Karna Disarms Abhimanyu on Drona's Advice

Verse 1 (7.48.1)

स कर्णं कर्णिना कर्णे पुनर्विव्याध फाल्गुनिः । शरैः पञ्चाशता चैनमविध्यत्कोपयन्भृशम् ॥

sa karṇaṃ karṇinā karṇe punarvivyādha phālguniḥ | śaraiḥ pañcāśatā cainamavidhyatkopayanbhṛśam

Phalguni's son pierced Karna in the ear again with a barbed arrow, and then struck him with fifty arrows, greatly enraging him.

Verse 2 (7.48.2)

प्रतिविव्याध राधेयस्तावद्भिरथ तं पुनः । शरैराचितसर्वाङ्गो बह्वशोभत भारत ॥

prativivyādha rādheyastāvadbhiratha taṃ punaḥ | śarairācitasarvāṅgo bahvaśobhata bhārata

Radheya struck him back with as many arrows. With his whole body studded with arrows, Abhimanyu shone brightly, O Bharata.

Verse 3 (7.48.3)

कर्णं चाप्यकरोत्क्रुद्धो रुधिरोत्पीडवाहिनम् । कर्णोऽपि विबभौ शूरः शरैश्छिन्नोऽसृगाप्लुतः । सन्ध्यानुगतपर्यन्तः शरदीव दिवाकरः ॥

karṇaṃ cāpyakarotkruddho rudhirotpīḍavāhinam | karṇo'pi vibabhau śūraḥ śaraiśchinno'sṛgāplutaḥ | sandhyānugataparyantaḥ śaradīva divākaraḥ

In his rage he made Karna too stream with spurting blood. And Karna, the hero, cut by arrows and drenched in blood, shone as well, like the autumn sun with its rim touched by the twilight.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki quote marks. Corrected ऽसृगातप्लुः → ऽसृगाप्लुतः (misprint in Wikisource; letters transposed; the critical edition reads asṛgāplutaḥ). Corrected सन्धानुगत → सन्ध्यानुगत (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped ya; the critical edition reads saṃdhyānugata). Lines 1–2 are the critical edition's 7.47.3a and 7.47.3c; line 3 is its star passage *0317_01 (after 7.47.3d), which is vulgate-only.

Verse 4 (7.48.4)

तावुभौ शरचित्राङ्गौ रुधिरेण समुक्षितौ । बभूवतुर्महात्मानौ पुष्पिताविव किंशुकौ ॥

tāvubhau śaracitrāṅgau rudhireṇa samukṣitau | babhūvaturmahātmānau puṣpitāviva kiṃśukau

Both with limbs streaked by arrows and soaked in blood, those two great-souled warriors looked like two kimshuka trees in flower.

Verse 5 (7.48.5)

अथ कर्णस्य सचिवान्षट् शूरांश्चित्रयोधिनः । साश्वसूतध्वजरथान्सौभद्रो निजघान ह ॥

atha karṇasya sacivānṣaṭ śūrāṃścitrayodhinaḥ | sāśvasūtadhvajarathānsaubhadro nijaghāna ha

Then Saubhadra struck down six heroic companions of Karna, wondrous fighters, along with their horses, charioteers, banners and chariots.

Verse 6 (7.48.6)

तथेतरान्महेष्वासान्दशभिर्दशभिः शरैः । प्रत्यविध्यदसम्भ्रान्तस्तदद्भुतमिवाभवत् ॥

tathetarānmaheṣvāsāndaśabhirdaśabhiḥ śaraiḥ | pratyavidhyadasambhrāntastadadbhutamivābhavat

Then, quite unflustered, he pierced the other great archers with ten arrows each in return; and it seemed a marvel.

Verse 7 (7.48.7)

मागधस्य तथा पुत्रं हत्वा षड्भिरजिह्मगैः । साश्वं ससूतं तरुणमश्वकेतुमपातयत् ॥

māgadhasya tathā putraṃ hatvā ṣaḍbhirajihmagaiḥ | sāśvaṃ sasūtaṃ taruṇamaśvaketumapātayat

He slew too the son of the king of Magadha, the young Ashvaketu, with six straight-flying arrows, and brought him down together with his horses and charioteer.

Verse 8 (7.48.8)

मार्तिकावतकं भोजं ततः कुञ्जरकेतनम् । क्षुरप्रेण समुन्मथ्य ननाद विसृजन्शरान् ॥

mārtikāvatakaṃ bhojaṃ tataḥ kuñjaraketanam | kṣurapreṇa samunmathya nanāda visṛjanśarān

Then he crushed with a razor-headed arrow the Bhoja Martikavata, whose banner bore an elephant, and roared as he loosed his arrows.

Verse 9 (7.48.9)

तस्य दौःशासनिर्विद्ध्वा चतुर्भिश्चतुरो हयान् । सूतमेकेन विव्याध दशभिश्चार्जुनात्मजम् ॥

tasya dauḥśāsanirviddhvā caturbhiścaturo hayān | sūtamekena vivyādha daśabhiścārjunātmajam

Duhshasana's son, having struck his four horses with four arrows, pierced his charioteer with one and Arjuna's son with ten.

Verse 10 (7.48.10)

ततो दौःशासनिं कार्ष्णिर्विद्ध्वा सप्तभिराशुगैः । संरम्भाद्रक्तनयनो वाक्यमुच्चैरथाब्रवीत् ॥

tato dauḥśāsaniṃ kārṣṇirviddhvā saptabhirāśugaiḥ | saṃrambhādraktanayano vākyamuccairathābravīt

Then Karshni pierced Duhshasana's son with seven swift arrows, and, his eyes red with fury, cried out loudly, O lord:

Verse 11 (7.48.11)

पिता तवाहवं त्यक्त्वा गतः कापुरुषो यथा । दिष्ट्या त्वमपि जानीषे योद्धुं न त्वद्य मोक्ष्यसे ॥

pitā tavāhavaṃ tyaktvā gataḥ kāpuruṣo yathā | diṣṭyā tvamapi jānīṣe yoddhuṃ na tvadya mokṣyase

"Your father abandoned the battle and fled like a coward. By good fortune you at least know how to fight — but today you will not be spared."

Verse 12 (7.48.12)

एतावदुक्त्वा वचनं कर्मारपरिमार्जितम् । नाराचं विससर्जास्मै तं द्रौणिस्त्रिभिराच्छिनत् ॥

etāvaduktvā vacanaṃ karmāraparimārjitam | nārācaṃ visasarjāsmai taṃ drauṇistribhirācchinat

Having spoken these words, he hurled at him a nārāca arrow burnished by the smith; Drona's son cut it down with three arrows.

Verse 13 (7.48.13)

तस्यार्जुनिर्ध्वजं छित्त्वा शल्यं त्रिभिरताडयत् । तं शल्यो नवभिर्बाणैर्गार्ध्रपत्रैरताडयत् ॥

tasyārjunirdhvajaṃ chittvā śalyaṃ tribhiratāḍayat | taṃ śalyo navabhirbāṇairgārdhrapatrairatāḍayat

Arjuna's son cut down Shalya's banner and struck Shalya with three arrows; Shalya struck him with nine vulture-feathered arrows.

Verse 14 (7.48.14)

हृद्यसम्भ्रान्तवद्राजंस्तदद्भुतमिवाभवत् । तस्यार्जुनिर्ध्वजं छित्त्वा हत्वोभौ पार्ष्णिसारथी ॥

hṛdyasambhrāntavadrājaṃstadadbhutamivābhavat | tasyārjunirdhvajaṃ chittvā hatvobhau pārṣṇisārathī

Like one whose heart is unshaken — and it was a marvel, O king — Arjuna's son cut down his banner and slew both his rear charioteers.

Note on the text: Line 1 is a star passage of the critical edition (*0319_01, after 7.47.13d), vulgate-only; line 2 is 7.47.14a.

Verse 15 (7.48.15)

तं विव्याधायसैः षड्भिः सोपाक्रामद्रथान्तरम् । शत्रुञ्जयं चन्द्रकेतुं मेघवेगं सुवर्चसम् ॥

taṃ vivyādhāyasaiḥ ṣaḍbhiḥ sopākrāmadrathāntaram | śatruñjayaṃ candraketuṃ meghavegaṃ suvarcasam

He pierced him with six iron arrows, and Shalya withdrew to another chariot. Then Shatrunjaya, Chandraketu, Meghavega, Suvarchas,

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 7.47.14c; line 2 is 7.47.15a.

Verse 16 (7.48.16)

सूर्यभासं च पञ्चैतान्हत्वा विव्याध सौबलम् । तं सौबलस्त्रिभिर्विद्ध्वा दुर्योधनमथाब्रवीत् ॥

sūryabhāsaṃ ca pañcaitānhatvā vivyādha saubalam | taṃ saubalastribhirviddhvā duryodhanamathābravīt

and Suryabhasa — having slain these five, he pierced Saubala. Saubala, having struck him back with three arrows, said to Duryodhana:

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 7.47.15c; line 2 is 7.47.16a.

Verse 17 (7.48.17)

सर्व एनं विमथ्नीमः पुरैकैकं हिनस्ति नः । अथाब्रवीत्पुनर्द्रोणं कर्णो वैकर्तनो रणे ॥

sarva enaṃ vimathnīmaḥ puraikaikaṃ hinasti naḥ | athābravītpunardroṇaṃ karṇo vaikartano raṇe

"Let us all crush him together; before long he will kill us one by one." Then Karna Vaikartana, in the battle, spoke to Drona again.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 7.47.16c; line 2 is 7.47.17a.

Verse 18 (7.48.18)

पुरा सर्वान्प्रमथ्नाति ब्रूह्यस्य वधमाशु नः । ततो द्रोणो महेष्वासः सर्वांस्तान्प्रत्यभाषत ॥

purā sarvānpramathnāti brūhyasya vadhamāśu naḥ | tato droṇo maheṣvāsaḥ sarvāṃstānpratyabhāṣata

"Before he crushes us all, tell us quickly how he may be killed." Then the great archer Drona answered them all.

Note on the text: Corrected वधम्माशु → वधमाशु (misprint in Wikisource; a doubled म; the critical edition reads vadham āśu). Line 1 is the critical edition's 7.47.17c; line 2 is 7.47.18a.

Verse 19 (7.48.19)

अस्ति वाऽस्यान्तरं किञ्चित्कुमारस्याथ पश्यत । अन्वस्य पितरं चाद्य चरतः सर्वतो दिशम् ॥

asti vā'syāntaraṃ kiñcitkumārasyātha paśyata | anvasya pitaraṃ cādya carataḥ sarvato diśam

"See whether there is any opening at all in this youth, for today he ranges in every direction after the manner of his father.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 7.47.18c; line 2 is 7.47.19a.

Verse 20 (7.48.20)

शीघ्रतां नरसिंहस्य पाण्डवेयस्य पश्यत । धनुर्मण्डलमेवास्य रथमार्गेषु दृश्यते ॥

śīghratāṃ narasiṃhasya pāṇḍaveyasya paśyata | dhanurmaṇḍalamevāsya rathamārgeṣu dṛśyate

Look at the swiftness of this Pandava lion among men: on the paths of his chariot only the circle of his bow is seen,

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 7.47.19c; line 2 is 7.47.20a.

Verse 21 (7.48.21)

संदधानस्य विशिखाञ्शीघ्रं चैव विमुञ्चतः । आरुजन्नपि मे प्राणान्मोहयन्नपि सायकैः ॥

saṃdadhānasya viśikhāñśīghraṃ caiva vimuñcataḥ | ārujannapi me prāṇānmohayannapi sāyakaiḥ

as he fits his arrows and swiftly looses them. Though he tears at my life-breath and bewilders me with his shafts, the son of Subhadra, slayer of enemy heroes, only gladdens me the more.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 7.47.20c; line 2 is 7.47.21a. The critical edition's star lines *0320_01 and *0321_01 are not in this text.

Verse 22 (7.48.22)

प्रहर्षयति मां भूयः सौभद्रः परवीरहा । अतिमानं दधात्येष सौभद्रो विचरन्रणे ॥

praharṣayati māṃ bhūyaḥ saubhadraḥ paravīrahā | atimānaṃ dadhātyeṣa saubhadro vicaranraṇe

This Saubhadra, ranging in the battle, carries himself with towering pride —

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 7.47.21c; line 2 is 7.47.22a.

Verse 23 (7.48.23)

अन्तरं यस्य संरब्धा न पश्यन्ति महारथाः । अस्यतो लघुहस्तस्य दिशः सर्वा महेषुभिः । न विशेषं प्रपश्यामि रणे गाण्डीवधन्वनः ॥

antaraṃ yasya saṃrabdhā na paśyanti mahārathāḥ | asyato laghuhastasya diśaḥ sarvā maheṣubhiḥ | na viśeṣaṃ prapaśyāmi raṇe gāṇḍīvadhanvanaḥ

he in whom the furious great chariot-warriors can find no opening. As he shoots, light of hand, filling every direction with great arrows, I can see no difference between him and Arjuna, the wielder of the Gandiva, in battle.

Note on the text: Lines 1–3 are the critical edition's 7.47.22c, 23a and 23c.

Verse 24 (7.48.24)

अथ कर्णः पुनर्द्रोणमाहार्जुनिशराहतः । स्थातव्यमिति तिष्ठामि पीड्यमानोऽभिमन्युना ॥

atha karṇaḥ punardroṇamāhārjuniśarāhataḥ | sthātavyamiti tiṣṭhāmi pīḍyamāno'bhimanyunā

Then Karna, struck by Arjuna's son's arrows, said to Drona again: "I stand only because one must stand, tormented as I am by Abhimanyu.

Verse 25 (7.48.25)

तेजस्विनः कुमारस्य शराः परमदारुणाः । क्षिण्वन्ति हृदयं मेऽद्य घोराः पावकतेजसः ॥

tejasvinaḥ kumārasya śarāḥ paramadāruṇāḥ | kṣiṇvanti hṛdayaṃ me'dya ghorāḥ pāvakatejasaḥ

The arrows of this brilliant boy are exceedingly terrible; fierce and fiery in their splendour, they are tearing my heart today."

Verse 26 (7.48.26)

तमाचार्योऽब्रवीत्कर्णं शनकैः प्रहसन्निव । अभेद्यमस्य कवचं युवा चाशुपराक्रमः ॥

tamācāryo'bravītkarṇaṃ śanakaiḥ prahasanniva | abhedyamasya kavacaṃ yuvā cāśuparākramaḥ

The teacher, smiling a little, said gently to Karna: "His armour cannot be pierced; he is young and quick in valour.

Verse 27 (7.48.27)

उपदिष्टा मया चास्य पितुः कवचधारणा । तामेष निखिलां वेत्ति ध्रुवं परपुरञ्जयः ॥

upadiṣṭā mayā cāsya pituḥ kavacadhāraṇā | tāmeṣa nikhilāṃ vetti dhruvaṃ parapurañjayaḥ

The art of wearing armour was taught by me to his father, and this conqueror of enemy cities surely knows all of it.

Verse 28 (7.48.28)

शक्यं त्वस्य धनुश्छेत्तुं ज्यां च बाणैः समाहितैः । अभीषूंश्च हयांश्चैव तथोभौ पार्ष्णिसारथी ॥

śakyaṃ tvasya dhanuśchettuṃ jyāṃ ca bāṇaiḥ samāhitaiḥ | abhīṣūṃśca hayāṃścaiva tathobhau pārṣṇisārathī

But his bow can be cut, and his bowstring, with well-aimed arrows; so can his reins and horses, and both of his rear charioteers.

Verse 29 (7.48.29)

एतत्कुरु महेष्वास राधेय यदि शक्यते । अथैनं विमुखीकृत्य पश्चात्प्रहरणं कुरु ॥

etatkuru maheṣvāsa rādheya yadi śakyate | athainaṃ vimukhīkṛtya paścātpraharaṇaṃ kuru

Do this, great archer Radheya, if it can be done: first make him turn away, then strike him.

Verse 30 (7.48.30)

सधनुष्को न शक्योऽयमपि जेतुं सुरासुरैः । विरथं विधनुष्कं च कुरुष्वैनं यदीच्छसि । पुनः स्थितेन केनापि दुःशको जेतुमार्जुनिः ॥

sadhanuṣko na śakyo'yamapi jetuṃ surāsuraiḥ | virathaṃ vidhanuṣkaṃ ca kuruṣvainaṃ yadīcchasi | punaḥ sthitena kenāpi duḥśako jetumārjuniḥ

While he has his bow he cannot be conquered even by gods and asuras. If you wish, make him chariotless and bowless. Thereafter, whoever stands against him, Arjuna's son is hard to defeat."

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki quote marks. Lines 1–2 are the critical edition's 7.47.30a and 30c; line 3 is its star passage *0325_01 (after 7.47.30d), vulgate-only apart from its variant wording.

Verse 31 (7.48.31)

तदाचार्यवचः श्रुत्वा कर्णो वैकर्तनस्त्वरन् । अस्यतो लघुहस्तस्य पृष्ठतो धनुराच्छिनत् ॥

tadācāryavacaḥ śrutvā karṇo vaikartanastvaran | asyato laghuhastasya pṛṣṭhato dhanurācchinat

Hearing the teacher's words, Karna Vaikartana quickly cut his bow from behind as he shot, light of hand.

Verse 32 (7.48.32)

अश्वानस्यावधीद्द्रोणो गौतमः पार्ष्णिसारथी । शेषास्तु च्छिन्नधन्वानं शरवर्षैरवाकिरन् ॥

aśvānasyāvadhīddroṇo gautamaḥ pārṣṇisārathī | śeṣāstu cchinnadhanvānaṃ śaravarṣairavākiran

Drona killed his horses, and Gautama his two rear charioteers; the rest covered him, bow cut, with showers of arrows.

Note on the text: Corrected द्दोणो → द्द्रोणो (misprint in Wikisource; the ra of the conjunct was dropped). The critical edition (7.47.32a) has Bhoja (Kritavarman) here: aśvān asyāvadhīd bhojo gautamaḥ pārṣṇisārathī; the vulgate reading is kept.

Verse 33 (7.48.33)

त्वरमाणास्त्वराकाले विरथं षण्महारथाः । शरवर्षैरकरुणा बालमेकमवाकिरन् ॥

tvaramāṇāstvarākāle virathaṃ ṣaṇmahārathāḥ | śaravarṣairakaruṇā bālamekamavākiran

Hurrying in that hasty hour, six great chariot-warriors, pitiless, showered the lone chariotless boy with showers of arrows.

Verse 34 (7.48.34)

स च्छिन्नधन्वा विरथः स्वधर्ममनुपालयन् । खड्गचर्मधरः श्रीमानुत्पपात विहायसा ॥

sa cchinnadhanvā virathaḥ svadharmamanupālayan | khaḍgacarmadharaḥ śrīmānutpapāta vihāyasā

With his bow cut and his chariot gone, the glorious one, keeping to his own dharma, took sword and shield and leapt up into the sky.

Note on the text: Corrected खङ्गचर्म → खड्गचर्म (misprint in Wikisource; the critical edition reads khaḍgacarma).

Verse 35 (7.48.35)

मार्गैः सकौशिकाद्यैश्च लाघवेन बलेन च । आर्जुनिर्व्यचरव्योम्नि भृशं वै पक्षिराडिव ॥

mārgaiḥ sakauśikādyaiśca lāghavena balena ca | ārjunirvyacaravyomni bhṛśaṃ vai pakṣirāḍiva

With sword-movements, the Kaushika and others, with agility and strength, Arjuna's son ranged the sky like the king of birds.

Note on the text: Corrected द्य्वोम्नि → व्योम्नि (misprint in Wikisource; garbled; the critical edition reads vyomni).

Verse 36 (7.48.36)

मय्येव निपतत्येष सासिरित्यूर्ध्वदृष्टयः । विव्यधुस्तं महेष्वासं समरे छिद्रदर्शिनः ॥

mayyeva nipatatyeṣa sāsirityūrdhvadṛṣṭayaḥ | vivyadhustaṃ maheṣvāsaṃ samare chidradarśinaḥ

Each thinking, "He is falling on me alone, sword in hand," they looked upward, watching for an opening, and pierced that great archer in the battle.

Note on the text: Corrected छिद्रदर्सिनः → छिद्रदर्शिनः (misprint in Wikisource; स for श; the critical edition reads chidradarśinaḥ).

Verse 37 (7.48.37)

क्षुरप्रेण महातेजास्त्वरमाणः सपत्नजित् । राधेयो निशितैर्बाणैर्व्यधमच्चर्म चोत्तमम् ॥

kṣurapreṇa mahātejāstvaramāṇaḥ sapatnajit | rādheyo niśitairbāṇairvyadhamaccarma cottamam

Hurrying, with a razor-headed arrow and with sharp shafts, Radheya, of great splendour and a conqueror of his rivals, shattered his excellent shield.

Note on the text: Wikisource prints this as two one-line verses (37 and 38), which together make one sentence; joined here. Line 1 is the critical edition's star passage *0328_01 (after 7.47.37b); line 2 is 7.47.37c. The critical edition's own 7.47.37a (tasya droṇo 'cchinan muṣṭau khaḍgaṃ maṇimayatsarum) is not in this text.

Verse 38 (7.48.38)

व्यसिचर्मेषुपूर्णाङ्गः सोऽन्तरिक्षात्पुनः क्षितिम् । आस्थितश्चक्रमुद्यम्य द्रोणं क्रुद्धोऽभ्यधावत ॥

vyasicarmeṣupūrṇāṅgaḥ so'ntarikṣātpunaḥ kṣitim | āsthitaścakramudyamya droṇaṃ kruddho'bhyadhāvata

Robbed of sword and shield, his body full of arrows, he came down from the sky to the earth again and, standing there, lifted a wheel and rushed in fury at Drona.

Verse 39 (7.48.39)

स चक्ररेणूज्ज्वलशोभिताङ्गो । बभावतीवोज्ज्वलचक्रपाणिः । रणेऽभिमन्युः क्षणमास रौद्रः । स वासुदेवानुकृतिं प्रकुर्वन् ॥

sa cakrareṇūjjvalaśobhitāṅgo | babhāvatīvojjvalacakrapāṇiḥ | raṇe'bhimanyuḥ kṣaṇamāsa raudraḥ | sa vāsudevānukṛtiṃ prakurvan

His limbs aglow and adorned with the dust of the wheel, a bright wheel in his hand, Abhimanyu in the battle was for a moment terrible to behold, as though imitating Vasudeva.

Note on the text: Corrected रेणूकज्ज्वल → रेणूज्ज्वल (misprint in Wikisource; a stray क; the critical edition reads reṇūjjvala).

Verse 40 (7.48.40)

स्रुतरुधिरकृतैकरागवस्त्रो । भ्रुकुटिपुटाकुलितोऽतिसिंहनादः । प्रभुरमितबलो रणेऽभिमन्युर् । नृपवरमध्यगतो भृशं व्यराजत् ॥

srutarudhirakṛtaikarāgavastro | bhrukuṭipuṭākulito'tisiṃhanādaḥ | prabhuramitabalo raṇe'bhimanyur | nṛpavaramadhyagato bhṛśaṃ vyarājat

His garment dyed one uniform red with streaming blood, his brows knit, roaring great lion-roars, Abhimanyu, the lord of immeasurable strength, shone brilliantly in the battle, standing among the best of kings.

Note on the text: Removed the stray wiki marks (--) after रणेऽभिमन्यु and moved the sandhi र् of the split word to the end of its line.