Krishna Foretells the Pandavas' Victory

Verse 1 (5.142.1)

कर्णस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा केशवः परवीरहा । उवाच प्रहसन्वाक्यं स्मितपूर्वमिदं यथा ॥

karṇasya vacanaṃ śrutvā keśavaḥ paravīrahā | uvāca prahasanvākyaṃ smitapūrvamidaṃ yathā

Hearing Karna's words, Keshava, slayer of enemy heroes, laughed, and with a smile spoke these words:

Verse 2 (5.142.2)

अपि त्वां न लभेत्कर्ण राज्यलम्भोपपादनम् । मया दत्तां हि पृथिवीं न प्रशासितुमिच्छसि ॥

api tvāṃ na labhetkarṇa rājyalambhopapādanam | mayā dattāṃ hi pṛthivīṃ na praśāsitumicchasi

"Does the offer of a kingdom not win you over, Karna? You do not wish to rule the earth, though I give it to you.

Verse 3 (5.142.3)

ध्रुवो जयः पाण्डवानामितीदं । न संशयः कश्चन विद्यतेऽत्र । जयध्वजो दृश्यते पाण्डवस्य । समुच्छ्रितो वानरराज उग्रः ॥

dhruvo jayaḥ pāṇḍavānāmitīdaṃ | na saṃśayaḥ kaścana vidyate'tra | jayadhvajo dṛśyate pāṇḍavasya | samucchrito vānararāja ugraḥ

The Pandavas' victory is certain; there is no doubt of it at all. The Pandava's banner of victory can be seen raised high, the fierce king of monkeys upon it.

Verse 4 (5.142.4)

दिव्या माया विहिता भौमनेन । समुच्छ्रिता इन्द्रकेतुप्रकाशाः । दिव्यानि भूतानि जयावहानि । दृश्यन्ति चैवात्र भयानकानि ॥

divyā māyā vihitā bhaumanena | samucchritā indraketuprakāśāḥ | divyāni bhūtāni jayāvahāni | dṛśyanti caivātra bhayānakāni

Bhaumana has worked divine magic into it; it rises high, shining like Indra's standard. Divine beings that bring victory, and fearsome ones too, are seen upon it.

Verse 5 (5.142.5)

न सञ्जते शैलवनस्पतिभ्य । ऊर्ध्वं तिर्यग्योजनमात्ररूपः । श्रीमान्ध्वजः कर्ण धनञ्जयस्य । समुच्छ्रितः पावकतुल्यरूपः ॥

na sañjate śailavanaspatibhya | ūrdhvaṃ tiryagyojanamātrarūpaḥ | śrīmāndhvajaḥ karṇa dhanañjayasya | samucchritaḥ pāvakatulyarūpaḥ

It does not catch on hills or trees, rising a yojana high and spreading as wide; the glorious banner of Dhananjaya, Karna, stands raised high, like fire in form.

Verse 6 (5.142.6)

यदा द्रक्ष्यसि सङ्ग्रामे श्वेताश्वं कृष्णसारथिम् । ऐन्द्रमस्त्रं विकुर्वाणमुभे चाप्यग्निमारुते ॥

yadā drakṣyasi saṅgrāme śvetāśvaṃ kṛṣṇasārathim | aindramastraṃ vikurvāṇamubhe cāpyagnimārute

When you see in battle the warrior with white horses and Krishna for his charioteer, wielding Indra's weapon and those of Agni and Vayu too,

Verse 7 (5.142.7)

गाण्डीवस्य च निर्घोषं विस्फूर्जितमिवाशनेः । न तदा भविता त्रेता न कृतं द्वापरं न च ॥

gāṇḍīvasya ca nirghoṣaṃ visphūrjitamivāśaneḥ | na tadā bhavitā tretā na kṛtaṃ dvāparaṃ na ca

and hear the twang of Gandiva like the crash of the thunderbolt, then there will be no Treta age, no Krita and no Dvapara.

Verse 8 (5.142.8)

यदा द्रक्ष्यसि सङ्ग्रामे कुन्तीपुत्रं युधिष्ठिरम् । जपहोमसमायुक्तं स्वां रक्षन्तं महाचमूम् ॥

yadā drakṣyasi saṅgrāme kuntīputraṃ yudhiṣṭhiram | japahomasamāyuktaṃ svāṃ rakṣantaṃ mahācamūm

When you see in battle Kunti's son Yudhishthira, intent on prayer and fire-offerings, guarding his great army,

Verse 9 (5.142.9)

आदित्यमिव दुर्धर्षं तपन्तं शत्रुवाहिनीम् । न तदा भविता त्रेता न कृतं द्वापरं न च ॥

ādityamiva durdharṣaṃ tapantaṃ śatruvāhinīm | na tadā bhavitā tretā na kṛtaṃ dvāparaṃ na ca

unassailable as the sun, scorching the enemy host, then there will be no Treta, no Krita and no Dvapara.

Verse 10 (5.142.10)

यदा द्रक्ष्यसि सङ्ग्रामे भीमसेनं महाबलम् । दुःशासनस्य रुधिरं पीत्वा नृत्यन्तमाहवे ॥

yadā drakṣyasi saṅgrāme bhīmasenaṃ mahābalam | duḥśāsanasya rudhiraṃ pītvā nṛtyantamāhave

When you see in battle the mighty Bhimasena dancing on the field after drinking Duhshasana's blood,

Verse 11 (5.142.11)

प्रभिन्नमिव मातङ्गं प्रतिद्विरदघातिनम् । न तदा भविता त्रेता न कृतं द्वापरं न च ॥

prabhinnamiva mātaṅgaṃ pratidviradaghātinam | na tadā bhavitā tretā na kṛtaṃ dvāparaṃ na ca

like an elephant in rut that has slain a rival tusker, then there will be no Treta, no Krita and no Dvapara.

Verse 12 (5.142.12)

यदा द्रक्ष्यसि सङ्ग्रामे द्रोणं शान्तनवं कृपम् । सुयोधनं च राजानं सैन्धवं च जयद्रथम् ॥

yadā drakṣyasi saṅgrāme droṇaṃ śāntanavaṃ kṛpam | suyodhanaṃ ca rājānaṃ saindhavaṃ ca jayadratham

When you see in battle Drona, Shantanu's son and Kripa, King Suyodhana and Jayadratha of Sindhu

Note on the text: Corrected सुयोधनंच → सुयोधनं च (missing word space in Wikisource). Verses 12–13 are the critical edition's 5.140.14–15 and verses 14–15 its 5.140.12–13: the two pairs stand in the opposite order there.

Verse 13 (5.142.13)

युद्धायापततस्तूर्णं वारितान्सव्यसाचिना । न तदा भविता त्रेता न कृतं द्वापरं न च ॥

yuddhāyāpatatastūrṇaṃ vāritānsavyasācinā | na tadā bhavitā tretā na kṛtaṃ dvāparaṃ na ca

rushing swiftly into the fight and held back by Savyasachin, then there will be no Treta, no Krita and no Dvapara.

Verse 14 (5.142.14)

यदा द्रक्ष्यसि सङ्ग्रामे माद्रीपुत्रौ महाबलौ । वाहिनीं धार्तराष्ट्राणां क्षोभयन्तौ गजाविव ॥

yadā drakṣyasi saṅgrāme mādrīputrau mahābalau | vāhinīṃ dhārtarāṣṭrāṇāṃ kṣobhayantau gajāviva

When you see in battle the two mighty sons of Madri churning up the army of the Dhartarashtras like two elephants,

Note on the text: Removed a stray invisible joiner (ZWNJ) in सङ्ग्रामे. महाबलौ (critical edition mahārathau) kept as a variant.

Verse 15 (5.142.15)

विगाढे शस्त्रसंपाते परवीररथारुजौ । न तदा भविता त्रेता न कृतं द्वापरं न च ॥

vigāḍhe śastrasaṃpāte paravīrarathārujau | na tadā bhavitā tretā na kṛtaṃ dvāparaṃ na ca

plunging into the clash of weapons and shattering the chariots of enemy heroes, then there will be no Treta, no Krita and no Dvapara.

Verse 16 (5.142.16)

ब्रूयाः कर्ण इतो गत्वा द्रोणं शान्तनवं कृपम् । सौम्योऽयं वर्तते मासः सुप्रापयवसेन्धनः ॥

brūyāḥ karṇa ito gatvā droṇaṃ śāntanavaṃ kṛpam | saumyo'yaṃ vartate māsaḥ suprāpayavasendhanaḥ

Karna, when you leave here, tell Drona, Shantanu's son and Kripa: this is the mild month, when fodder and firewood are easy to come by,

Verse 17 (5.142.17)

सर्वौषधिवनस्फीतः फलवानल्पमक्षिकः । निष्पङ्को रसवत्तोयो नात्युष्णशिशिरः सुखः ॥

sarvauṣadhivanasphītaḥ phalavānalpamakṣikaḥ | niṣpaṅko rasavattoyo nātyuṣṇaśiśiraḥ sukhaḥ

rich in every herb and in its forests, full of fruit, with few flies; the ground is free of mud, the water sweet, the weather neither too hot nor too cold, and pleasant.

Verse 18 (5.142.18)

सप्तमाच्चापि दिवसादमावास्या भविष्यति । सङ्ग्रामो युज्यतां तस्यां तामाहुः शक्रदेवताम् ॥

saptamāccāpi divasādamāvāsyā bhaviṣyati | saṅgrāmo yujyatāṃ tasyāṃ tāmāhuḥ śakradevatām

Seven days from now the new moon will fall. Let battle be joined then, for they say that day has Shakra for its deity.

Verse 19 (5.142.19)

तथा राज्ञो वदेः सर्वान्ये युद्धायाभ्युपागताः । यद्वो मनीषितं तद्वै सर्वं संपादयाम्यहम् ॥

tathā rājño vadeḥ sarvānye yuddhāyābhyupāgatāḥ | yadvo manīṣitaṃ tadvai sarvaṃ saṃpādayāmyaham

Tell likewise all the kings who have come to fight: what you have set your hearts on, I will bring about in full.

Verse 20 (5.142.20)

राजानो राजपुत्राश्च दुर्योधनवशानुगाः । प्राप्य शस्त्रेण निधनं प्राप्स्यन्ति गतिमुत्तमाम् ॥

rājāno rājaputrāśca duryodhanavaśānugāḥ | prāpya śastreṇa nidhanaṃ prāpsyanti gatimuttamām

The kings and princes who follow Duryodhana's will, meeting death by weapons, will reach the highest state."