Shikhandi Driven Off by Karna; Dhrishtadyumna Fights Duhshasana

Verse 1 (8.63.1)

निवृत्ते भीमसेने च पाण्डवे च युधिष्ठिरे । वध्यमाने बले चापि मामके पाण्डुसृञ्जयैः ॥

nivṛtte bhīmasene ca pāṇḍave ca yudhiṣṭhire | vadhyamāne bale cāpi māmake pāṇḍusṛñjayaiḥ

When Bhimasena and the Pandava Yudhishthira had turned back, and my army was being cut down by the Pandavas and the Srinjayas,

Verse 2 (8.63.2)

द्रवमाणे बलौघे च निराक्रन्दे मुहुर्मुहुः । अवशेषं न पश्यामि मम सैन्येषु सञ्जय ॥

dravamāṇe balaughe ca nirākrande muhurmuhuḥ | avaśeṣaṃ na paśyāmi mama sainyeṣu sañjaya

and my host in flood kept fleeing, again and again, crying out helplessly, I see nothing left of my armies, Sanjaya.

Note on the text: Removed the stray wiki backtick. Line 1 = CE 8.44.2a; line 2 = CE star line 8.44.2b*0595_01 (avaśeṣaṃ na paśyāmi mama sainyeṣu saṃjaya). The automatic alignment found no match.

Verse 3 (8.63.3)

अहो बत दशां प्राप्तो न हि शक्ष्यामि जीवितुम् । जयकाङ्क्षी कथं सूत पुत्राणामनिवर्तिनाम् ॥

aho bata daśāṃ prāpto na hi śakṣyāmi jīvitum | jayakāṅkṣī kathaṃ sūta putrāṇāmanivartinām

Alas, I have come to such a state that I shall not be able to live. How, Suta, can I, who long for victory, go on living when my sons are men who never turn back?

Note on the text: Lines = CE star lines 8.44.2b*0595_02–03. The automatic alignment found no match.

Verse 4 (8.63.4)

कथं जीवामि निहताञ्श्रुत्वा च मम सैनिकान् । बहुनाऽद्य किमुक्तेन दैवं तेषां परायणम् ॥

kathaṃ jīvāmi nihatāñśrutvā ca mama sainikān | bahunā'dya kimuktena daivaṃ teṣāṃ parāyaṇam

How can I live, hearing that my soldiers have been slain? What is the use of saying more today? Fate is their last refuge.

Note on the text: Removed the stray wiki quote mark. Lines = CE star lines 8.44.2b*0595_04–05. The automatic alignment found no match.

Verse 5 (8.63.5)

मामकाः किमकुर्वन्त तन्ममाचक्ष्व सञ्जय ॥

māmakāḥ kimakurvanta tanmamācakṣva sañjaya

What did my men do? Tell me that, Sanjaya.

Note on the text: A single line on the page (8-63-5a only), kept as printed. It is a variant of CE 8.44.2c (kim akurvanta kuravas tan mamācakṣva saṃjaya; Wikisource मामकाः for kuravaḥ), which the automatic alignment left unmatched.

Verse 6 (8.63.6)

दृष्ट्वा भीमं महाबाहुं तव पुत्रः प्रतापवान् । क्रोधरक्तेक्षणो राजन्भीमसेनमभिद्रवत् ॥

dṛṣṭvā bhīmaṃ mahābāhuṃ tava putraḥ pratāpavān | krodharaktekṣaṇo rājanbhīmasenamabhidravat

Seeing the mighty-armed Bhima, your valiant son, his eyes red with anger, rushed at Bhimasena, O king.

Note on the text: Wikisource reads तव पुत्रः (your son) where the CE reads sūtaputraḥ (the Suta's son, Karna); the page's reading is kept.

Verse 7 (8.63.7)

तिष्ठतिष्ठ पृथापुत्र पश्य मेऽद्य पराक्रमम् । अद्य त्वां प्रेषयिष्यामि यमस्य सदनं प्रति । इत्युक्त्वा प्रययौ कर्णो यत्र भीमो व्यवस्थितः ॥

tiṣṭhatiṣṭha pṛthāputra paśya me'dya parākramam | adya tvāṃ preṣayiṣyāmi yamasya sadanaṃ prati | ityuktvā prayayau karṇo yatra bhīmo vyavasthitaḥ

"Stand, stand, son of Pritha, and see my prowess today! Today I shall send you to the abode of Yama." So saying, Karna set out for the place where Bhima stood.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रेषायष्यामि → प्रेषयिष्यामि (misprint in Wikisource; a garbled verb form; the critical edition star line reads preṣayiṣyāmi, "I shall send"). Corrected प्राते → प्रति (misprint in Wikisource; not a word in this context; the star line reads prati). Removed the stray wiki backtick and quote mark. Lines 1–2 = CE star lines 8.44.3d*0597_01–02 (tiṣṭha tiṣṭha pṛthāputra paśya me 'dya parākramam / adya tvāṃ preṣayiṣyāmi yamasya sadanaṃ prati); line 3 is a variant of star line 8.44.3d*0597_03 (ity uktvā prayayau tūrṇaṃ yatra bhīmo vyavasthitaḥ; Wikisource कर्णः for tūrṇam). The words in quotation are Karna's, inside Sanjaya's narration. The automatic alignment found no match.

Verse 8 (8.63.8)

तावकं तु बलं दृष्ट्वा भीमसेनात्पराङ्मुखम् । यत्नेन महता कर्णः पर्यवस्थापयद्बली ॥

tāvakaṃ tu balaṃ dṛṣṭvā bhīmasenātparāṅmukham | yatnena mahatā karṇaḥ paryavasthāpayadbalī

Seeing your army turned away from Bhimasena, the powerful Karna rallied it with great effort.

Verse 9 (8.63.9)

व्यवस्थाप्य महाबाहुस्तव पुत्रस्य वाहिनीम् । प्रत्युद्ययौ तदा कर्णः पाण्डवान्युद्धदुर्मदान् ॥

vyavasthāpya mahābāhustava putrasya vāhinīm | pratyudyayau tadā karṇaḥ pāṇḍavānyuddhadurmadān

Having rallied your son's host, the mighty-armed Karna then advanced against the Pandavas, who were maddened with the fury of battle.

Verse 10 (8.63.10)

प्रत्युद्ययुश्च राधेयं पाण्डवानां महारथाः । धुन्वानाः कार्मुकाण्याजौ विक्षिपन्तश्च सायकान् ॥

pratyudyayuśca rādheyaṃ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahārathāḥ | dhunvānāḥ kārmukāṇyājau vikṣipantaśca sāyakān

The great chariot-warriors of the Pandavas, too, advanced against Radheya, shaking their bows in the battle and loosing arrows.

Verse 11 (8.63.11)

भीमसेनः शिनेर्नप्ता शिखण्डी जनमेजयः । धृष्टद्युम्नश्च बलवान्सर्वे चापि प्रभद्रकाः ॥

bhīmasenaḥ śinernaptā śikhaṇḍī janamejayaḥ | dhṛṣṭadyumnaśca balavānsarve cāpi prabhadrakāḥ

Bhimasena, the grandson of Shini, Shikhandi, Janamejaya, the mighty Dhrishtadyumna, and all the Prabhadrakas,

Verse 12 (8.63.12)

पाञ्चालानां नरव्याघ्राः समन्तात्तव वाहिनीम् । अभ्यद्रवन्त सङ्क्रुद्धाः समरे जितकाशिनः ॥

pāñcālānāṃ naravyāghrāḥ samantāttava vāhinīm | abhyadravanta saṅkruddhāḥ samare jitakāśinaḥ

and the Panchalas, those tigers among men, exulting in their victories, rushed in fury from every side at your army.

Note on the text: Corrected समन्तात्त्व → समन्तात्तव (misprint in Wikisource; a garbled conjunct; the critical edition reads samantāt tava).

Verse 13 (8.63.13)

तथैव तावका राजन्पाण्डवानामनीकिनीम् । अभ्यद्रवन्त त्वरिता जिघांसन्तो महारथान् ॥

tathaiva tāvakā rājanpāṇḍavānāmanīkinīm | abhyadravanta tvaritā jighāṃsanto mahārathān

In the same way, O king, your warriors too rushed in haste at the Pandava host, wishing to slay its great chariot-warriors.

Verse 14 (8.63.14)

रथनागाश्वकलिलं पत्तिध्वजसमाकुलम् । बभूव पुरुषव्याघ्र सैन्यमद्भुतदर्शनम् ॥

rathanāgāśvakalilaṃ pattidhvajasamākulam | babhūva puruṣavyāghra sainyamadbhutadarśanam

That army, crowded with chariots, elephants and horses and thronged with foot-soldiers and banners, became a wondrous sight, O tiger among men.

Verse 15 (8.63.15)

शिखण्डी तु ययौ कर्णं धृष्टद्युम्नः सुतं तव । दुःशासनं महाराज महासेनः समभ्ययात् ॥

śikhaṇḍī tu yayau karṇaṃ dhṛṣṭadyumnaḥ sutaṃ tava | duḥśāsanaṃ mahārāja mahāsenaḥ samabhyayāt

Shikhandi went against Karna, and Dhrishtadyumna, O great king, with his great army, advanced against your son Duhshasana.

Note on the text: Line 2 (दुःशासनं महाराज महासेनः समभ्ययात्) is a recension variant of CE 8.44.11c (duḥśāsanaṃ mahārāja mahatyā senayā vṛtam), kept.

Verse 16 (8.63.16)

नकुलो वृषसेनं तु चित्रसेनं युधिष्ठिरः । उलूकं समरे राजन्सहदेवः समभ्ययात् ॥

nakulo vṛṣasenaṃ tu citrasenaṃ yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | ulūkaṃ samare rājansahadevaḥ samabhyayāt

Nakula went against Vrishasena, Yudhishthira against Chitrasena, and Sahadeva, O king, against Uluka in the battle.

Verse 17 (8.63.17)

सात्यकिः शकुनिं चापि द्रौपदेयाश्च कौरवान् । अर्जुनं च रणे यत्तो द्रोणपुत्रो महारथः ॥

sātyakiḥ śakuniṃ cāpi draupadeyāśca kauravān | arjunaṃ ca raṇe yatto droṇaputro mahārathaḥ

Satyaki went against Shakuni, the sons of Draupadi against the Kauravas, and Drona's son, the great chariot-warrior, eagerly against Arjuna in the battle.

Note on the text: Line 1 is a recension variant of CE 8.44.13a (sātyakiḥ śakuniṃ cāpi bhīmasenaś ca kauravān); Wikisource द्रौपदेयाश्च for bhīmasenaś ca. Kept.

Verse 18 (8.63.18)

युधामन्युं महेष्वासं गौतमोऽभ्यपतद्रणे । कृतवर्मा च बलवानुत्तमौजसमाद्रवत् ॥

yudhāmanyuṃ maheṣvāsaṃ gautamo'bhyapatadraṇe | kṛtavarmā ca balavānuttamaujasamādravat

Gautama (Kripa) fell upon the great archer Yudhamanyu in the battle, and the mighty Kritavarma rushed at Uttamauja.

Verse 19 (8.63.19)

भीमसेनः कुरून्सर्वान्पुत्रांश्च तव मारिष । सहानीकान्महाबाहुरेक एव न्यवारयत् ॥

bhīmasenaḥ kurūnsarvānputrāṃśca tava māriṣa | sahānīkānmahābāhureka eva nyavārayat

Bhimasena, mighty-armed, O venerable one, held back all the Kurus and your sons together with their forces, all by himself.

Verse 20 (8.63.20)

शिखण्डी तु ततः कर्णं विचरन्तमभीतवत् । भीष्महन्ता महाराज वारयामास पत्रिभिः ॥

śikhaṇḍī tu tataḥ karṇaṃ vicarantamabhītavat | bhīṣmahantā mahārāja vārayāmāsa patribhiḥ

Then Shikhandi, the slayer of Bhishma, O great king, checked Karna with arrows as he ranged about fearlessly.

Verse 21 (8.63.21)

प्रतिरुद्धस्ततः कर्णो रोपात्प्रस्फुरिताधरः । शिखण्डिनं त्रिभिर्बाणैर्भ्रुवोर्मध्येऽभ्यताडयत् ॥

pratiruddhastataḥ karṇo ropātprasphuritādharaḥ | śikhaṇḍinaṃ tribhirbāṇairbhruvormadhye'bhyatāḍayat

Checked, Karna, his lips quivering with rage, struck Shikhandi between the brows with three arrows.

Verse 22 (8.63.22)

धारयंस्तु स तान्वाणाञ्शिखण्डी बह्वशोभत । राजतः पर्वतो यद्वत्त्रिभिः शृङ्गैः समन्वितः ॥

dhārayaṃstu sa tānvāṇāñśikhaṇḍī bahvaśobhata | rājataḥ parvato yadvattribhiḥ śṛṅgaiḥ samanvitaḥ

Bearing those arrows, Shikhandi shone brightly, like a silver mountain with three peaks.

Verse 23 (8.63.23)

सोऽतिविद्धो महेष्वासः सूतपुत्रेण संयुगे । कर्णं विव्याध समरे नवत्या निशितैः शरैः ॥

so'tividdho maheṣvāsaḥ sūtaputreṇa saṃyuge | karṇaṃ vivyādha samare navatyā niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ

Sorely pierced in the battle by the Suta's son, the great archer pierced Karna with ninety sharp arrows.

Verse 24 (8.63.24)

तस्य कर्णो हयान्हत्वा सारथिं च शरैः । उन्ममाथ ध्वजं चास्य क्षुरप्रेण महारथः ॥

tasya karṇo hayānhatvā sārathiṃ ca śaraiḥ | unmamātha dhvajaṃ cāsya kṣurapreṇa mahārathaḥ

Karna killed his horses and his charioteer with arrows, and the great warrior tore down his banner with a razor-headed arrow.

Verse 25 (8.63.25)

हताश्वात्तु ततो यानादवप्लुत्य महारथः । शक्तिं चिक्षेप कर्णाय सङ्क्रुद्धः शत्रुतापनः ॥

hatāśvāttu tato yānādavaplutya mahārathaḥ | śaktiṃ cikṣepa karṇāya saṅkruddhaḥ śatrutāpanaḥ

With his horses slain, that great warrior, scorcher of foes, leapt down from his chariot and, in fury, hurled a spear at Karna.

Verse 26 (8.63.26)

तां छित्त्वा समरे कर्णस्त्रिभिर्भारत सायकैः । शिखण्डिनमथाविध्यन्नवभिर्निशितैः शरैः ॥

tāṃ chittvā samare karṇastribhirbhārata sāyakaiḥ | śikhaṇḍinamathāvidhyannavabhirniśitaiḥ śaraiḥ

Karna cut it down in the battle with three arrows, O Bharata, and then pierced Shikhandi with nine sharp arrows.

Verse 27 (8.63.27)

कर्णचापच्युतान्बाणान्वर्जयंस्तु नरोत्तमः । अपयातस्ततस्तूर्णं शिखण्डी भृशविक्षतः ॥

karṇacāpacyutānbāṇānvarjayaṃstu narottamaḥ | apayātastatastūrṇaṃ śikhaṇḍī bhṛśavikṣataḥ

Avoiding the arrows loosed from Karna's bow, Shikhandi, that best of men, grievously wounded, quickly withdrew.

Note on the text: Line 2 is a recension variant of CE 8.44.23c (apayātas tatas tūrṇaṃ śikhaṇḍī jayatāṃ varaḥ; Wikisource भृशविक्षतः for jayatāṃ varaḥ), kept.

Verse 28 (8.63.28)

ततः कर्णो महाराज पाण्डुसैन्यान्यशातयत् । तूलराशिं समासाद्य यथा वायुर्महाबलः ॥

tataḥ karṇo mahārāja pāṇḍusainyānyaśātayat | tūlarāśiṃ samāsādya yathā vāyurmahābalaḥ

Then Karna, O great king, scattered the Pandava armies, as a mighty wind scatters a heap of cotton.

Verse 29 (8.63.29)

धृष्टद्युम्नो महाराज तव पुत्रेण पीडितः । दुःशासनं त्रिभिर्बाणैः प्रत्यविध्यत्स्तनान्तरे ॥

dhṛṣṭadyumno mahārāja tava putreṇa pīḍitaḥ | duḥśāsanaṃ tribhirbāṇaiḥ pratyavidhyatstanāntare

Dhrishtadyumna, O great king, pained by your son, pierced Duhshasana in the chest with three arrows.

Verse 30 (8.63.30)

तस्य दुःशासनो बाहुं सव्यं विव्याध मारिष । स तेन रुक्मपुङ्खेन भल्लेन नतपर्वणा ॥

tasya duḥśāsano bāhuṃ savyaṃ vivyādha māriṣa | sa tena rukmapuṅkhena bhallena nataparvaṇā

Duhshasana, in turn, O venerable one, pierced his left arm with a gold-feathered, straight-jointed bhalla arrow.

Verse 31 (8.63.31)

धृष्टद्युम्नस्तु निर्विद्धः शरं घोरममर्षणः । दुःशासनाय सङ्क्रुद्धः प्रेषयामास भारत ॥

dhṛṣṭadyumnastu nirviddhaḥ śaraṃ ghoramamarṣaṇaḥ | duḥśāsanāya saṅkruddhaḥ preṣayāmāsa bhārata

Pierced, the impatient Dhrishtadyumna, enraged, sent a terrible arrow at Duhshasana, O Bharata.

Verse 32 (8.63.32)

आपतन्तं महावेगं धृष्टद्युम्नसमीरितम् । शरैश्चिच्छेद पुत्रस्ते त्रिभिरेव विशाम्पते ॥

āpatantaṃ mahāvegaṃ dhṛṣṭadyumnasamīritam | śaraiściccheda putraste tribhireva viśāmpate

As that arrow, loosed by Dhrishtadyumna, came on with great speed, your son cut it down with just three arrows, O lord of the people.

Verse 33 (8.63.33)

अथापरैः षोडशभिर्भल्लैः कनकभूषणैः । धृष्टद्युम्नं समासाद्य बाह्वोरुरसि चार्पयत् ॥

athāparaiḥ ṣoḍaśabhirbhallaiḥ kanakabhūṣaṇaiḥ | dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ samāsādya bāhvorurasi cārpayat

Then with sixteen other bhallas adorned with gold he drew near Dhrishtadyumna and struck his arms and chest.

Note on the text: Wikisource has sixteen (षोडशभिः) where the CE has seventeen (saptadaśaiḥ); a recension variant, kept.

Verse 34 (8.63.34)

ततः स पार्षतः क्रुद्धो धनुश्चिच्छेद मारिष । क्षुरप्रेण सुतीक्ष्णेन तत उच्चुक्रुशुर्जनाः ॥

tataḥ sa pārṣataḥ kruddho dhanuściccheda māriṣa | kṣurapreṇa sutīkṣṇena tata uccukruśurjanāḥ

Then the enraged Parshata (Dhrishtadyumna), O venerable one, cut Duhshasana's bow with a very sharp razor-headed arrow, and the people cried out.

Verse 35 (8.63.35)

अथान्यद्धनुरादाय पुत्रस्ते प्रहसन्निव । धृष्टद्युम्नं शरव्रातैः समन्तात्पर्यवारयत् ॥

athānyaddhanurādāya putraste prahasanniva | dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ śaravrātaiḥ samantātparyavārayat

Then your son took up another bow and, as if smiling, surrounded Dhrishtadyumna on every side with showers of arrows.

Verse 36 (8.63.36)

तव पुत्रस्य ते दृष्ट्वा विक्रमं सुमहात्मनः । व्यस्मयन्त रणे योधाः सिद्धाश्चाप्सरसस्तथा ॥

tava putrasya te dṛṣṭvā vikramaṃ sumahātmanaḥ | vyasmayanta raṇe yodhāḥ siddhāścāpsarasastathā

Seeing the prowess of your high-souled son, the warriors in the battle, and the Siddhas and the Apsarases, were amazed.

Verse 37 (8.63.37)

धृष्टद्युम्नं तु पश्याम घटमानं महाबलम् । दुःशासनेन संरुद्धं सिंहेनेव महागजम् ॥

dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ tu paśyāma ghaṭamānaṃ mahābalam | duḥśāsanena saṃruddhaṃ siṃheneva mahāgajam

We saw the mighty Dhrishtadyumna struggling on, hemmed in by Duhshasana like a great elephant by a lion.

Note on the text: Lines = CE star lines 8.44.32d*0601_01–02 (dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ na paśyāma ghaṭamānaṃ mahābalam / duḥśāsanena saṃruddhaṃ siṃheneva mahāgajam). Wikisource reads तु पश्याम ("we saw") where the star line reads na paśyāma ("we did not see"); the page's reading is good Sanskrit and is kept. The automatic alignment found no match.