Mahabharata Drona Parva Chapter 173:2

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Mahabharata Drona Parva (Ghatotkacha-badha Parva) Chapter 173:2


Then king Yudhishthira, beholding his army flying away, and regarding retreat to be advisable, addressed Phalguna and said, "Behold that mighty bowman, Karna stationed there like Rudra himself armed with his bow. Behold him scorching everything around like the blazing sun himself, at this fierce hour, this dead of night. These wails are being incessantly heard, O Partha, of thy helpless friends who are uttering them, mangled by the shafts of Karna. The manner in which Karna is aiming and letting off his shafts is such that no interval can be noticed between the two acts. He will, O Partha, annihilate all our friends. Do that now, Dhananjaya, about the slaughter of Karna, which, according to thy judgment, should next be done and the time for which may have come. [1]

Thus addressed (by Yudhishthira), Partha said unto Krishna, "The royal son of Dharma is frightened today by the prowess of Karna. When Karna's division is thus acting (towards us) repeatedly, do thou speedily adopt that course which should now be adopted. Our army is flying away, O slayer of Madhu, our troops, broken and mangled with Drona's shafts and frightened by Karna, are unable to make a stand. I see Karna careering fearlessly. Our foremost of car-warriors are flying away. Karna is scattering his keen shafts. I cannot, like a snake incapable of putting up with the tread of a human being upon its body, bear to see him thus careering at the head of battle, before my eyes, O tiger of Vrishni's race. Proceed, therefore, to that spot where the mighty car-warrior Karna is. I will either kill him, O slayer of Madhu, or let him slay me.

Vasudeva said, "I behold Karna, O son of Kunti, that tiger among men, that warrior of superhuman prowess, careering in battle like the chief of the celestials himself. O Dhananjaya, there is none else capable of advancing against him in battle, save thee, O tiger among men, and the Rakshasa Ghatotkacha. I do not, however, O sinless one, regard the time to have come, O mighty-armed one, for thee to encounter the Suta's son in battle. The blazing dart, resembling a mighty meteor, given him by Vasava, is still with him, O thou of mighty arms, kept for thee with care, by the Suta's son. He keepeth that dart by him, and hath now assumed a terrible form. As regards Ghatotkacha, he is always devoted to you and desirous of your good. Let the mighty Ghatotkacha proceed against the son of Radha. Endued with the prowess of a celestial, he has been begotten by the mighty Bhima. With him are celestial weapons as also those used by Rakshasa." The latter soon came before him, clad in mail, and armed, O king, with sword, arrow, and bow. Saluting Krishna and also Dhananjaya, the son of Pandu, he proudly said, "Here I am, command me." Then he of Dasarha's race, addressed Hidimva's son, that Rakshasa of blazing mouth and fiery eyes and body of the hue of clouds, and said these words, "Listen, O Ghatotkacha, attend to what I say.

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References

  1. In the Bengal texts this is a triplet.