Karṇaparva Chapter -1 (Sixteenth day war)

 

श्री जयसंहित – Śrī Jayasamhita

कर्णपर्व - Karṇaparva (षोडश दिवसीय युद्धम्)

अध्यायः – 1  ::Chapter-1 (Sixteenth day war)

Shlokas	No. of Shlokas
सञ्जय उवाच॥ लब्धलक्षैः परैर्हृष्टैर्व्यायच्छद्भिश्चिरं तदा । सन्ध्याकालं समासाद्य प्रत्याहारमकारयत् ॥ 1 कृत्वावहारं सैन्यानां प्रविश्य शिबिरं स्वकम् । कुरवोऽऽत्महितं मन्त्रं मन्त्रयां चक्रिरे तदा ॥ 2॥ ततो दुर्योधनो राजा साम्ना परमवल्गुना । तानाभाष्य महेष्वासान्प्राप्तकालमभाषत ॥ 3॥ मतिं मतिमतां श्रेष्ठाः सर्वे प्रब्रूत माचिरम् । एवं गते तु यत्कार्यं भवेत्कार्यकरं नृपाः ॥ 4॥ एवमुक्ते नरेन्द्रेण नरसिंहा युयुत्सवः । चक्रुर्नानाविधाश्चेष्टाः सिंहासनगतास्तदा ॥ 5॥ तेषां निशम्येङ्गितानि युद्धे प्राणाञ्जुहूषताम् । समुद्वीक्ष्य मुखं राज्ञो बालार्कसमवर्चसः ॥ 6॥ आचार्यपुत्रो मेधावी वाक्यज्ञो वाक्यमाददे ॥ ॥ सुनीतैरिह सर्वार्थैर्दैवमप्यनुलोम्यते ॥ 7॥ ते वयं प्रवरं नॄणां सर्वैर्गुणगणैर्युतम् । कर्णं सेनापतिं कृत्वा प्रमथिष्यामहे रिपून् ॥ 8॥ ततो दुर्योधनः प्रीतः प्रियं श्रुत्वा वचस्तदा । प्रीतिसंस्कारसंयुक्तं तथ्यमात्महितं शुभम् ॥ 9॥ स्वं मनः समवस्थाप्य बाहुवीर्यमुपाश्रितः । दुर्योधनो महाराज राधेयमिदमब्रवीत् ॥ 10॥ कर्ण जानामि ते वीर्यं सौहृदं च परं मयि । तथापि त्वां महाबाहो प्रवक्ष्यामि हितं वचः ॥ 11॥ श्रुत्वा यथेष्टं च कुरु वीर यत्तव रोचते । भवान्प्राज्ञतमो नित्यं मम चैव परा गतिः ॥ 12॥ भीष्मद्रोणावतिरथौ हतौ सेनापती मम । सेनापतिर्भवानस्तु ताभ्यां द्रविणवत्तरः ॥ 13॥ निहताभ्यां प्रधानाभ्यां ताभ्याममितविक्रम । त्वत्समं समरे योधं नान्यं पश्यामि चिन्तयन् ॥ 14॥ भवानेव तु नः शक्तो विजयाय न संशयः । पूर्वं मध्ये च पश्चाच्च तवैव विदितं हि तत् ॥ 15॥ स भवान्धुर्यवत्सङ्ख्ये धुरमुद्वोढुमर्हसि । अभिषेचय सेनान्ये स्वयमात्मानमात्मना ॥ 16॥ कर्ण उवाच॥ उक्तमेतन्मया पूर्वं गान्धारे तव संनिधौ । जेष्यामि पाण्डवान्राजन्सपुत्रान्सजनार्दनान् ॥ 17॥ सेनापतिर्भविष्यामि तवाहं नात्र संशयः । स्थिरो भव महाराज जितान्विद्धि च पाण्डवान् ॥ सञ्जय उवाच॥ सेनापत्येन सत्कर्तुं कर्णं स्कन्दमिवामराः ॥ 18॥ ततोऽभिषिषिचुस्तूर्णं विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा । दुर्योधनमुखा राजन्राजानो विजयैषिणः ॥ 19॥ ततस्तु त्वरयन्योधाञ्शङ्खशब्देन मारिष । कर्णो निष्कासयामास कौरवाणां वरूथिनीम् ॥ 20॥ ततः प्रववृते युद्धं नरवारणवाजिनाम् । रथिनां च महाराज अन्योन्यं निघ्नतां दृढम् ॥ 21॥ तस्य सैन्यस्य महतो महामात्रवरैर्वृतः । मध्यं वृकोदरोऽभ्यागात्त्वदीयं नागधूर्गतः ॥ 22॥ स नागप्रवरोऽत्युग्रो विधिवत्कल्पितो बभौ । उदयाद्र्यग्र्यभवनं यथाभ्युदितभास्करम् ॥ 23॥ तं दृष्ट्वा द्विरदं दूरात्क्षेमधूर्तिर्द्विपस्थितः । आह्वयानोऽभिदुद्राव प्रमनाः प्रमनस्तरम् ॥ 24॥ तयोः समभवद्युद्धं द्विपयोरुग्ररूपयोः । यदृच्छया द्रुमवतोर्महापर्वतयोरिव ॥ 25॥ ततः खजाकया भीमं क्षेमधूर्तिः पराभिनत् । जघान चास्य द्विरदं नाराचैः सर्वमर्मसु ॥ 26॥ पुरा नागस्य पतनादवप्लुत्य स्थितो महीम् । भीमसेनो रिपोर्नागं गदया समपोथयत् ॥ 27॥ तस्मात्प्रमथितान्नागात्क्षेमधूर्तिमवद्रुतम् । उद्यतासिमुपायान्तं गदयाहन्वृकोदरः ॥ 28॥ स पपात हतः सासिर्व्यसुः स्वमभितो द्विपम् । वज्रप्ररुग्णमचलं सिंहो वज्रहतो यथा ॥ 29॥ निहतं नृपतिं दृष्ट्वा कुलूतानां यशस्करम् । प्राद्रवद्व्यथिता सेना त्वदीया भरतर्षभ ॥ 30॥	30
Sanjaya said, 'Having reached their objectives and sharing joy with the Pandavas, they fiercely battled for a long while. As evening neared, they planned their withdrawal. After pulling back their forces and entering their camp, the Kauravas convened to strategize. Then, King Duryodhana addressed those mighty archers with a pleasing and honeyed tone, speaking these timely words. "Oh, wisest among men, quickly share your thoughts! In these dire straits, what is crucial, and even more so, what is absolutely vital?" Once the prince spoke, those lion-hearted men, seated on their thrones, gestured eagerly, longing for battle. Seeing their fiery desire to sacrifice themselves in war and the king's face glowing like the rising sun, the wise and eloquent son of the preceptor spoke: "Let us, O Bharata, appoint Karna, that most outstanding man, possessing every quality, as commander of the army!" Hearing this from the preceptor’s son, O King, hope in Karna surged greatly at that moment.'  Clinging fast to the hope that Karna could defeat the Pandavas after Bhishma and Drona had fallen, Duryodhana, heartened by Ashvatthama’s words, steadied his mind and, placing faith in his own strength, spoke to Karna with heartfelt affection and respect, uttering words of truth, delight, and advantage: "Karna, I know your strength and deep loyalty to me! Yet, I must say what is best for my cause! Listen, and then do what you deem right. You are wise, my ultimate support! Bhishma and Drona, my two great commanders, are dead. Let you become my General. You alone can secure victory for us! You have always acted for our benefit. Now, lead this battle and bear the burden yourself. Appoint yourself as commander."  Karna replied, "I have said before, in your presence, that I would vanquish all the Pandavas, their sons, and Krishna! I will be your General, without question. Be at peace, O king! Consider the Pandavas already defeated!" Then, eager for victory, Duryodhana and all the assembled kings installed Karna as commander, following proper rites.Blasting his conch to embolden the warriors, Karna directed the vast Kaurava army to array itself for battle. And thus began the clash, where men, elephants, horses, and chariots engaged in mutual destruction."  Amidst that great host came Vrikodara, mounted on an elephant's neck, encircled by elite elephant-warriors, charging toward your army. That fierce, well-equipped elephant shone brilliantly, like a stone mansion atop Udaya Mountain, crowned by the rising sun. Seeing that elephant from afar, Kshemadhurti, also on an elephant, boldly rushed towards Bhima, who was equally eager. A clash erupted between those two fierce elephants, like massive, tree-covered hills, battling fiercely. In his fury, Kshemadhurti repeatedly struck Bhima and his elephant with long arrows in vulnerable spots. Bhima's great elephant then fell, O Bharata! But Bhima, leaping off before the fall, stood his ground and crushed his foe's elephant with his mace. Then, Vrikodara struck Kshemadhurti himself, who, having jumped from his ruined mount, advanced with raised weapon. Kshemadhurti, thus struck, fell lifeless, sword in hand, beside his elephant, like a lion struck by lightning beside a shattered hill. Seeing the renowned king of the Kulutas slain, your troops, O bull of Bharata's line, fled in utter dismay."
सञ्जय उवाच॥ भीमसेनस्तथा द्रौणिं कुर्वाणं कर्म दुष्करम् । विन्दानुविन्दौ कैकेयौ सात्यकिः समवारयत् ॥ 1॥ केकयौ सात्यकिं युद्धे शरवर्षेण भास्वता । सात्यकिः केकयौ चैव छादयामास भारत ॥ 2॥ ततः क्रुद्धो महाराज सात्वतो युद्धदुर्मदः । धनुरन्यत्समादाय सज्यं कृत्वा च संयुगे ॥ 3 क्षुरप्रेण सुतीक्ष्णेन अनुविन्दशिरोऽहरत् ॥ तं दृष्ट्वा निहतं शूरं भ्राता तस्य महारथः । 4 सज्यमन्यद्धनुः कृत्वा शैनेयं प्रत्यवारयत् ॥ शतचन्द्रचिते गृह्य चर्मणी सुभुजौ तु तौ । 5 व्यरोचेतां महारङ्गे निस्त्रिंशवरधारिणौ ॥ यथा देवासुरे युद्धे जम्भशक्रौ महाबलौ ॥ 6॥ तं चरन्तं महारङ्गे निस्त्रिंशवरधारिणम् । अपहस्तेन चिच्छेद शैनेयस्त्वरयान्वितः ॥ 7॥ सवर्मा केकयो राजन्द्विधा छिन्नो महाहवे । निपपात महेष्वासो वज्रनुन्न इवाचलः ॥ 8॥ ततः समभवद्युद्धं शुक्राङ्गिरसवर्चसोः । नक्षत्रमभितो व्योम्नि शुक्राङ्गिरसयोरिव ॥ 9॥ सन्तापयन्तावन्योन्यं दीप्तैः शरगभस्तिभिः । लोकत्रासकरावास्तां विमार्गस्थौ ग्रहाविव ॥ 10॥ ततोऽर्जुनेषूनिषुभिर्निरस्य; द्रौणिः शरैरर्जुनवासुदेवौ । प्रच्छादयित्व दिवि चन्द्रसूर्यौ; ननाद सोऽम्भोद इवातपान्ते ॥ 11॥ तमर्जुनस्तांश्च पुनस्त्वदीया;नभ्यर्दितस्तैरविकृत्तशस्त्रैः । बाणान्धकारं सहसैव कृत्वा; विव्याध सर्वानिषुभिः सुपुङ्खैः ॥ 12॥ तथेति चोक्त्वाच्युतमप्रमादी; द्रौणिं प्रयत्नादिषुभिस्ततक्ष । छित्त्वाश्वरश्मींस्तुरगानविध्य;त्ते तं रणादूहुरतीव दूरम् ॥ 13॥ आवृत्य नेयेष पुनस्तु युद्धं; पार्थेन सार्धं मतिमान्विमृश्य । जानञ्जयं नियतं वृष्णिवीरे; धनञ्जये चाङ्गिरसां वरिष्ठः ॥ 14। अथोत्तरेण पाण्डूनां सेनायां ध्वनिरुत्थितः । रथनागाश्वपत्तीनां दण्डधारेण वध्यताम् ॥ 15॥ निवर्तयित्वा तु रथं केशवोऽर्जुनमब्रवीत् । वाहयन्नेव तुरगान्गरुडानिलरंहसः ॥ 16 मागधोऽथाप्यतिक्रान्तो द्विरदेन प्रमाथिना । भगदत्तादनवरः शिक्षया च बलेन च ॥ 17॥ एनं हत्वा निहन्तासि पुनः संशप्तकानिति । वाक्यान्ते प्रापयत्पार्थं दण्डधारान्तिकं प्रति ॥ 18॥ स मागधानां प्रवरोऽङ्कुशग्रहो; ग्रहेष्वसह्यो विकचो यथा ग्रहः । सपत्नसेनां प्रममाथ दारुणो; महीं समग्रां विकचो यथा ग्रहः ॥ 19॥ सुकल्पितं दानवनागसंनिभं; महाभ्रसंह्रादममित्रमर्दनम् । रथाश्वमातङ्गगणान्सहस्रशः; समास्थितो हन्ति शरैर्द्विपानपि ॥ 20॥ ततोऽस्य पार्थः सगुणेषुकार्मुकं; चकर्त भल्लैर्ध्वजमप्यलङ्कृतम् । पुनर्नियन्तॄन्सह पादगोप्तृभि;स्ततस्तु चुक्रोध गिरिव्रजेश्वरः ॥ 21॥ अथास्य बाहू द्विपहस्तसंनिभौ; शिरश्च पूर्णेन्दुनिभाननं त्रिभिः । क्षुरैः प्रचिच्छेद सहैव पाण्डव;स्ततो द्विपं बाणशतैः समार्दयत् ॥ 22॥ स वेदनार्तोऽम्बुदनिस्वनो नदं;श्चलन्भ्रमन्प्रस्खलितोऽऽतुरो द्रवन् । पपात रुग्णः सनियन्तृकस्तथा; यथा गिरिर्वज्रनिपातचूर्णितः ॥ 23॥ इमावदातेन सुवर्णमालिना; हिमाद्रिकूटप्रतिमेन दन्तिना । हते रणे भ्रातरि दण्ड आव्रज;ज्जिघांसुरिन्द्रावरजं धनञ्जयम् ॥ 24॥ स तोमरैरर्ककरप्रभैस्त्रिभि;र्जनार्दनं पञ्चभिरेव चार्जुनम् । समर्पयित्वा विननाद चार्दयं;स्ततोऽस्य बाहू विचकर्त पाण्डवः ॥ 25॥ अथार्धचन्द्रेण हृतं किरीटिना; पपात दण्डस्य शिरः क्षितिं द्विपात् । तच्छोणिताभं निपतद्विरेजे; दिवाकरोऽस्तादिव पश्चिमां दिशम् ॥ 26॥ अथ द्विपं श्वेतनगाग्रसंनिभं; दिवाकरांशुप्रतिमैः शरोत्तमैः । बिभेद पार्थः स पपात नानद;न्हिमाद्रिकूटः कुलिशाहतो यथा ॥ 27॥ ततोऽपरे तत्प्रतिमा गजोत्तमा; जिगीषवः संयति सव्यसाचिनम् । तथा कृतास्तेन यथैव तौ द्विपौ; ततः प्रभग्नं सुमहद्रिपोर्बलम् ॥ 28॥ तदुदीर्णरथाश्वं च पत्तिप्रवरकुञ्जरम् । कुलालचक्रवद्भ्रान्तं पाण्ड्येनाधिष्ठितं बलम् ॥ 29॥ चतुरङ्गं बलं बाणैर्निघ्नन्तं पाण्ड्यमाहवे । दृष्ट्वा द्रौणिरसम्भ्रान्तमसम्भ्रान्ततरोऽभ्ययात् ॥ 30॥ प्रहितांस्तान्प्रयत्नेन छित्त्वा द्रौणेरिषूनरिः । चक्ररक्षौ ततस्तस्य प्राणुदन्निशितैः शरैः ॥ 31॥ अथारेर्लाघवं दृष्ट्वा मण्डलीकृतकार्मुकः । प्रास्यद्द्रोणसुतो बाणान्वृष्टिं पूषानुजो यथा ॥ 32॥ स तोमरं भास्कररश्मिसंनिभं; बलास्त्रसर्गोत्तमयत्नमन्युभिः । ससर्ज शीघ्रं प्रतिपीडयन्गजं; गुरोः सुतायाद्रिपतीश्वरो नदन् ॥ 33॥ ततः प्रजज्वाल परेण मन्युना; पदाहतो नागपतिर्यथा तथा । समादधे चान्तकदण्डसंनिभा;निषूनमित्रान्तकरांश्चतुर्दश ॥ 34॥ द्विपस्य पादाग्रकरान्स पञ्चभि;र्नृपस्य बाहू च शिरोऽथ च त्रिभिः । जघान षड्भिः षडृतूत्तमत्विषः; स पाण्ड्यराजानुचरान्महारथान् ॥ 35॥ सुदीर्घवृत्तौ वरचन्दनोक्षितौ; सुवर्णमुक्तामणिवज्रभूषितौ । भुजौ धरायां पतितौ नृपस्य तौ; विवेष्टतुस्तार्क्ष्यहताविवोरगौ ॥ 36॥ शिरश्च तत्पूर्णशशिप्रभाननं; सरोषताम्रायतनेत्रमुन्नसम् । क्षितौ विबभ्राज पतत्सकुण्डलं; विशाखयोर्मध्यगतः शशी यथा ॥ 37॥	37 (67)
Sanjaya recounted, 'Satyaki confronted the Kaikaya princes, Vinda and Anuvinda. In that intense battle, the two Kaikaya princes unleashed a storm of fiery arrows upon Satyaki, who in turn responded with a similar barrage against the brothers. Then, the indomitable Satwata, filled with fury, seized another bow and, with a sharp, razor-edged arrow, severed Anuvinda's head. Witnessing his valiant brother's demise, the mighty warrior Vinda took up another bow and fiercely challenged Sini's grandson from all directions. The two premier chariot warriors, each destroying the other's impressive bow and swiftly killing the other's driver and steeds, approached each other on foot, swords drawn for a duel. With great skill, Sini's grandson struck a swift, sideways blow, cleaving the Kaikeya prince in two as he brandished his excellent sword across the battlefield.  Encased in armour, the great archer, the Kaikeya prince, fell like a mountain split by lightning. The clash between Arjuna and Ashvatthama then erupted, resembling the radiant planets Venus and Jupiter vying for celestial dominance. They assailed each other with blazing arrows, their rays of destruction, standing like two planets straying from their paths. Drona's son, countering Arjuna's attacks, enveloped both Arjuna and Vasudeva in a hail of arrows, roaring loudly like thunderclouds at summer's end obscuring the Sun or Moon. Stung by these attacks, Arjuna targeted Ashvatthama and his army, swiftly dispelling the darkness created by Ashvatthama's arrows, piercing them with well-fletched shafts.'  Fuelled by fury, Pandu's son swiftly struck his foe's mighty arms—anointed with sandalwood—along with his chest, head, and unmatched thighs, using arrows fletched like goat's ears, launched with immense force from the Gandiva bow. Arjuna then severed Ashvatthama's horses' tethers and began targeting the steeds themselves, causing them to carry Ashvatthama far from the battlefield. Borne away by these wind-swift steeds, Drona's insightful son, stung by Partha's arrows, briefly considered that he did not wish to return and resume conflict with Partha.  Meanwhile, near the northern flank of the Pandava forces, a great clamor swelled from chariots, elephants, horses, and infantry as Dandadhara slaughtered them. Redirecting the chariot without slowing the Garuda-swift steeds, Keshava told Arjuna, "The Magadha chief, with his foe-crushing elephant, is unmatched in strength. He rivals Bhagadatta in skill and power. Slay him first, then defeat the Samsaptakas." As he finished speaking, Keshava guided Partha toward Dandadhara. The Magadha chief, unparalleled in wielding the elephant hook like the headless planet Ketu among the planets, was decimating the enemy army like a fierce comet ravaging the earth. Mounted on his enemy-slaying, well-armored elephant, resembling the elephant-faced Danava, whose roar echoed a mass of thunderclouds, Dandadhara used his arrows to destroy thousands of chariots, horses, elephants, and warriors.  Then, Arjuna, using several broad-headed arrows, severed his opponent's bow, string, and arrow, along with his ornate banner, the animal's handlers, and the protecting foot soldiers. With three sharp arrows, the son of Pandu nearly simultaneously severed both arms, thick as elephant trunks, and then his foe's head, as radiant as the full moon. Next, Arjuna riddled the enemy's elephant with hundreds of arrows. Covered in Arjuna's gold-tipped arrows, the gold-armored elephant shone like a mountain ablaze at night. Writhing in pain, roaring like thunderclouds, and severely weakened, the elephant cried, staggered, and finally collapsed with its rider, like a mountaintop struck by lightning.  Seeing his brother fall, Danda charged at Indra's younger brother and Arjuna, seeking vengeance on his snow-white, gold-adorned tusker, resembling a Himalayan peak. Danda struck Krishna with three razors, radiant as sunlight, and Arjuna with five, yelling loudly. Arjuna retaliated, severing Danda's arms with a great cry. Arjuna then decapitated Danda with a crescent-shaped arrow; his head fell from the elephant, bloody and shining like the setting sun. Arjuna then filled the enemy's cloud-white elephant with sun-bright arrows, causing it to fall with a crash like a mountain summit split by thunder.  Then, Savyasachi intercepted more massive elephants, resembling the two already killed and capable of securing victory, just as those belonging to Danda and Dandadhara had been. At this, the immense enemy army collapsed. Elephants, chariots, horses, and men, in dense crowds, collided and fell onto the battlefield.  Filled with rage like the Destroyer, Pandya was then slaughtering Karna's army. Seeing Pandya decimating the host with his arrows, Drona's son fearlessly advanced toward the dauntless warrior. Despite knowing the high-souled son of Drona's arrows were virtually inexhaustible, Pandya, a bull among men, shattered them all. Ashvatthama's opponent meticulously intercepted all the arrows fired by the former, then, with his own sharp arrows, killed the two protectors of the latter's chariot wheels during that encounter.  Then, that lord of the mountain princes, striking the elephant with the hook, enraged but with his famed calculated precision in launching powerful weapons, swiftly hurled a lance, as bright as the sun's rays, at the preceptor's son and roared loudly. Ashvatthama, at this, erupted with extreme fury, like a serpent prince stepped upon, and seized fourteen arrows designed to inflict great pain on enemies, each resembling the Destroyer's rod. With five arrows, he severed his adversary's elephant's four legs and trunk; with three, the king's two arms and head; and with six, he killed the six mighty chariot warriors, radiating great light, who followed King Pandya. Those long, shapely arms of the king, adorned with fine sandalwood paste, gold, pearls, gems, and diamonds, fell to the earth, writhing like a pair of snakes slain by Garuda.  That head, its face shining like the full moon, with a strong nose and huge eyes, red with fury like copper, earrings dangling, fell to the ground, radiant as the moon amidst two bright stars.

 

इति श्री जयसंहिते  कर्णपर्वणि प्रथमोऽध्यायः

 

Karṇaparva Introduction

Karṇaparva Chapter- 2