥ"; Wikisource has lost the end of the line (printed "किरीटि" and x marks)): किरीटिxx → किरीटिनः. Wikisource's wording differs from CE 7.3.16 (similarity 0.893); a recension variant, Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 17 (7.3.17)

येन येन प्रसरतो वाय्वग्नी सहितौ वने । तेन तेन प्रदहतो भूरिगुल्मतृणद्रुमान् ॥

yena yena prasarato vāyvagnī sahitau vane | tena tena pradahato bhūrigulmatṛṇadrumān

Wherever wind and fire, joined together, sweep through a forest, there they burn dense thickets, grasses and trees.

Note on the text: Wikisource's wording differs from CE 7.3.17 (similarity 0.77); a recension variant, Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 18 (7.3.18)

यादृशोऽग्निः समुद्भूतस्तादृक्पार्थो न संशयः । यथा वायुर्नरव्याघ्र तथा कृष्णो न संशयः ॥

yādṛśo'gniḥ samudbhūtastādṛkpārtho na saṃśayaḥ | yathā vāyurnaravyāghra tathā kṛṣṇo na saṃśayaḥ

Such as fire is when it has blazed up, so is Partha, without doubt; as the wind is, tiger among men, so is Krishna, without doubt.

Note on the text: Corrected तथा कृष्णो संशयः → तथा कृष्णो न संशयः (misprint in Wikisource; न dropped, which reverses the sense; CE "tathā kṛṣṇo na saṃśayaḥ"). Wikisource's wording differs from CE 7.3.18 (similarity 0.899); a recension variant, Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 19 (7.3.19)

नदतः पाञ्चजन्यस्य रसतो गाण्डिवस्य च । श्रुत्वा सर्वाणि सैन्यानि त्रासं यास्यन्ति भारत ॥

nadataḥ pāñcajanyasya rasato gāṇḍivasya ca | śrutvā sarvāṇi sainyāni trāsaṃ yāsyanti bhārata

Hearing the roar of Panchajanya and the thunder of Gandiva, all the armies will be struck with terror, O Bharata.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (CE 7.3.19 "nadataḥ"; Wikisource has lost the first letters (printed as x marks; the page's footnote glosses it "शब्दं कुर्वतः")): xxदतः → नदतः.

Verse 20 (7.3.20)

कपिध्वजस्योत्पततो रथस्यामित्रकर्शिनः । शब्दं सोढुं न शक्ष्यन्ति त्वामृते वीर पार्थिवाः ॥

kapidhvajasyotpatato rathasyāmitrakarśinaḥ | śabdaṃ soḍhuṃ na śakṣyanti tvāmṛte vīra pārthivāḥ

When the monkey-bannered chariot of the destroyer of foes leaps forward, no kings but you, O hero, will be able to bear its sound.

Verse 21 (7.3.21)

को ह्यर्जुनं योधयितुं त्वदन्यः पार्थिवोऽर्हति । यस्य दिव्यानि कर्माणि प्रवदन्ति मनीषिणः ॥

ko hyarjunaṃ yodhayituṃ tvadanyaḥ pārthivo'rhati | yasya divyāni karmāṇi pravadanti manīṣiṇaḥ

What king other than you is fit to fight Arjuna, whose divine deeds the wise proclaim?

Note on the text: Wikisource's wording differs from CE 7.3.21 (similarity 0.887); a recension variant, Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 22 (7.3.22)

अमानुषैश्च संग्रामं त्र्यम्बकेण महात्मना । तस्माच्चैव वरं प्राप्तो दुष्प्रापश्चाकृतात्मभिः ॥

amānuṣaiśca saṃgrāmaṃ tryambakeṇa mahātmanā | tasmāccaiva varaṃ prāpto duṣprāpaścākṛtātmabhiḥ

He fought a battle with non-human beings and with the great-souled Tryambaka, and from him won a boon hard to win for men of unrefined souls.

Note on the text: Wikisource's wording differs from CE 7.3.22 (similarity 0.892); a recension variant, Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 23 (7.3.23)

कोऽन्यः शक्तो रणे जेतुं पूर्वं यो न जितस्त्वया । जितो येन रणे रामो भवता वीर्यशालिना ॥

ko'nyaḥ śakto raṇe jetuṃ pūrvaṃ yo na jitastvayā | jito yena raṇe rāmo bhavatā vīryaśālinā

Who else can conquer in battle one who was never conquered before by you? You, the valiant, are the one by whom Rama was conquered in battle.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text; its two lines appear there as star passage 7.3.22d*0027_01–02 (CE: "pūrvaṃ yo na jitaḥ suraiḥ", "never conquered before by the gods"; Wikisource: "…jitas tvayā", "by you" — a variant, kept).

Verse 24 (7.3.24)

क्षत्रियान्तकरो घोरो देवदानवदर्पहा । सोऽप्यद्याभिहतः शेते शरैः प्रोतः शिखण्डिना ॥

kṣatriyāntakaro ghoro devadānavadarpahā | so'pyadyābhihataḥ śete śaraiḥ protaḥ śikhaṇḍinā

The fearsome destroyer of the Kshatriyas, the crusher of the pride of gods and demons — even he lies today struck down, pierced by Shikhandin's arrows.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki quote marks (backtick and apostrophe). Corrected सोप्यद्या → सोऽप्यद्या (misprint in Wikisource; missing avagraha). Not in the critical edition's main text. Line 1 corresponds to CE star passage 7.3.22d*0027_03 (CE: "devadānavapūjitaḥ", "honoured by gods and demons"; Wikisource: "devadānavadarpahā", "crusher of the pride of gods and demons" — a variant, kept); line 2 = CE star passage 7.3.22d*0029_01.

Verse 25 (7.3.25)

तमद्याहं पाण्डवं युद्धशौण्डममृष्यमाणो भवता चानुशिष्टः । आशीविषं दृष्टिहरं सुघोरं शूरं शक्ष्याम्यस्त्रबलान्निहन्तुम् ॥

tamadyāhaṃ pāṇḍavaṃ yuddhaśauṇḍamamṛṣyamāṇo bhavatā cānuśiṣṭaḥ | āśīviṣaṃ dṛṣṭiharaṃ sughoraṃ śūraṃ śakṣyāmyastrabalānnihantum

Resenting him, and instructed by you, I shall today be able to slay that Pandava, delighting in battle, a viper whose glance steals sight, a most terrible hero, by the power of my weapons."

Note on the text: Corrected हष्टिहरं → दृष्टिहरं (misprint in Wikisource; ह for द; CE dṛṣṭiharam). Wikisource's wording differs from CE 7.3.23 (similarity 0.746); a recension variant, Wikisource's reading kept. Wikisource's second line differs from the CE's second line (CE: "iyāṃ puraskṛtya vadhaṃ jayaṃ vā"). The closing colophon on the page is not a verse and is not included.