Dhritarashtra Laments Karna's Fall

Verse 1 (8.5.1)

श्रुत्वा कर्णं हतं युद्धे पुत्रांश्चैव पलायिनः । नरेन्द्रः किञ्चिदाश्वस्तो द्विजश्रेष्ठ किमब्रवीत् ॥

śrutvā karṇaṃ hataṃ yuddhe putrāṃścaiva palāyinaḥ | narendraḥ kiñcidāśvasto dvijaśreṣṭha kimabravīt

Having heard that Karna was slain in battle and that his sons were fleeing, what did the king say, O best of the twice-born, when he had somewhat recovered?

Note on the text: Corrected युद्वे → युद्धे (misprint in Wikisource; ध written as द्व; the critical edition reads yuddhe). Wikisource's पलायिनः ("fleeing") is kept where the CE reads apalāyinaḥ (caivāpalāyinaḥ); a variant (the page's gloss also records पुत्रांश्चैव निपातितान् as another reading).

Verse 2 (8.5.2)

प्राप्तवान्परमं दुःखं पुत्रव्यसनजं महत् । तस्मिन्यदुक्तवान्काले तन्ममाचक्ष्व पृच्छतः ॥

prāptavānparamaṃ duḥkhaṃ putravyasanajaṃ mahat | tasminyaduktavānkāle tanmamācakṣva pṛcchataḥ

He had suffered the greatest, deepest grief, born of the calamity to his sons. Tell me, who ask, what he said at that time.

Verse 3 (8.5.3)

श्रुत्वा कर्णस्य निधनमश्रद्धेयमिवाद्भुतम् । भूतसम्मोहनं भीमं मेरोः संसर्पणं यथा ॥

śrutvā karṇasya nidhanamaśraddheyamivādbhutam | bhūtasammohanaṃ bhīmaṃ meroḥ saṃsarpaṇaṃ yathā

Hearing of Karna's death, wondrous and almost beyond belief, dreadful, bewildering to all beings, like Mount Meru slipping from its place,

Note on the text: Corrected अश्रद्वेयमिवाद्भुतम् → अश्रद्धेयमिवाद्भुतम् (misprint in Wikisource; ध written as द्व; the critical edition reads aśraddheyam ivādbhutam). Wikisource's संसर्पणम् is kept where the CE reads paryasanam (similarity 0.916); a variant. Verses 3–9 form one sentence.

Verse 4 (8.5.4)

चित्तमोहमिवायुक्तं भार्गवस्य महामतेः । पराजयमिवेन्द्रस्य द्विषद्भ्यो भीमकर्मणः ॥

cittamohamivāyuktaṃ bhārgavasya mahāmateḥ | parājayamivendrasya dviṣadbhyo bhīmakarmaṇaḥ

like a lapse of reason in the great-minded Bhargava, like the defeat of Indra of dreadful deeds at the hands of his foes,

Note on the text: Corrected द्विषद्ध्यो → द्विषद्भ्यो (misprint in Wikisource; ध्य for भ्य; the critical edition reads dviṣadbhyaḥ).

Verse 5 (8.5.5)

दिवः प्रपतनं भानोरुर्व्यामिव महाद्युतेः । संशोषणमिवाचिन्त्यं समुद्रस्याक्षयाम्भसः ॥

divaḥ prapatanaṃ bhānorurvyāmiva mahādyuteḥ | saṃśoṣaṇamivācintyaṃ samudrasyākṣayāmbhasaḥ

like the fall to the earth of the sun, great in splendour, from the sky, like the unthinkable drying up of the ocean of inexhaustible waters,

Note on the text: Corrected भानोरुरव्यामिव → भानोरुर्व्यामिव (misprint in Wikisource; the vowel and the r-sign are transposed; the critical edition reads urvyām iva).

Verse 6 (8.5.6)

महीवियद्दिगम्बूनां सर्वनाशमिवाद्भुतम् । कर्मणोरिव वैफल्यमुभयोः पुण्यपापयोः ॥

mahīviyaddigambūnāṃ sarvanāśamivādbhutam | karmaṇoriva vaiphalyamubhayoḥ puṇyapāpayoḥ

like the utter destruction of earth, sky, the quarters and the waters, wondrous, like the fruitlessness of both kinds of deeds, merit and sin,

Note on the text: Wikisource's महीवियद्दिगम्बूनाम् ("of earth, sky, the quarters and the waters") is kept where the CE reads mahīviyaddigīśānām ("… and the lords of the quarters"); a variant (similarity 0.948).

Verse 7 (8.5.7)

सञ्चिन्त्य निपुणं बुद्ध्या धृतराष्ट्रो जनेश्वरः । नेदमस्तीति सञ्चिन्त्य कर्णस्य समरे वधम् ॥

sañcintya nipuṇaṃ buddhyā dhṛtarāṣṭro janeśvaraḥ | nedamastīti sañcintya karṇasya samare vadham

Dhritarashtra, lord of men, pondered carefully with his understanding, thinking of Karna's slaying in battle, "This cannot be,"

Note on the text: Wikisource's line 2 (… कर्णस्य समरे वधम्) differs from CE 8.5.7cd (karṇasya nidhanaṃ prati); a recension variant (similarity 0.869), Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 8 (8.5.8)

प्राणिनामेवमात्मत्वात्स्यादपीति विचार्य च । शोकाग्निना दह्यमानो धम्यमान इवाशये ॥

prāṇināmevamātmatvātsyādapīti vicārya ca | śokāgninā dahyamāno dhamyamāna ivāśaye

and then, considering that since such is the very nature of living beings it might indeed be so, burning with the fire of grief, as though fanned in his heart,

Note on the text: Wikisource's wording differs from CE 8.5.8 (similarity 0.89: प्राणिनामेवमात्मत्वात्स्यादपीति विचार्य च for prāṇinām etad ātmatvāt syād apīti vināśanam; … धम्यमान इवाशये for … ivāśayaḥ); a recension variant, Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 9 (8.5.9)

विस्रस्ताङ्गः श्वसन्दीनो हाहेत्युक्त्वा सुदुःखितः । विललाप महाराज धृतराष्ट्रोऽम्बिकासुतः ॥

visrastāṅgaḥ śvasandīno hāhetyuktvā suduḥkhitaḥ | vilalāpa mahārāja dhṛtarāṣṭro'mbikāsutaḥ

with slackened limbs, sighing, wretched, crying "Alas, alas!", in the deepest distress, he lamented, O great king, Dhritarashtra, the son of Ambika.

Note on the text: Wikisource's wording differs from CE 8.5.9 (similarity 0.923: विस्रस्ताङ्गः for vidhvastātmā); a recension variant, Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 10 (8.5.10)

सञ्जयाधिरथिर्वीरः सिंहद्विरदविक्रमः । वृषभप्रतिमस्कन्धो वृषभाक्षगतिस्वरः ॥

sañjayādhirathirvīraḥ siṃhadviradavikramaḥ | vṛṣabhapratimaskandho vṛṣabhākṣagatisvaraḥ

Sanjaya, the hero, son of Adhiratha, with the stride of a lion and an elephant, with shoulders like a bull's, with a bull's eyes, gait and voice,

Note on the text: Wikisource's वृषभप्रतिमस्कन्धो and वृषभाक्षगतिस्वरः are kept where the CE reads vṛṣam apratimaskandho … vṛṣabhākṣagatisvanaḥ (similarity 0.937); variants.

Verse 11 (8.5.11)

वृषभो वृषभस्येव यो युद्धे न निवर्तते । शत्रोरपि महेन्द्रस्य वज्रसंहननो युवा ॥

vṛṣabho vṛṣabhasyeva yo yuddhe na nivartate | śatrorapi mahendrasya vajrasaṃhanano yuvā

who in battle never turns back, as a bull does not before a bull, even from Mahendra if he were the foe, a youth with a body hard as the thunderbolt,

Verse 12 (8.5.12)

यस्य ज्यातलशब्देन शरवृष्टिरवेण च । रथाश्वनरमातङ्गा नावतिष्ठन्ति संयुगे ॥

yasya jyātalaśabdena śaravṛṣṭiraveṇa ca | rathāśvanaramātaṅgā nāvatiṣṭhanti saṃyuge

at the sound of whose bowstring and palm-guard and the roar of his showers of arrows, chariots, horses, men and elephants could not hold their ground in battle,

Verse 13 (8.5.13)

यमाश्रित्य महाबाहुं द्विषत्सङ्घघ्नमच्युतम् । दुर्योधनोऽकरोद्वैरं पाण्डुपुत्रैर्महारथैः ॥

yamāśritya mahābāhuṃ dviṣatsaṅghaghnamacyutam | duryodhano'karodvairaṃ pāṇḍuputrairmahārathaiḥ

relying on whom, the mighty-armed, the destroyer of hosts of foes, the unfallen, Duryodhana made enmity with the sons of Pandu, those great car-warriors.

Note on the text: Wikisource's पाण्डुपुत्रैर्महारथैः is kept where the CE reads pāṇḍuputrair mahābalaiḥ (similarity 0.965); a variant.

Verse 14 (8.5.14)

स कथं रथिनां श्रेष्ठः कर्णः पार्थेन संयुगे । निहतः पुरुषव्याघ्रः प्रसह्यासह्यविक्रमः ॥

sa kathaṃ rathināṃ śreṣṭhaḥ karṇaḥ pārthena saṃyuge | nihataḥ puruṣavyāghraḥ prasahyāsahyavikramaḥ

how was he, Karna, best of car-warriors, a tiger among men, whose prowess none could overcome and who overpowered all, slain in battle by Partha?

Verse 15 (8.5.15)

यो नामन्यत वै नित्यमच्युतं च धनञ्जयम् । न वृष्णीन्सहितानन्यान्स्वबाहुबलदर्पितः ॥

yo nāmanyata vai nityamacyutaṃ ca dhanañjayam | na vṛṣṇīnsahitānanyānsvabāhubaladarpitaḥ

he who, proud of the strength of his own arms, never reckoned Achyuta and Dhananjaya, nor the Vrishnis together, nor any others, as of any account,

Note on the text: Corrected वृष्मीन्सहितानन्यान् → वृष्णीन्सहितानन्यान् (misprint in Wikisource; ष्म for ष्ण; the critical edition reads vṛṣṇīn). Wikisource's wording of line 2 otherwise differs from CE 8.5.15cd (similarity 0.91); a recension variant, Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 16 (8.5.16)

शार्ङ्गगाण्डीवधन्वानौ सहितावपराजितौ । अहं दिव्याद्रथादेकः पातयिष्यामि संयुगे ॥

śārṅgagāṇḍīvadhanvānau sahitāvaparājitau | ahaṃ divyādrathādekaḥ pātayiṣyāmi saṃyuge

"Those two wielders of Sharnga and Gandiva, together and unconquered, I alone shall strike down from my divine chariot in battle,"

Verse 17 (8.5.17)

इति यः सततं मन्दमवोचल्लोभमोहितम् । दुर्योधनमवाचीनं राज्यकामुकमातुरम् ॥

iti yaḥ satataṃ mandamavocallobhamohitam | duryodhanamavācīnaṃ rājyakāmukamāturam

thus did he ever speak to Duryodhana, foolish, deluded by greed, bowed down, lusting for the kingdom, and distressed;

Note on the text: Wikisource's मन्दमवोचल्लोभमोहितम् and the rest agree with CE 8.5.17 (similarity 0.973) except for अवाचीनम् where the CE reads apādīnam; a variant, Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 18 (8.5.18)

योऽजयत्सर्वकाम्भोजानावन्त्यान्केकयैः सह । गान्धारान्मद्रकान्मात्स्यांस्त्रिगर्तांस्तङ्कणाञ्शकान् ॥

yo'jayatsarvakāmbhojānāvantyānkekayaiḥ saha | gāndhārānmadrakānmātsyāṃstrigartāṃstaṅkaṇāñśakān

he who conquered all the Kambojas, the Avantis along with the Kekayas, the Gandharas, Madrakas, Matsyas, Trigartas, Tankanas and Shakas,

Note on the text: Wikisource's line 1 differs from CE 8.5.18ab (yaś cājaiṣīd atibalān amitrān api durjayān); it resembles the star passage 8.5.47d*0053_01 (yo 'jayat savarkāmbojān ambaṣṭhān kekayaiḥ saha). Line 2 is CE 8.5.18cd.

Verse 19 (8.5.19)

पाञ्चालांश्च विदेहांश्च कुलिन्दान्काशिकोसलान् । सुह्मानङ्गांश्च वङ्गांश्च निषादान्पुण्ड्रकीकटान् ॥

pāñcālāṃśca videhāṃśca kulindānkāśikosalān | suhmānaṅgāṃśca vaṅgāṃśca niṣādānpuṇḍrakīkaṭān

the Panchalas and Videhas, the Kulindas, the Kashis and Koshalas, the Suhmas, Angas and Vangas, the Nishadas, the Pundras and the Kikatas,

Note on the text: Corrected सूह्मानङ्गांश्च → सुह्मानङ्गांश्च (misprint in Wikisource; long ऊ for short उ in the people's name Suhma; the critical edition reads suhmān). Wikisource's कुलिन्दान् and पुण्ड्रकीकटान् are kept where the CE reads kuṇindān and … vaṅgakīcakān (similarity 0.855); variants.

Verse 20 (8.5.20)

वत्सान्कलिङ्गान्दरदानश्मकानृषिकानपि । शबरान्हारहूणांश्च प्रघूणान्सरलानपि ॥

vatsānkaliṅgāndaradānaśmakānṛṣikānapi | śabarānhārahūṇāṃśca praghūṇānsaralānapi

the Vatsas, Kalingas, Daradas, Ashmakas and Rishikas, the Shabaras, Hara-Hunas, Praghunas and Saralas,

Note on the text: Removed the stray wiki quote mark (backtick) before शबरान् (the quotation runs to the end of verse 21). Line 1 is CE 8.5.20ab (दरदान् where the CE reads taralān); line 2 is the CE's star passage 8.5.20d*0044_01 (śabarān parahūṇāṃś ca prāṅmukhān saralān api; Wikisource's हारहूणांश्च प्रघूणान् differ).

Verse 21 (8.5.21)

म्लेच्छराष्ट्राधिपांश्चैव दुर्गानाटविकांस्तथा । जित्वैतान्समरे वीरः प्रदीप्तैः कङ्कपत्रिभिः ॥

mleccharāṣṭrādhipāṃścaiva durgānāṭavikāṃstathā | jitvaitānsamare vīraḥ pradīptaiḥ kaṅkapatribhiḥ

and the rulers of the barbarian kingdoms, and the peoples of the strongholds and the forests, having conquered all these in battle, that hero, with his blazing heron-feathered arrows,

Note on the text: Removed the stray wiki quote mark (apostrophe) after तथा (it closes the quotation begun in verse 20). Not in the critical edition's main text; the two lines are its star passage 8.5.20d*0044_02–03 (line 2 प्रदीप्तैः where the CE reads sutīkṣṇaiḥ).

Verse 22 (8.5.22)

करमाहारयामास जित्वा सर्वानरींस्तथा । दुर्योधनस्य वृद्ध्यर्थं राधेयो रथिनां वरः । दिव्यास्त्रविन्महातेजाः कर्णो वैकर्तनो वृषः ॥

karamāhārayāmāsa jitvā sarvānarīṃstathā | duryodhanasya vṛddhyarthaṃ rādheyo rathināṃ varaḥ | divyāstravinmahātejāḥ karṇo vaikartano vṛṣaḥ

brought in tribute from all those enemies, for Duryodhana's advancement, Radheya, best of car-warriors, master of divine weapons and of great splendour, Karna Vaikartana, the Bull.

Note on the text: Corrected दिव्यास्त्रविमन्हातेजाः → दिव्यास्त्रविन्महातेजाः (misprint in Wikisource; the consonants of विन्महा are scrambled; the critical edition reads divyāstravin mahātejāḥ). Not in the critical edition's main text; the three lines are its star passages 8.5.20d*0044_04 (line 1), *0045 (line 2, whose second half differs: vartate yo jayāya ca) and *0046_01 (line 3).

Verse 23 (8.5.23)

सेनागोपश्च स कथं शत्रुभिः परमास्त्रवित् । घातितः पाण्डवैः शूरैः समरे वीर्यशालिभिः ॥

senāgopaśca sa kathaṃ śatrubhiḥ paramāstravit | ghātitaḥ pāṇḍavaiḥ śūraiḥ samare vīryaśālibhiḥ

How could he, the guardian of the army, master of the highest weapons, have been struck down in battle by his enemies, by the heroic and mighty Pandavas?

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text; the two lines are its star passage 8.5.20d*0045_03–04 (line 2 reads समरे where the CE reads samarthaiḥ).

Verse 24 (8.5.24)

वृषो महेन्द्रो देवेषु वृषः कर्णो नरेष्वपि । तृतीयमन्यं लोकेषु वृषं नैवानुशुश्रुम ॥

vṛṣo mahendro deveṣu vṛṣaḥ karṇo nareṣvapi | tṛtīyamanyaṃ lokeṣu vṛṣaṃ naivānuśuśruma

Among the gods the Bull is Mahendra, and among men Karna too is the Bull; a third Bull in the worlds we have never heard of.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text; the two lines are its star passage 8.5.20d*0045_05–06 (अनुशुश्रुम where the CE reads anuśuśrumaḥ).

Verse 25 (8.5.25)

उच्चैः श्रवा वरोऽश्वानां राज्ञां वैश्रवणो वरः । वरो महेन्द्रो देवानां कर्णः प्रहरतां वरः ॥

uccaiḥ śravā varo'śvānāṃ rājñāṃ vaiśravaṇo varaḥ | varo mahendro devānāṃ karṇaḥ praharatāṃ varaḥ

Uchchaihshrava is the best of horses, Vaishravana the best of kings, Mahendra the best of the gods, and Karna the best of those who strike.

Verse 26 (8.5.26)

योऽजितः पार्थिवैः शूरैः समर्थैर्वीर्यशालिभिः । दुर्योधनस्य वृद्ध्यर्थं कृत्स्नामुर्वीमथाजयत् ॥

yo'jitaḥ pārthivaiḥ śūraiḥ samarthairvīryaśālibhiḥ | duryodhanasya vṛddhyarthaṃ kṛtsnāmurvīmathājayat

He, whom heroic, able and mighty kings could never conquer, for Duryodhana's advancement then conquered the whole earth;

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text; the two lines are its star passage 8.5.21d*0047_01–02 (योऽजितः where the CE reads yojitaḥ).

Verse 27 (8.5.27)

यं लब्ध्वा मागधो राजा सांत्वमानोऽथ सौहृदैः । अरौत्सीत्पार्थिवं क्षत्रमृते यादवकौरवान् ॥

yaṃ labdhvā māgadho rājā sāṃtvamāno'tha sauhṛdaiḥ | arautsītpārthivaṃ kṣatramṛte yādavakauravān

having gained him as a friend, the king of Magadha, won over by acts of friendship, held in check the entire warrior order of kings, except the Yadavas and the Kauravas.

Note on the text: Wikisource's सांत्वमानोऽथ सौहृदैः is kept where the CE reads sāntvamānārthagauravaiḥ, and यादवकौरवान् where it reads kauravayādavān (similarity 0.833); variants.

Verse 28 (8.5.28)

तं श्रुत्वा निहतं कर्णं द्वैरथे सव्यसाचिना । शोकार्णवे निमग्नोऽहं भिन्ना नौरिव सागरे ॥

taṃ śrutvā nihataṃ karṇaṃ dvairathe savyasācinā | śokārṇave nimagno'haṃ bhinnā nauriva sāgare

Having heard that Karna was slain by Savyasachin in single combat from chariots, I am sunk in an ocean of grief, like a shattered boat in the sea.

Note on the text: Line 1 is CE 8.5.23a; line 2 (शोकार्णवे निमग्नोऽहं भिन्ना नौरिव सागरे) differs from CE 8.5.23c and resembles the star passage 8.5.23b*0048_01 (śokārṇave nimagno 'smi samudre bhinnanaur iva); similarity 0.813; a recension variant, Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 29 (8.5.29)

तं वृषं निहतं श्रुत्वा द्वैरथे रथिनां वरम् । शोकार्णवे निमग्नोऽहमप्लुवः सागरे यथा ॥

taṃ vṛṣaṃ nihataṃ śrutvā dvairathe rathināṃ varam | śokārṇave nimagno'hamapluvaḥ sāgare yathā

Having heard that the Bull, best of car-warriors, was slain in single combat from chariots, I am sunk in an ocean of grief, like one in the sea without a boat.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition's main text as a verse: line 1 is the star passage 8.5.23b*0048_02 (nṛvṛṣaṃ nihataṃ śrutvā dvairathe rathināṃ varam; Wikisource's तं वृषं निहतं श्रुत्वा differs) and line 2 is CE 8.5.23c exactly.

Verse 30 (8.5.30)

ईदृशैर्यद्यहं दुःखैर्न विनश्यामि सञ्जय । वज्राद्दृढतरं मन्ये हृदयं मम दुर्भिदम् ॥

īdṛśairyadyahaṃ duḥkhairna vinaśyāmi sañjaya | vajrāddṛḍhataraṃ manye hṛdayaṃ mama durbhidam

If I do not perish under such sorrows, Sanjaya, I think my heart must be harder than the thunderbolt, and hard to break.

Verse 31 (8.5.31)

ज्ञातिसंबन्धिमित्राणामिमं श्रुत्वा पराभवम् । को मदन्यः पुमाँल्लोके न जह्यात्सूत जीवितम् ॥

jñātisaṃbandhimitrāṇāmimaṃ śrutvā parābhavam | ko madanyaḥ pumām̐lloke na jahyātsūta jīvitam

On hearing of this defeat of my kinsmen, relatives and friends, what man in the world other than I would not give up his life, O charioteer?

Note on the text: Wikisource's wording differs slightly from CE 8.5.25 (similarity 0.963: पराभवम् for parājayam); a variant, Wikisource's reading kept.

Verse 32 (8.5.32)

विषमग्निं प्रपातं च पर्वताग्रादहं वृणे । महाप्रस्थानगमनं जलं प्रायोपवेशनम् । न हि शक्ष्यामि दुःखानि सोढुं कष्टानि सञ्जय ॥

viṣamagniṃ prapātaṃ ca parvatāgrādahaṃ vṛṇe | mahāprasthānagamanaṃ jalaṃ prāyopaveśanam | na hi śakṣyāmi duḥkhāni soḍhuṃ kaṣṭāni sañjaya

I choose poison, or fire, or a leap from a mountain's peak, the great journey of departure, water, fasting unto death; for I cannot bear these bitter sorrows, Sanjaya.

Note on the text: Removed the stray wiki quote marks (backtick and apostrophe) around the middle line. Lines 1 and 3 are CE 8.5.26a and 8.5.26c; the middle line is the CE's star passage 8.5.26b*0049_01.