Lead us as the martial SKANDA led the conquering gods of old,
Smite the foe as angry INDRA smote the Danavs fierce and bold,
As before the light of morning flies the baleful gloom of night,
Pandavs and the proud Panchalas fly before thy conquering might!”
Priests with hymns and chanted mantra and with every sacred rite
Hailed him Leader of the Kurus, chieftain of unconquered might,
Earthen jars they placed around him with the sacred water full,
Elephant’s tusk they laid beside him and the horn of mighty bull,
Gem and jewel, corn and produce, by the arméd hero laid,
Silken cloth of finest lustre o’er his crownéd head they spread,
Brahmans poured the holy water, bards his lofty praises sung,
Kshatras, Vaisyas, purer Sudras hailed him Leader bold and strong!
“Vanquish warlike sons of Pritha!” thus the holy Brahmans blessed,
Gold and garments, food and cattle, joyous Karna on them pressed,
And the holy rite concluded, Karna ranged his men in war,
To the dreaded front of battle drove his swift and conquering car!
[334] Morn to noon and noon to evening raged the battle on the plain,
Countless warriors fought and perished, car-borne chiefs were pierced and slain,
Helméd Arjun, crownéd Karna, met at last by will of fate,
Life-long was their mutual anger, deathless was their mutual hate!
And the firm earth shook and trembled ’neath the furious rush of war,
And the echoing welkin answered shouts that nations heard afar,
And the thickening cloud of arrows filled the firmament on high,
Darker, deeper, dread and deadlier, grew the angry face of sky,
Till the evening’s sable garment mantled o’er the battle-field,
And the angry rivals parted, neither chief could win or yield!
II. Fall of Karna
At the break of morning Karna unto Prince Duryodhan went,
Thus in slow and measured accents to his inner thoughts gave vent:
“Morning dawns, O Kuru’s monarch! mighty Arjun shall be slain,
Or fulfilling warrior’s duty Karna dyes the gory plain!
Long through life within our bosoms ever burnt the mutual hate,
Oft we met and often parted, rescued by the will of fate,
But yon sun with crimson lustre sees us meet to part no more,
Gallant Arjun’s course this evening or proud Karna’s shall be o’er,
Room is none for Arjun’s glory and for archer Karna’s fame,
One must sink and one must sparkle with a brighter richer flame!
List yet more; in wealth of arrows and in wondrous strength of bow,
Arjun scarcely me surpasseth, scarcely I excel my foe,
In the light skill of the archer and in sight and truth of aim,
Arjun beats not, scarcely rivals, Karna’s proud and peerless fame!
[335] If his wondrous bow Gandiva is the gift of gods in heaven,
Karna’s bow the famed Vijaya is by Par’su-Rama given,
Ay, the son of Jamadagni, kings of earth who proudly slayed,
On the youthful arms of Karna his destructive weapon laid!
Yet I own, O king of Kuru! Arjun doth his foe excel, –
Matchless are his fiery coursers, peerless Krishna leads them well,
Krishna holds the reins for Arjun, Krishna speeds his battle-car,
Drives the lightning-wingéd coursers o’er the startled field of war,
Sweeps in pride his sounding chariot till it almost seems to fly,
Arjun lords it o’er the battle like the comet in the sky!
Grant me, monarch, mighty Salya drive my swift and warlike steed,
And against the car-borne Arjun, Karna’s fiery chariot lead,
Salya too is skilled, like Krishna, with the steed and battle-car,
Equal thus I meet my foeman in this last and fatal war!”
Spake Duryodhan; warlike Salya mounted Karna’s sounding car,
Karna sought for mighty Arjun in the serried ranks of war:
“Hundred milch-kine Karna offers, costly garment, yellow gold,
Unto him who in this battle points to me my foeman bold,
Cars and steeds and fertile acres, peaceful hamlets rich and fair,
Dark-eyed damsels lotus-bosomed, crowned with glossy raven hair,
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