युद्धार्थी वासिताहेतोर्गजः प्रतिगजं यथा। भीमसेनं ययौ शल्यो मद्राणामीश्वरो बली
Desiring battle, like an elephant against a rival, Shalya, lord of the Madras, strong in might, advanced against Bhimasena.
दुर्योधनादयः सर्वे ब्राह्मणैः सह संगताः। मृदुपूर्वमयत्नेन प्रत्ययुध्यंस्तदाऽऽहवे
All the sons of Dhritarashtra, together with the Brahmins, engaged in gentle, effortless combat in that contest.
ततोऽर्जुनः प्रत्यविध्यदापतन्तं शितैः शरैः। कर्णं वैकर्तनं श्रीमान्विकृष्य बलवद्धनुः
Then Arjuna, drawing his powerful bow, struck Karna, son of Radha, as he advanced, with sharp arrows.
तेषां शराणां वेगेन शितानां तिग्मतेजसाम्। विमुह्यमानो राधेयो यत्नात्तमनुधावति
By the force of those sharp, blazing arrows, Radheya, bewildered, with effort pursued him.
तावुभावप्यनिर्देश्यौ लाघवाज्जयतां वरौ। अयुध्येतां सुसंरब्धावन्योन्यविजिगीषिणौ
Both, indistinguishable in their swiftness, foremost among victors, fought fiercely, each seeking to overcome the other.
कृते प्रतिकृतं पश्य पश्य बाहुबलं च मे। इति शूरार्थवचनैरभाषेतां परस्परम्
'See my counter to your move, see my arm's strength!'—with such heroic words they addressed each other.
ततोऽर्जुनस्य भुजयोर्वीर्यमप्रतिमं भुवि। ज्ञात्वा वैकर्तनः कर्णः संरब्धः समयोधयत्
Then, recognizing Arjuna's unmatched strength of arms on earth, Karna, son of Radha, became enraged and challenged him to battle.
अर्जुनेन प्रयुक्तांस्तान्बाणान्वेगवतस्तदा। प्रतिहत्य ननादोच्चैः सैन्यानि तदपूजयन्
At that time, Karna struck down the swift arrows launched by Arjuna, and roared loudly; the armies honored him for this feat.
तुष्यामि ते विप्रमुख्य भुजवीयर्स्य संयुगे। अविषादस्य चैवास्य शस्त्रास्त्रविजयस्य च
I am pleased with you, foremost of Brahmins, for your prowess in battle, your fearlessness, and your mastery over weapons and missiles.
किं त्वं साक्षाद्धनुर्वेदो रामो वा विप्रसत्तम। अथ साक्षाद्धरिहयः साक्षाद्वा विष्णुरच्युतः
Are you the very embodiment of the science of archery, or Rama himself, O best of Brahmins? Or are you perhaps Hari, Haya, or even Vishnu incarnate?
आत्मप्रच्छादनार्थं वै बाहुवीर्यमुपाश्रितः। विप्ररूपं विधायेदं मन्ये मां प्रतियुध्यसे
To conceal your true self, you have taken refuge in the strength of your arms and assumed the form of a Brahmin, I think, to fight against me.
न हि मामाहवे क्रुद्धमन्यः साक्षाच्छचीपतेः। पुमान्योधयितुं शक्तः पाण्डवाद्वा किरीटिनः
For, apart from Indra himself or Arjuna the diademed Pandava, no other man can withstand me in battle when I am enraged.
दग्धा जतुगृहे सर्वे पाण्डवाः सार्जुनास्तदा। विनार्जुनं वा समरे मां निहन्तुमशक्नुवन्
When all the Pandavas, except Arjuna, were burned in the house of lac, even then, without Arjuna, they could not slay me in battle.
तमेवंवादिनं तत्र फाल्गुनः प्रत्यभाषत। नास्मि कर्ण धनुर्वेदो नास्मि रामः प्रतापवान्
To him who spoke thus, Phalguna replied: I am not the science of archery incarnate, nor am I the mighty Rama, O Karna.
ब्राह्मणोऽस्मि युधां श्रेष्ठः सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरः। ब्राह्मे पौरन्दरे चास्त्रे निष्ठितोगुरुशासनात्
I am a Brahmin, O best of warriors, foremost among all wielders of weapons; I am accomplished in the Brahma and Paurandara weapons, as instructed by my teacher.
स्थितोऽस्म्यद्य रणे जेतुं त्वां वै वीर स्थिरो भव। `निर्जितोऽस्मीति वा ब्रूहि ततो व्रज यथासुखम्
Today I stand firm in battle to defeat you, O hero; stand your ground, or else admit 'I am vanquished' and then depart as you please.
एवमुक्त्वाऽथ कर्णस्य धनुश्चिच्छेद पाण्डवः। ततोऽन्यद्धनुरादाय संयोद्धुं सन्दधे शरम्
Having spoken thus, the Pandava cut down Karna's bow; then, taking up another bow, Karna prepared to continue the fight with an arrow.
दृष्ट्वा तच्चापि कौन्तेयश्छित्वा तद्धनुराशुगैः। तथा वैकर्तनं कर्णं बिभेद समरेऽर्जुनः
Seeing this, Kaunteya swiftly cut down that bow as well with his arrows, and in battle, Arjuna wounded Karna, son of Radha.
ततः कर्णस्तु राधेयः छिन्नछन्वा महाबलः। शरैरतीव विद्धाङ्गः पलायनमथाकरोत्
Then Karna, son of Radha, of great might, his bow cut and his body pierced with arrows, turned and fled from the field.
पुनरायान्मुहूर्तेन गृहीत्वा सशरं धनुः। ववर्ष शरवर्षाणि पार्थं वैकर्तनस्तथा
But after a moment, he returned, seizing a bow with arrows, and Karna, son of Radha, rained showers of arrows upon Partha.
तानि वै शरजालानि कौन्तेयोऽभ्यहनच्छरैः। ज्ञात्वा सर्वाञ्शरान्घोरान्कर्णोऽदावद्द्रुतं बहिः
Kaunteya struck down those showers of arrows with his own shafts; seeing all his terrible arrows repelled, Karna quickly withdrew.
ब्राह्मं तेजस्तदाऽजय्यं मन्यमानो महारथः। अपरस्मिन्वनोद्देशे वीरौ शल्यवृकोदरौ
Thinking the Brahmin's energy invincible, the great chariot-warrior went to another part of the forest, where the two heroes, Shalya and Bhimasena, were present.
बलिनौ युद्धसंपन्नौ विद्यया च बलेन च। अन्योन्यमाह्वयन्तौ तु मत्ताविव महागजौ
Both strong and skilled in battle, accomplished in knowledge and might, they challenged each other like two intoxicated great elephants.
मुष्टिभिर्जानुभिश्चैव निघ्नन्तावितरेतरम्। प्रकर्षणाकर्षणयोरभ्याकर्षविकर्षणैः
Striking each other with fists and knees, they grappled and pulled, each striving to overpower the other by force.
आचकर्षतुरन्योन्यं मुष्टिभिश्चापि जघ्नतुः। ततश्चटचटाशब्दः सुघोरो ह्यभवत्तयोः
They dragged each other and struck with their fists; then a terrible cracking sound arose from the two.
पाषाणसंपातनिभैः प्रहारैरभिजघ्नतुः। मुहूर्तं तौ तदाऽन्योन्यं समरे पर्यकर्षताम्
They struck each other with blows like the collision of rocks, and for a while, those two pulled each other around in battle.
ततो भीमः समुत्क्षिप्य बाहुभ्यां शल्यमाहवे। अपातयत्कुरुश्रेष्ठो ब्राह्मणा जहसुस्तदा
Then Bhima, lifting Shalya with his arms in the fight, threw him down—at that, the foremost of Kurus, the Brahmanas laughed.
तत्राश्चर्यं भीमसेनश्चकार पुरुषर्षभः। यच्छल्यं पातितं भूमौ नावधीद्बलिनं बली
There Bhimasena, the bull among men, performed a wonder: though Shalya was thrown to the ground, the powerful one did not kill the strong man.
पातिते भीमसेनेन शल्ये कर्णे च शङ्किते। `विस्मयः परमो जज्ञे सर्वेषां पश्यतां नृणाम्
When Bhimasena threw down Shalya and Karna became anxious, great astonishment arose among all the men who were watching.
ततो राजसमूहस्य पश्यतो वृक्षमारुजत्। ततस्तु भीमं संज्ञाभिर्वारयामास धर्मराट्
Then, as the assembly of kings watched, he climbed a tree; and Dharmaraja signaled Bhima to stop.