Karna at the Svayamvara of the Kalinga Princess

Verse 1 (12.4.1)

कर्णस्तु समवाप्यैवमस्त्रं भार्गवनन्दनात् । दुर्योधनेन सहितो मुमुदे भरतर्षभ ॥

karṇastu samavāpyaivamastraṃ bhārgavanandanāt | duryodhanena sahito mumude bharatarṣabha

Karna, having gained the weapon in this way from the Bhargava's son, delighted in Duryodhana's company, O bull of the Bharatas.

Verse 2 (12.4.2)

ततः कदाचिद्राजानः समाजग्मुः स्वयंवरे । कलिङ्गविषये राजन्राज्ञश्चित्राङ्गदस्य च ॥

tataḥ kadācidrājānaḥ samājagmuḥ svayaṃvare | kaliṅgaviṣaye rājanrājñaścitrāṅgadasya ca

Then once, O king, kings gathered at a svayamvara in the country of Kalinga, the land of King Chitrangada.

Note on the text: Corrected कदाचिदाजातः → कदाचिद्राजानः (misprint in Wikisource; कदाचिदाजातः is not a word in context and leaves समाजग्मुः without a subject; the critical edition reads tataḥ kadā cid rājānaḥ samājagmuḥ).

Verse 3 (12.4.3)

श्रीमद्राजपुरं नाम नगरं तत्र भारत । राजानः शतशस्तत्र कन्यार्थे समुपागमन् ॥

śrīmadrājapuraṃ nāma nagaraṃ tatra bhārata | rājānaḥ śataśastatra kanyārthe samupāgaman

There is a splendid city named Rajapura, O Bharata; there kings came in their hundreds for the sake of the maiden.

Verse 4 (12.4.4)

श्रुत्वा दुर्योधनस्तत्र समेतान्सर्वपार्थिवान् । रथेन काञ्चनाङ्गेन कर्णेन सहितो ययौ ॥

śrutvā duryodhanastatra sametānsarvapārthivān | rathena kāñcanāṅgena karṇena sahito yayau

Hearing that all the kings had gathered there, Duryodhana went in a golden-limbed chariot, together with Karna.

Verse 5 (12.4.5)

ततः स्वयंवरे तस्मिन्नानादेश्या महारथाः । समाजग्मुर्नृपतयः कन्यार्थे नृपसत्तम ॥

tataḥ svayaṃvare tasminnānādeśyā mahārathāḥ | samājagmurnṛpatayaḥ kanyārthe nṛpasattama

Then at that svayamvara, great chariot-warriors, kings from many lands, came together for the sake of the maiden, best of kings.

Note on the text: Wikisource ततः स्वयंवरे तस्मिन्नानादेश्या महारथाः । समाजग्मुः against CE tataḥ svayaṃvare tasmin saṃpravṛtte mahotsave / samāpetuḥ is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 6 (12.4.6)

शिशुपालो जरासन्धो भीष्मको वक्र एव च । कपोतरोमा नीलश्च रुक्मी च दृढविक्रमः ॥

śiśupālo jarāsandho bhīṣmako vakra eva ca | kapotaromā nīlaśca rukmī ca dṛḍhavikramaḥ

Shishupala, Jarasandha, Bhishmaka and Vakra, Kapotaroma, Nila, and Rukmi of firm prowess,

Verse 7 (12.4.7)

सृगालश्च महाराजः स्त्रीराज्याधिपतिश्च यः । विशोकः शतधन्वा च भोजो वीरश्च नामतः ॥

sṛgālaśca mahārājaḥ strīrājyādhipatiśca yaḥ | viśokaḥ śatadhanvā ca bhojo vīraśca nāmataḥ

Srigala, the great king, and he who was lord of the realm of women, Vishoka, Shatadhanva, and Bhoja and Vira by name,

Verse 8 (12.4.8)

एते चान्ये च बहवो दक्षिणां दिशमाश्रिताः । म्लेच्छाश्चार्याश्च राजानः प्राच्योदीच्यास्तथैव च ॥

ete cānye ca bahavo dakṣiṇāṃ diśamāśritāḥ | mlecchāścāryāśca rājānaḥ prācyodīcyāstathaiva ca

these and many others who lived in the southern region, and kings of the mlecchas and of the aryas, from the east and the north likewise,

Verse 9 (12.4.9)

काञ्चनाङ्गदिनः सर्वे शुद्धजाम्बूनदप्रभाः । सर्वे भास्वरदेहाश्च व्याघ्रा इव बलोत्कटाः ॥

kāñcanāṅgadinaḥ sarve śuddhajāmbūnadaprabhāḥ | sarve bhāsvaradehāśca vyāghrā iva balotkaṭāḥ

all wearing golden armlets, bright as pure Jambunada gold, all with shining bodies, and mighty as tigers in strength.

Verse 10 (12.4.10)

ततः समुपविष्टेषु तेषु राजसु भारत । विवेश रङ्गं सा कन्या धात्रीवर्षवरान्विता ॥

tataḥ samupaviṣṭeṣu teṣu rājasu bhārata | viveśa raṅgaṃ sā kanyā dhātrīvarṣavarānvitā

Then, O Bharata, when those kings had taken their seats, the maiden entered the arena, accompanied by her nurse and a eunuch.

Verse 11 (12.4.11)

ततः संश्राव्यमाणेषु राज्ञां नामसु भारत । अत्यक्रामद्धार्तराष्ट्रं सा कन्या वरवर्णिनी ॥

tataḥ saṃśrāvyamāṇeṣu rājñāṃ nāmasu bhārata | atyakrāmaddhārtarāṣṭraṃ sā kanyā varavarṇinī

Then, O Bharata, as the names of the kings were being proclaimed, that fair maiden passed by Dhritarashtra's son.

Verse 12 (12.4.12)

दुर्योधनस्तु कौरव्यो नामर्षयत लङ्घनम् । प्रत्यपेधच्च तां कन्यामसत्कृत्य नराधिपान् ॥

duryodhanastu kauravyo nāmarṣayata laṅghanam | pratyapedhacca tāṃ kanyāmasatkṛtya narādhipān

Duryodhana, the Kuru prince, could not bear the slight; he stopped the girl, slighting the kings,

Verse 13 (12.4.13)

स वीर्यमदमत्तत्वाद्भीष्मद्रोणावुपाश्रितः । रथमारोप्य तां कन्यामाजुहाव नराधिपान् ॥

sa vīryamadamattatvādbhīṣmadroṇāvupāśritaḥ | rathamāropya tāṃ kanyāmājuhāva narādhipān

and, drunk with the pride of his strength and relying on Bhishma and Drona, he lifted the maiden onto his chariot and challenged the kings.

Verse 14 (12.4.14)

तमन्वगाद्रथी खड्गी बद्धगोधाङ्गुलित्रवान् । कर्णः शस्त्रभृतां श्रेष्ठः पृष्ठतः पुरुषर्षभ ॥

tamanvagādrathī khaḍgī baddhagodhāṅgulitravān | karṇaḥ śastrabhṛtāṃ śreṣṭhaḥ pṛṣṭhataḥ puruṣarṣabha

Behind him, O best of men, followed Karna, best of the bearers of weapons, on his chariot, with sword in hand and fingers guarded by a covering of iguana-hide.

Note on the text: Corrected खङ्गी → खड्गी (misprint in Wikisource; ङ् for ड्; the critical edition reads khaḍgī).

Verse 15 (12.4.15)

ततो विमर्दः सुमहान्राज्ञामासीद्युयुत्सताम् । सन्नह्यतां तनुत्राणि रथान्योजयतामपि ॥

tato vimardaḥ sumahānrājñāmāsīdyuyutsatām | sannahyatāṃ tanutrāṇi rathānyojayatāmapi

Then a great tumult arose among the kings, eager to fight, as they put on their armour and yoked their chariots.

Verse 16 (12.4.16)

तेऽभ्यधावन्त संक्रुद्धाः कर्णदुर्योधनावुभौ । शरवर्षाणि मुञ्चन्तो मेघाः पर्वतयोरिव ॥

te'bhyadhāvanta saṃkruddhāḥ karṇaduryodhanāvubhau | śaravarṣāṇi muñcanto meghāḥ parvatayoriva

In fury they rushed at Karna and Duryodhana both, showering arrows like clouds upon two mountains.

Verse 17 (12.4.17)

कर्णस्तेषामापततामेकैकेन शरेण ह । धनूंषि च शरव्रातान्पातयामास भूतले ॥

karṇasteṣāmāpatatāmekaikena śareṇa ha | dhanūṃṣi ca śaravrātānpātayāmāsa bhūtale

As they attacked, Karna brought down to the ground, with a single arrow each, their bows and their sheaves of arrows.

Note on the text: Wikisource कर्णस्तेषामापततामेकैकेन शरेण ह । धनूंषि च शरव्रातान् against CE ekaikena kṣureṇa ha / dhanūṃṣi saśarāvāpāni (footnote variant शिरांसि सशरांश्चापान्) is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 18 (12.4.18)

ततो विधनुषः कांश्चित्कांश्चिदुद्यतकार्मुकान् । कांश्चिदुत्सृजतो बाणान्रथशक्तिगदास्तथा ॥

tato vidhanuṣaḥ kāṃścitkāṃścidudyatakārmukān | kāṃścidutsṛjato bāṇānrathaśaktigadāstathā

Then some he left without bows, some had their bows raised, some were letting fly arrows, chariot-spears and maces,

Verse 19 (12.4.19)

लाघवाद्व्याकुलीकृत्य कर्णः प्रहरतां वरः । हतसूतांश्च भूयिष्ठान्स विजिग्ये नराधिपान् ॥

lāghavādvyākulīkṛtya karṇaḥ praharatāṃ varaḥ | hatasūtāṃśca bhūyiṣṭhānsa vijigye narādhipān

and Karna, best of those who strike, threw them into confusion by his swiftness and defeated those kings, most of whom had their charioteers slain.

Note on the text: Corrected लाघवाव्द्याकुलीकृत्य → लाघवाद्व्याकुलीकृत्य (misprint in Wikisource; the conjunct द्व is printed as व्द; CE lāghavād ākulīkṛtya). Wikisource व्याकुली- for CE ākulī- is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 20 (12.4.20)

ते स्वयं वाहयन्तोऽश्वान्याहि याहीति वादिनः । व्यपेयुस्ते रणं हित्वा राजानो भग्नमानसाः ॥

te svayaṃ vāhayanto'śvānyāhi yāhīti vādinaḥ | vyapeyuste raṇaṃ hitvā rājāno bhagnamānasāḥ

Driving their horses themselves and crying 'Go, go!', those kings with broken spirits quit the fight and fled.

Verse 21 (12.4.21)

दुर्योधनस्तु कर्णेन पाल्यमानोऽभ्ययात्तदा । हृष्टः कन्यामुपादाय नगरं नागसाह्वयम् ॥

duryodhanastu karṇena pālyamāno'bhyayāttadā | hṛṣṭaḥ kanyāmupādāya nagaraṃ nāgasāhvayam

And Duryodhana, protected by Karna, rode joyfully on, taking the maiden, to the city called Nagasahvaya.