Shloka 22
कर्णपुत्रवधः (The Fall of Vṛṣasena) — Karṇa Parva, Adhyāya 62
(हते हास्मिन् ध्रुवं पार्थ: स्वाञ्जेष्यति नो रथान् | तस्मिन् हि धार्तराष्ट्रस्य निहते तु ध्रुवी जय: ।। “इनके मारे जानेपर अर्जुन निश्चय ही हमारे सारे महारथियोंको जीत लेंगे। परंतु अर्जुनके मारे जानेपर धृतराष्ट्रपुत्र दुर्योधनकी विजय अवश्यम्भावी है। ध्वजोडसौ दृश्यते तस्य रोचमानों5शुमानिव । एनं जहि महाबाहो कि ते हत्वा युधिष्ठिरम् ।।) “महाबाहो! अर्जुनका यह सूर्यके समान प्रकाशमान ध्वज दिखायी देता है। तुम इन्हींको मारो, युधिष्ठिरका वध करनेसे तुम्हारा क्या लाभ है? शड्खयोर्ध्यायतो: शब्द: सुमहानेष कृष्णयो:
sañjaya uvāca |
hate hāsmin dhruvaṃ pārthaḥ svāñ jeṣyati no rathān |
tasmin hi dhārtarāṣṭrasya nihate tu dhruvī jayaḥ ||
dhvajo 'sau dṛśyate tasya rocamāno 'ṃśumān iva |
enaṃ jahi mahābāho kiṃ te hatvā yudhiṣṭhiram ||
śaṅkhayor dhyāyatoḥ śabdaḥ sumahān eṣa kṛṣṇayoḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “If this one is slain, Pārtha (Arjuna) will surely overcome our chariot-warriors. But if Arjuna is slain, then victory for the son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra (Duryodhana) becomes certain. Look—his banner is visible, shining like the sun. Strike him down, O mighty-armed one; what gain is there for you in killing Yudhiṣṭhira? And now a very great sound arises—the reverberation of the conches of the two Kṛṣṇas (Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna), as they set their minds upon battle.”
संजय उवाच