Karna's Boast

Verse 1 (4.48.1)

सर्वानायुष्मतो भीतान्संत्रस्तानिव लक्षये । अयुद्धमनसश्चैव सर्वांश्चैवानवस्थितान् ॥

sarvānāyuṣmato bhītānsaṃtrastāniva lakṣaye | ayuddhamanasaścaiva sarvāṃścaivānavasthitān

I see all of you, long-lived as you are, fearful as if terrified, with no heart for battle, and none of you steady.

Verse 2 (4.48.2)

यद्येष जामदग्न्यो वा यदि वेन्द्रः पुरंदरः । वासुदेवेन सहितो यदि बीभत्सुरागतः । अहमेनं निरोत्स्यामि वेलेव वरुणालयम् ॥

yadyeṣa jāmadagnyo vā yadi vendraḥ puraṃdaraḥ | vāsudevena sahito yadi bībhatsurāgataḥ | ahamenaṃ nirotsyāmi veleva varuṇālayam

Whether this be Jamadagni's son, or Indra the sacker of cities, or Bibhatsu come with Vasudeva, I shall hold him back as the shore holds back the ocean, home of Varuna.

Note on the text: The first line is not in the critical edition's text (its apparatus has it as 4.43.1d*0817); the second appears nowhere in the CE (it shares only yadi bībhatsur āgataḥ with 4.43.2ab); the third is a variant of CE 4.43.2cd (निरोत्स्यामि for āvārayiṣyāmi, वरुणालयम् for makarālayam).

Verse 3 (4.48.3)

रुक्मपुङ्खाः प्रसन्नाग्रा मुक्ता हस्तवता मया । छादयन्तु शराः सूर्यं पार्थस्यायुर्निरोधकाः ॥

rukmapuṅkhāḥ prasannāgrā muktā hastavatā mayā | chādayantu śarāḥ sūryaṃ pārthasyāyurnirodhakāḥ

Let my gold-feathered, bright-tipped arrows, loosed by my practised hand, cover the sun and cut short Partha's life.

Note on the text: Corrected शारः → शराः (misprint in Wikisource; the vowel sign is misplaced; the CE reads śarāḥ, "arrows"). A variant of CE 4.43.4: the second line differs (the CE's arrows cover Partha as locusts cover a tree; compare CE 4.33.18cd, chādayantu śarāḥ sūryaṃ rājñām āyur nirodhinaḥ).

Verse 4 (4.48.4)

मम चापप्रमुक्तानां शराणां नतपर्वणाम् । निवृत्तिर्गच्छतां नास्ति सर्पाणां श्वसतामिव ॥

mama cāpapramuktānāṃ śarāṇāṃ nataparvaṇām | nivṛttirgacchatāṃ nāsti sarpāṇāṃ śvasatāmiva

The arrows with bent joints shot from my bow never turn back once they fly, like hissing serpents.

Note on the text: A variant of CE 4.43.3 (the second line differs in wording).

Verse 5 (4.48.5)

शराणां पुङ्खसक्तानां मौर्व्याऽभिहतयोर्भृशम् । श्रूयते तलयोः शब्दो भेर्योराहतयोरिव ॥

śarāṇāṃ puṅkhasaktānāṃ maurvyā'bhihatayorbhṛśam | śrūyate talayoḥ śabdo bheryorāhatayoriva

As I loose the arrows fitted to the string, the sound of my palms struck hard by the bowstring is heard like that of two drums beaten.

Note on the text: A variant of CE 4.43.5 (भृशम् for dṛḍham, श्रूयते for śrūyatāṃ).

Verse 6 (4.48.6)

एकैकं चतुरः पञ्च क्वचित्षष्टिं क्वचिच्छतम् । हतान्पश्यत मात्स्यानामिषुभिर्निहतान्रथान् ॥

ekaikaṃ caturaḥ pañca kvacitṣaṣṭiṃ kvacicchatam | hatānpaśyata mātsyānāmiṣubhirnihatānrathān

See the chariots of the Matsyas struck down by my arrows: one at a time, four, five, here sixty, there a hundred.

Note on the text: Corrected क्वचित्पष्टिं → क्वचित्षष्टिं (misprint in Wikisource; प for ष; the apparatus reads ṣaṣṭiṃ, "sixty"). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); its apparatus has it as 4.43.5d*0818, lines 1–2.

Verse 7 (4.48.7)

मद्बाहुमुक्तैरिषुभिस्तैलधौतैः पतत्रिभिः । खद्योतैरिव संपृक्तमन्तरिक्षं विराजताम् ॥

madbāhumuktairiṣubhistailadhautaiḥ patatribhiḥ | khadyotairiva saṃpṛktamantarikṣaṃ virājatām

Let the sky shine, filled with the oil-washed, feathered arrows loosed from my arms, as though with fireflies.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); its apparatus has it as 4.43.5d*0818, lines 5–6.

Verse 8 (4.48.8)

ध्वजाग्राद्वानरस्तस्य भल्लेनाभिहतो मया । अद्यैव पततां भूमौ विनदन्भैरवान्रवान् ॥

dhvajāgrādvānarastasya bhallenābhihato mayā | adyaiva patatāṃ bhūmau vinadanbhairavānravān

Let the monkey on his banner-top, struck by my broad-headed arrow, fall to the ground this very day, howling dreadful cries.

Note on the text: A variant of CE 4.43.17 (ध्वजाग्राद्वानरस्तस्य ... अभिहतो for dhvajāgre vānaras tiṣṭhan ... nihato). Wikisource prints the verse again, in the CE's wording, as verse 27.

Verse 9 (4.48.9)

शत्रोर्मयाभिपन्नानां भूतानां ध्वजवासिनाम् । दिशः प्रतिष्ठमानानामस्तु शब्दो दिवं गतः ॥

śatrormayābhipannānāṃ bhūtānāṃ dhvajavāsinām | diśaḥ pratiṣṭhamānānāmastu śabdo divaṃ gataḥ

Let the clamour of the spirits that dwell on the enemy's banner, struck by me and scattering in every direction, rise to heaven.

Verse 10 (4.48.10)

क्रुद्धेनास्त्रं मया मुक्तं निर्दहेत्पृथिवीमिमाम् । स्थितं संग्रामशिरसि पार्थमेकाकिनं किमु ॥

kruddhenāstraṃ mayā muktaṃ nirdahetpṛthivīmimām | sthitaṃ saṃgrāmaśirasi pārthamekākinaṃ kimu

A weapon loosed by me in anger could burn up this whole earth; how much more Partha, standing alone at the head of the battle!

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); its apparatus has it as 4.43.18d*0828, lines 1–2.

Verse 11 (4.48.11)

समाहितश्च बीभत्सुर्वर्षाण्यष्टौ च पञ्च च । जातस्नेहश्च युद्धस्य मयि संदर्शयिष्यति ॥

samāhitaśca bībhatsurvarṣāṇyaṣṭau ca pañca ca | jātasnehaśca yuddhasya mayi saṃdarśayiṣyati

Bibhatsu, who has held himself in check these thirteen years, eight and five, and longs for battle, will show me what he can do.

Note on the text: A variant of CE 4.43.6 (संदर्शयिष्यति for saṃprahariṣyati).

Verse 12 (4.48.12)

पात्रीभूतस्तु कौन्तेयो ब्राह्मणो गुणवानिव । शरमालां स गृह्णातु मत्प्रसृष्टां स्वधामिव ॥

pātrībhūtastu kaunteyo brāhmaṇo guṇavāniva | śaramālāṃ sa gṛhṇātu matprasṛṣṭāṃ svadhāmiva

Let Kunti's son, a worthy recipient like a virtuous brahmin, accept the garland of arrows I send forth, as the ancestors accept their offering.

Note on the text: The first line is a variant of CE 4.43.7ab; the second differs from 4.43.7cd (śaraughān pratigṛhṇātu mayā muktān sahasraśaḥ).

Verse 13 (4.48.13)

एष चापि महेष्वासस्त्रिषु लोकेषु विश्रुतः । अहं चापि नरश्रेष्ठादर्जुनान्नावमः क्वचित् ॥

eṣa cāpi maheṣvāsastriṣu lokeṣu viśrutaḥ | ahaṃ cāpi naraśreṣṭhādarjunānnāvamaḥ kvacit

He is a great archer, renowned in the three worlds; and I am in no way inferior to Arjuna, best of men.

Note on the text: A variant of CE 4.43.8 (नरश्रेष्ठात् for kuruśreṣṭhā, नावमः for nāvaraḥ).

Verse 14 (4.48.14)

मम हस्तप्रमुक्तानां शराणां नतपर्वणाम् । निवृत्तिर्गच्छतां नास्ति वैश्वानरशिखार्चिषाम् ॥

mama hastapramuktānāṃ śarāṇāṃ nataparvaṇām | nivṛttirgacchatāṃ nāsti vaiśvānaraśikhārciṣām

The arrows with bent joints loosed from my hand, blazing like tongues of fire, never turn back once they fly.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); its apparatus has the two lines as 4.43.8d*0819 and 4.43.8d*0820 (vaiśvānarasamatviṣām where Wikisource has वैश्वानरशिखार्चिषाम्).

Verse 15 (4.48.15)

इतश्चेतश्च मुक्तानां शराणां नतपर्वणाम् । तुमुलः श्रूयतां नादः षट्पदां गायतामिव ॥

itaścetaśca muktānāṃ śarāṇāṃ nataparvaṇām | tumulaḥ śrūyatāṃ nādaḥ ṣaṭpadāṃ gāyatāmiva

Let the tumult of my bent-jointed arrows, loosed this way and that, be heard like the humming of bees.

Note on the text: Corrected तुगुलः → तुमुलः (misprint in Wikisource; ग for म; the apparatus reads tumulaḥ). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension). The first line appears nowhere in the CE (it is close to 4.43.9a, itaś cetaś ca nirmuktaiḥ); the second is in its apparatus as 4.43.9d*0821.

Verse 16 (4.48.16)

अन्तरा संपतद्भिस्तु गृध्रपत्रैः शिलाशितैः । शलभानामिवाकाशे छाया संप्रति दृश्यताम् ॥

antarā saṃpatadbhistu gṛdhrapatraiḥ śilāśitaiḥ | śalabhānāmivākāśe chāyā saṃprati dṛśyatām

Let the shadow of my vulture-feathered, stone-whetted arrows, falling thick in between, now be seen in the sky like a cloud of locusts.

Note on the text: A loose variant of CE 4.43.11 (the first line differs; छाया संप्रति दृश्यताम् for pracāraḥ saṃpradṛśyatām).

Verse 17 (4.48.17)

अद्य मत्कार्मुकोत्सृष्टाः शिताः पार्थस्य मर्मगाः । शरीरमुपसर्पन्तु वल्मीकमिव पन्नगाः ॥

adya matkārmukotsṛṣṭāḥ śitāḥ pārthasya marmagāḥ | śarīramupasarpantu valmīkamiva pannagāḥ

Today let the sharp arrows loosed from my bow, piercing Partha's vitals, creep into his body as snakes creep into an anthill.

Note on the text: A loose variant of CE 4.43.15 (the first line differs in wording).

Verse 18 (4.48.18)

बर्हिबर्हिणराजानां बर्हिणां बर्हिणामिव । पततां पततां घोषः पततां पततामिव ॥

barhibarhiṇarājānāṃ barhiṇāṃ barhiṇāmiva | patatāṃ patatāṃ ghoṣaḥ patatāṃ patatāmiva

Let the roar of my arrows, bright with peacock plumes, falling one upon another like peacock following peacock, be heard like the cry of birds in flight.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); its apparatus has it as 4.43.15d*0827, lines 1–2 (barhibarhiṇavājānāṃ where Wikisource has बर्हिबर्हिणराजानां; Wikisource's own footnote glosses राजानां as "shining" and cites वाजानाम् as a manuscript reading).

Verse 19 (4.48.19)

अद्य त्वहमृणान्मोक्ष्ये यन्मया तत्प्रतिश्रुतम् । धार्तराष्ट्रस्य तत्काले निहत्य समरेऽर्जुनम् ॥

adya tvahamṛṇānmokṣye yanmayā tatpratiśrutam | dhārtarāṣṭrasya tatkāle nihatya samare'rjunam

Today I shall free myself of the debt I once pledged to Dhritarashtra's son, by slaying Arjuna in battle here and now.

Note on the text: A loose variant of CE 4.43.10 (the wording differs in both lines).

Verse 20 (4.48.20)

इन्द्राशनिसमस्पर्शं महेन्द्रसमविक्रमम् । अर्दयिष्याम्यहं पार्थमुल्काभिरिव कुञ्जरम् ॥

indrāśanisamasparśaṃ mahendrasamavikramam | ardayiṣyāmyahaṃ pārthamulkābhiriva kuñjaram

Partha, whose touch is like Indra's thunderbolt and whose valour is like great Indra's, I shall torment as men torment an elephant with firebrands.

Note on the text: A variant of CE 4.43.12 (महेन्द्रसमविक्रमम् for mahendrasamatejasam).

Verse 21 (4.48.21)

शरजालमहाज्वालमसिशक्तिगदेन्धनम् । निर्दहन्तमनीकानि शमयिष्येऽर्जुनानलम् ॥

śarajālamahājvālamasiśaktigadendhanam | nirdahantamanīkāni śamayiṣye'rjunānalam

I shall quench the fire that is Arjuna, whose great flames are nets of arrows, whose fuel is swords, spears and maces, and which is burning up whole armies.

Note on the text: The first line is a loose variant of CE 4.43.13ab; the second is not in the critical edition's text (its apparatus has it as 4.43.14d*0824).

Verse 22 (4.48.22)

रथादतिरथं लोके सर्वशस्त्रभृतांवरम् । विवशं पार्थमादास्ये गरुत्मानिव पन्नगम् ॥

rathādatirathaṃ loke sarvaśastrabhṛtāṃvaram | vivaśaṃ pārthamādāsye garutmāniva pannagam

Partha, the foremost chariot-fighter in the world and best of all who bear weapons, I shall carry off from his chariot, helpless, as Garuda carries off a serpent.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); its apparatus has it as 4.43.12d*0823, lines 1–2 (śūraṃ where Wikisource has लोके).

Verse 23 (4.48.23)

क्षुद्रकैर्विविधैर्भल्लैर्निपतद्भिश्च मामकैः । संमूढचेताः कौन्तेयः कर्तव्यं नाभिपद्यताम् ॥

kṣudrakairvividhairbhallairnipatadbhiśca māmakaiḥ | saṃmūḍhacetāḥ kaunteyaḥ kartavyaṃ nābhipadyatām

Let Kunti's son, his mind bewildered by my many small arrows and broad-headed shafts raining down, not know what to do.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension); its apparatus has it as 4.43.14d*0825, lines 1–2 (nābhipadyate where Wikisource has नाभिपद्यताम्).

Verse 24 (4.48.24)

अद्य दुर्योधनस्याहं शोकं हृदि चिरं स्थितम् । समूलमपनेष्यामि हरन्पार्थशिरः शरैः ॥

adya duryodhanasyāhaṃ śokaṃ hṛdi ciraṃ sthitam | samūlamapaneṣyāmi haranpārthaśiraḥ śaraiḥ

Today I shall tear out by the roots the grief long lodged in Duryodhana's heart, as I take off Partha's head with my arrows.

Note on the text: A variant of CE 4.43.19 (शोकं, "grief", for śalyaṃ, "the dart"; the second line differs in part).

Verse 25 (4.48.25)

अद्य मत्कार्मुकोत्सृष्टैर्भल्लैश्च नतपर्वभिः । हताश्वं विरथं पार्थं पौरुषे पर्यवस्थितम् । निश्वसन्तं यथा नागमद्य पश्यन्तु कौरवाः ॥

adya matkārmukotsṛṣṭairbhallaiśca nataparvabhiḥ | hatāśvaṃ virathaṃ pārthaṃ pauruṣe paryavasthitam | niśvasantaṃ yathā nāgamadya paśyantu kauravāḥ

Today let the Kauravas see Partha, his horses slain by the bent-jointed, broad-headed arrows from my bow, without his chariot, left with nothing but his courage, sighing like a serpent.

Note on the text: The first line appears nowhere in the critical edition; the second and third are CE 4.43.20.

Verse 26 (4.48.26)

जामदग्न्यान्मया लब्धं दिव्यास्त्रमृषिसत्तमात् । तदुपाश्रित्य वीर्यं च युध्येयमपि वासवम् ॥

jāmadagnyānmayā labdhaṃ divyāstramṛṣisattamāt | tadupāśritya vīryaṃ ca yudhyeyamapi vāsavam

I won a divine weapon from Jamadagni's son, best of seers; relying on it and on my own valour, I could fight even Vasava.

Note on the text: Corrected दिव्यास्रमृषिसत्तमात् → दिव्यास्त्रमृषिसत्तमात् (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped त् in astra; the CE reads astraṃ). A variant of CE 4.43.16 (the first line differs in wording).

Verse 27 (4.48.27)

ध्वजाग्रे वानरस्तिष्ठन्भल्लेन निहतो मया । अद्यैव पततां भूमौ विनदन्भैरवान्रवान् ॥

dhvajāgre vānarastiṣṭhanbhallena nihato mayā | adyaiva patatāṃ bhūmau vinadanbhairavānravān

Let the monkey perched on his banner-top, struck by my broad-headed arrow, fall to the ground this very day, howling dreadful cries.

Note on the text: CE 4.43.17. Wikisource has already given this verse, in a variant wording, as verse 8.

Verse 28 (4.48.28)

कामं गच्छन्तु कुरवो गाः प्रगृह्य परंतपाः । रथेषु वाऽपि तिष्ठन्तो युद्धं पश्यन्तु मामकम् ॥

kāmaṃ gacchantu kuravo gāḥ pragṛhya paraṃtapāḥ | ratheṣu vā'pi tiṣṭhanto yuddhaṃ paśyantu māmakam

Let the Kurus, scorchers of foes, go if they like, taking the cows; or let them stay in their chariots and watch my fight.

Note on the text: A variant of CE 4.43.21 (गाः प्रगृह्य परंतपाः for dhanam ādāya kevalam).