The Clash of the Banners and Arjuna's Vow

Verse 1 (8.93.1)

रथौ तयोः श्वेतहयौ दिव्यौ युक्तौ महास्वनौ । समास्थितौ लोकवीरौ शङ्खान्दध्मुः पृथक्पृथक् । वासुदेवार्जुनौ वीरौ कर्णशल्यौ च भारत ॥

rathau tayoḥ śvetahayau divyau yuktau mahāsvanau | samāsthitau lokavīrau śaṅkhāndadhmuḥ pṛthakpṛthak | vāsudevārjunau vīrau karṇaśalyau ca bhārata

Their two chariots were white-horsed, divine, yoked and loud-sounding. Mounted on them, the heroes of the world — Vasudeva and Arjuna, and Karna and Shalya, O Bharata — each blew his conch.

Note on the text: Corrected पृथक्पृथकम् → पृथक्पृथक् (misprint in Wikisource; stray म् added; the critical edition reads pṛthak pṛthak). Line 1 corresponds to CE 8.63.61e, line 2 to 62a, line 3 to 62c (the alignment left 8.63.62 unmatched).

Verse 2 (8.93.2)

तद्भीरुसन्त्रासकरं युद्धं समभवत्तदा । अन्योन्यस्पर्धिनोरुग्रं शक्रशम्बरयोरिव ॥

tadbhīrusantrāsakaraṃ yuddhaṃ samabhavattadā | anyonyaspardhinorugraṃ śakraśambarayoriva

Then a battle began that struck terror into the timid, fierce as the contest of two mutual rivals, like that of Shakra and Shambara.

Note on the text: Corrected अन्योन्यस्पांधेनोरुग्रं → अन्योन्यस्पर्धिनोरुग्रं (misprint in Wikisource; a garbled word; the critical edition reads anyonyaspardhinor, "of two rivals").

Verse 3 (8.93.3)

तयोर्ध्वजौ हि विमलौ शुशुभाते रथे स्थितौ । राहुकेतू यथाऽऽकाशे उदितौ जगतः क्षये ॥

tayordhvajau hi vimalau śuśubhāte rathe sthitau | rāhuketū yathā''kāśe uditau jagataḥ kṣaye

Their spotless banners, standing on the chariots, shone like Rahu and Ketu risen in the sky at the destruction of the world.

Note on the text: Corresponds to CE 8.63.64a (varied) and to the star passage 8.63.64b*1006_01.

Verse 4 (8.93.4)

कर्णस्याशीविषनिभा रत्नसारमयी दृढा । पुरन्दरधनुः प्रख्या हस्तिकक्ष्या विराजते ॥

karṇasyāśīviṣanibhā ratnasāramayī dṛḍhā | purandaradhanuḥ prakhyā hastikakṣyā virājate

Karna's elephant-rope, like a venomous snake, strong and made of the finest jewels, shone like the bow of Purandara (Indra).

Note on the text: Corrected दृढ़ा → दृढा (misprint in Wikisource; the nukta-bearing ढ़ is a typographical slip; the critical edition reads dṛḍhā).

Verse 5 (8.93.5)

कपिश्रेष्ठस्तु पार्थस्य व्यादितास्य इवान्तकः । दंष्ट्राभिर्भीषयन्भाभिर्दुर्निरीक्ष्यो रविर्यथा ॥

kapiśreṣṭhastu pārthasya vyāditāsya ivāntakaḥ | daṃṣṭrābhirbhīṣayanbhābhirdurnirīkṣyo raviryathā

The best of monkeys on Partha's banner, mouth agape like Death himself, terrifying with his fangs, was as hard to look at as the sun with its rays.

Note on the text: Corresponds to CE 8.63.66a and 66c (varied).

Verse 6 (8.93.6)

युद्धाभिलाषुको भूत्वा ध्वजो गाण्डीवधन्वनः । कर्णध्वजमुपातिष्ठत्स्वस्थानाद्वेगवान्कपिः ॥

yuddhābhilāṣuko bhūtvā dhvajo gāṇḍīvadhanvanaḥ | karṇadhvajamupātiṣṭhatsvasthānādvegavānkapiḥ

Eager for battle, the monkey on the banner of the Gandiva-bearer sprang swiftly from his place to Karna's banner.

Verse 7 (8.93.7)

उत्पत्य च महावेगः कक्ष्यामभ्याहनत्तदा । नखैश्च दशनैश्चैव गरुडः पन्नगं यथा ॥

utpatya ca mahāvegaḥ kakṣyāmabhyāhanattadā | nakhaiśca daśanaiścaiva garuḍaḥ pannagaṃ yathā

And leaping with great speed, he struck the rope with his nails and teeth, as Garuda strikes a serpent.

Verse 8 (8.93.8)

सा किङ्किणीकाभरणा कालपाशोपमा तदा । अभ्यद्रवत्सुसंरब्धा हस्तिकक्ष्याऽथ तं कपिम् ॥

sā kiṅkiṇīkābharaṇā kālapāśopamā tadā | abhyadravatsusaṃrabdhā hastikakṣyā'tha taṃ kapim

Then the elephant-rope, hung with little bells, like the noose of Time, rushed in fury at that monkey.

Note on the text: Line 2 differs from CE 8.63.69c (abhyadravat susaṃkruddhā nāgakakṣyā mahākapim).

Verse 9 (8.93.9)

तयोर्घोरतरे युद्धे द्वैरथे द्यूत आहिते । प्राकुर्वतां ध्वजौ युद्धं पूर्वं पूर्वतरं तदा ॥

tayorghoratare yuddhe dvairathe dyūta āhite | prākurvatāṃ dhvajau yuddhaṃ pūrvaṃ pūrvataraṃ tadā

In that fiercer fight, a chariot duel with the stake laid down, the two banners fought, each fiercer than before.

Note on the text: Corresponds to CE 8.63.70 (varied; the page's footnote records the variant द्यत आह्वये in some manuscripts).

Verse 10 (8.93.10)

हया हयानभ्यहेषन्स्पर्धमानाः परस्परम् । अविध्यत्पुण्डरीकाक्षः शल्यं नयनसायकैः । शल्यश्च पुण्डरीकाक्षं तथैवाभिसमैक्षत ॥

hayā hayānabhyaheṣanspardhamānāḥ parasparam | avidhyatpuṇḍarīkākṣaḥ śalyaṃ nayanasāyakaiḥ | śalyaśca puṇḍarīkākṣaṃ tathaivābhisamaikṣata

The horses neighed at one another, vying together; the lotus-eyed Krishna pierced Shalya with arrow-like glances, and Shalya looked back at the lotus-eyed one in the same way.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the star passage 8.63.70d*1007_01; line 2 is CE 8.63.71a; line 3 corresponds to 71c.

Verse 11 (8.93.11)

तत्राजयद्वासुदेवः शल्यं नयनसायकैः । कर्णं चाप्यजयदृष्ट्या कुन्तीपुत्रो धनञ्जयः ॥

tatrājayadvāsudevaḥ śalyaṃ nayanasāyakaiḥ | karṇaṃ cāpyajayadṛṣṭyā kuntīputro dhanañjayaḥ

There Vasudeva prevailed over Shalya with his arrow-like glances, and Dhananjaya, Kunti's son, prevailed over Karna with his gaze.

Verse 12 (8.93.12)

अथाब्रवीत्सूतपुत्रः शल्यमाभाष्य सस्मितम् ॥

athābravītsūtaputraḥ śalyamābhāṣya sasmitam

Then the charioteer's son, addressing Shalya with a smile, said:

Note on the text: Corrected अयाब्रवीत् → अथाब्रवीत् (misprint in Wikisource; य for थ; the critical edition reads athābravīt). A one-line verse as printed (8-93-12a); it is CE 8.63.73a. The CE's star line 73b*1008_01 (uvāca praṇayād rājan sāmapūrvam idaṃ vacaḥ) is not in this text, and the next verse goes on without it.

Verse 13 (8.93.13)

यदि पार्थो रणे हन्यादद्य मामिह कर्हिचित् । किं करिष्यसि सङ्ग्रामे शल्य सत्यमथोच्यताम् ॥

yadi pārtho raṇe hanyādadya māmiha karhicit | kiṃ kariṣyasi saṅgrāme śalya satyamathocyatām

"If Partha should strike me down in battle today, at any time, what will you do in the fight, Shalya? Tell me the truth."

Note on the text: Corrected सङ्घामे → सङ्ग्रामे (misprint in Wikisource; ग्र broken to घ; the critical edition reads saṃgrāme). Corresponds to CE 8.63.73c and 73e (varied). Speech of Karna; the page prints no heading before it (the next verse carries Shalya's).

Verse 14 (8.93.14)

यदि कर्ण रणे हन्यादद्य त्वां श्वेतवाहनः । उभावेकरथेनाहं हन्यां माधवपाण्डवौ ॥

yadi karṇa raṇe hanyādadya tvāṃ śvetavāhanaḥ | ubhāvekarathenāhaṃ hanyāṃ mādhavapāṇḍavau

"If the white-horsed one should strike you down in battle today, Karna, I shall kill both Madhava and the Pandava with a single chariot."

Note on the text: Corrected उभावेकरयेनाहं → उभावेकरथेनाहं (misprint in Wikisource; य for थ; the critical edition reads ekarathenāham). Speech of Shalya, under the page's heading शल्य उवाच.

Verse 15 (8.93.15)

एवमेव तु गोविन्दमर्जुनः प्रत्यभाषत । तं प्रहस्याब्रवीत्कृष्णः पार्थं परमिदं वचः ॥

evameva tu govindamarjunaḥ pratyabhāṣata | taṃ prahasyābravītkṛṣṇaḥ pārthaṃ paramidaṃ vacaḥ

In just the same way Arjuna spoke to Govinda; and Krishna, laughing, said these weighty words to Partha:

Verse 16 (8.93.16)

पतेद्दिवाकरः स्थानाच्छीर्येद्भूमिरनेकधा । शैत्यमग्निरियान्न त्वां हन्यात्कर्णो धनञ्जय ॥

pateddivākaraḥ sthānācchīryedbhūmiranekadhā | śaityamagniriyānna tvāṃ hanyātkarṇo dhanañjaya

"The sun might fall from its place, the earth might split into many pieces, fire might turn cold, but Karna could not kill you, Dhananjaya.

Note on the text: Corrected शैल्यमग्निरियान्न त्वां हन्यात्कार्णो धनञ्जय → शैत्यमग्निरियान्न त्वां हन्यात्कर्णो धनञ्जय (misprint in Wikisource; ल for त in शैत्य, "cold", and कार्ण for कर्ण; the critical edition reads śaityam agnir iyān na tvā karṇo hanyād dhanaṃjayam). Corresponds to CE 8.63.76. Speech of Krishna (Vasudeva); the page prints no heading.

Verse 17 (8.93.17)

यदि चैतत्कथञ्चित्स्याल्लोकपर्यसनं भवेत् । हन्यां कर्णं तथा शल्यं बाहुभ्यामेव संयुगे ॥

yadi caitatkathañcitsyāllokaparyasanaṃ bhavet | hanyāṃ karṇaṃ tathā śalyaṃ bāhubhyāmeva saṃyuge

But if somehow such a ruin of the worlds were to come about, I would kill Karna and Shalya both with my bare arms in the battle."

Note on the text: Speech of Krishna (Vasudeva); the page prints no heading.

Verse 18 (8.93.18)

इति कृष्णवचः श्रुत्वा प्रहसन्कपिकेतनः । अर्जुनः प्रत्युवाचेदं कृष्णमक्लिष्टकारिणम् ॥

iti kṛṣṇavacaḥ śrutvā prahasankapiketanaḥ | arjunaḥ pratyuvācedaṃ kṛṣṇamakliṣṭakāriṇam

Hearing Krishna's words, the monkey-bannered Arjuna laughed and answered Krishna, whose deeds are done without strain:

Note on the text: Corresponds to CE 8.63.78a and 78c (varied).

Verse 19 (8.93.19)

मम तावदपर्याप्तौ कर्णशल्यौ जनार्दन । सपताकध्वजं कर्णं सशल्यरथवाजिनम् ॥

mama tāvadaparyāptau karṇaśalyau janārdana | sapatākadhvajaṃ karṇaṃ saśalyarathavājinam

"To me, Janardana, Karna and Shalya are no match. You will see Karna, with his banner and pennons, with Shalya and the horses of his chariot,

Note on the text: Corresponds to CE 8.63.78e (varied) and 79a. Speech of Arjuna; the page prints no heading.

Verse 20 (8.93.20)

सच्छत्रकवचं चैव सशक्तिशरकार्मुकम् । द्रष्टाऽस्यद्य रणे कृष्ण शरैश्छिन्नमनेकधा ॥

sacchatrakavacaṃ caiva saśaktiśarakārmukam | draṣṭā'syadya raṇe kṛṣṇa śaraiśchinnamanekadhā

with his parasol and armour, with his spear, arrows and bow, cut to pieces by my arrows in the battle today, Krishna.

Note on the text: Corresponds to CE 8.63.79c and 80a. Speech of Arjuna; the page prints no heading.

Verse 21 (8.93.21)

अद्यैव सरथं साश्वं सशक्तिकवचायुधम् । सञ्चूर्णितमिवारण्ये वृक्षं पश्याद्य दन्तिना ॥

adyaiva sarathaṃ sāśvaṃ saśaktikavacāyudham | sañcūrṇitamivāraṇye vṛkṣaṃ paśyādya dantinā

This very day you will see him, with his chariot and horses, with his spear, armour and weapons, crushed like a tree in the forest by an elephant.

Note on the text: Corresponds to CE 8.63.80c and the star passage 8.63.80d*1010_01. Speech of Arjuna; the page prints no heading.

Verse 22 (8.93.22)

अद्य राधेयभार्याणां वैधव्यं समुपस्थितम् । ध्रुवं स्वप्नेष्वनिष्टानि ताभिर्दृष्टानि माधव ॥

adya rādheyabhāryāṇāṃ vaidhavyaṃ samupasthitam | dhruvaṃ svapneṣvaniṣṭāni tābhirdṛṣṭāni mādhava

Today widowhood has come upon the wives of Radheya's son. Surely, Madhava, they have seen ill omens in their dreams.

Note on the text: Not in the CE's constituted text; it is the star passage 8.63.80d*1010_02–03. Speech of Arjuna; the page prints no heading.

Verse 23 (8.93.23)

द्रष्टासि ध्रुवमद्यैव विधवाः कर्णयोषितः । न हि मे शाम्यते मन्युर्यदनेन पुरा कृतम् ॥

draṣṭāsi dhruvamadyaiva vidhavāḥ karṇayoṣitaḥ | na hi me śāmyate manyuryadanena purā kṛtam

This very day you will surely see Karna's women widowed. My anger is not appeased for what he did long ago —

Note on the text: Line 1 is the star passage 8.63.80d*1010_04; line 2 corresponds to CE 8.63.80e. Speech of Arjuna; the page prints no heading.

Verse 24 (8.93.24)

कृष्णां सभागतां दृष्ट्वा मूढेनादीर्घदर्शिना । अस्मांस्तथाऽवहसता क्षिपता च पुनःपुनः ॥

kṛṣṇāṃ sabhāgatāṃ dṛṣṭvā mūḍhenādīrghadarśinā | asmāṃstathā'vahasatā kṣipatā ca punaḥpunaḥ

when he saw Draupadi brought into the assembly, that fool who looks not far ahead, who laughed at us then and taunted us again and again.

Note on the text: Not in the CE's constituted text; it is the star passage 8.63.80f*1011_01–02. Speech of Arjuna; the page prints no heading.

Verse 25 (8.93.25)

अद्य द्रष्टासि गोविन्द कर्णमुन्मथितं मया । वारणेनेव मत्तेन पुष्पितं जगतीरुहम् ॥

adya draṣṭāsi govinda karṇamunmathitaṃ mayā | vāraṇeneva mattena puṣpitaṃ jagatīruham

"Today, Govinda, you will see Karna torn up by me, like a flowering tree uprooted by a rutting elephant.

Note on the text: Corrected गजतीरुहम् → जगतीरुहम् (misprint in Wikisource; ज and ग transposed; जगतीरुह, "tree", is meant, and the critical edition reads jagatīruham). Speech of Arjuna; the page prints no heading.

Verse 26 (8.93.26)

अद्य ता मधुरा वाचः श्रोतासि मधुसूदन । दिष्ट्या जयसि वार्ष्णेय इति कर्णे निपातिते ॥

adya tā madhurā vācaḥ śrotāsi madhusūdana | diṣṭyā jayasi vārṣṇeya iti karṇe nipātite

Today, Madhusudana, you will hear those sweet words — "By good fortune you have won, son of Vrishni!" — when Karna has been struck down.

Note on the text: Line 1 is CE 8.63.82a; line 2 corresponds to the star passage 8.63.82b*1012_01. Speech of Arjuna; the page prints no heading.

Verse 27 (8.93.27)

अद्याभिमन्युजननीं प्रहृष्टः सांत्वयिष्यसि । कुन्तीं पितृष्वसारं च प्रहृष्टः सन् जनार्दन ॥

adyābhimanyujananīṃ prahṛṣṭaḥ sāṃtvayiṣyasi | kuntīṃ pitṛṣvasāraṃ ca prahṛṣṭaḥ san janārdana

Today, Janardana, you will console Abhimanyu's mother in your joy, and Kunti, your father's sister, rejoicing.

Note on the text: Corresponds to CE 8.63.82c and 82e (varied). Speech of Arjuna; the page prints no heading.

Verse 28 (8.93.28)

अद्य बाष्पमुखीं कृष्णां सान्त्वयिष्यसि माधव । वाग्भिश्चामृतकल्पाभिर्धर्मराजं च पाण्डवम् ॥

adya bāṣpamukhīṃ kṛṣṇāṃ sāntvayiṣyasi mādhava | vāgbhiścāmṛtakalpābhirdharmarājaṃ ca pāṇḍavam

Today, Madhava, you will console tearful Draupadi, and the Pandava king of dharma, with words like nectar."

Note on the text: Speech of Arjuna; the page prints no heading. The page's last row also carries a stray cross-reference label (८७.११७) beside 8-93-28b, which is not text.