Critical Edition
वैशंपायन उवाच स एवमुक्तस्तु मुनिर्नारदो वदतां वरः कथयामास तत्सर्वं यथा शप्तः स सूतजः
M. N. Dutt: Thus accosted that best of orators, viz., the sage Narada, described everything about the manner in which he who was known as a charioteers' son had been cursed.
एवमेतन्महाबाहो यथा वदसि भारत न कर्णार्जुनयोः किंचिदविषह्यं भवेद्रणे
M. N. Dutt: Narada said "What you say, O mighty-armed one, is true O Bharata! Nothing could resist Karna and Arjuna in battle.
गुह्यमेतत्तु देवानां कथयिष्यामि ते नृप तन्निबोध महाराज यथा वृत्तमिदं पुरा
M. N. Dutt: This, O sinless one, that I am about to tell you is unknown to the very celestials. Listen to me, O mighty-armed one, as it happened formerly.
क्षत्रं स्वर्गं कथं गच्छेच्छस्त्रपूतमिति प्रभो संघर्षजननस्तस्मात्कन्यागर्भो विनिर्मितः
M. N. Dutt: The question was mooted, how all the Kshatriyas, purified by weapons, should attain to blissful regions. For this, a child was conceived by Kunti while she was a maid, capable of creating a general war.
स बालस्तेजसा युक्तः सूतपुत्रत्वमागतः चकाराङ्गिरसां श्रेष्ठे धनुर्वेदं गुरौ तव
M. N. Dutt: Highly energetic that child became known as a Suta. He subsequently learnt the science of arms from the preceptor (Drona), that foremost of Angirasa's race.
स बलं भीमसेनस्य फल्गुनस्य च लाघवम् बुद्धिं च तव राजेन्द्र यमयोर्विनयं तथा
AI Translation: He knows the strength of Bhimasena and the dexterity of Phalguna, And your wisdom, O king, and the humility of the twins.
सख्यं च वासुदेवेन बाल्ये गाण्डीवधन्वनः प्रजानामनुरागं च चिन्तयानो व्यदह्यत
AI Translation: He was tormented by thinking of the friendship of Vasudeva and the bow-wielding son of Pandu in their childhood, and the affection of the subjects.
स सख्यमगमद्बाल्ये राज्ञा दुर्योधनेन वै युष्माभिर्नित्यसंद्विष्टो दैवाच्चापि स्वभावतः
M. N. Dutt: In early age he contracted friendship with king Duryodhana, led by accident and his own nature and the hate he cherished against you all.
विद्याधिकमथालक्ष्य धनुर्वेदे धनंजयम् द्रोणं रहस्युपागम्य कर्णो वचनमब्रवीत्
AI Translation: Having seen Dhananjaya as superior in knowledge and archery, Karna approached Drona in private and spoke these words:
ब्रह्मास्त्रं वेत्तुमिच्छामि सरहस्यनिवर्तनम् अर्जुनेन समो युद्धे भवेयमिति मे मतिः
AI Translation: I wish to know the Brahma missile with its secrets and its reversal. I think I should be equal to Arjuna in battle.
Supplementary Passages:
12.2.10 After 10ab, D8 ins. (= var. 3.2.60): *6 अहो चित्रं महच्चित्रं विपरीतमिदं जगत् येनापत्रपते साधुरसाधुस्तेन तुष्यति
समः पुत्रेषु च स्नेहः शिष्येषु च तव ध्रुवम् त्वत्प्रसादान्न मां ब्रूयुरकृतास्त्रं विचक्षणाः
M. N. Dutt: Forsooth, the love you bear for every one of your pupils is equal to what you cherish for your own son! I pray that all masters of the science of arms may, by your favour consider me as one accomplished in weapons.
द्रोणस्तथोक्तः कर्णेन सापेक्षः फल्गुनं प्रति दौरात्म्यं चापि कर्णस्य विदित्वा तमुवाच ह
AI Translation: Drona, thus addressed by Karna, who was concerned about Phalguna, and knowing Karna's wickedness, said to him,
ब्रह्मास्त्रं ब्राह्मणो विद्याद्यथावच्चरितव्रतः क्षत्रियो वा तपस्वी यो नान्यो विद्यात्कथंचन
AI Translation: The Brahmana knows the Brahma-astra, and he who has observed the vows as they should be observed, or the ascetic Kshatriya, for no one else knows it in any way.
इत्युक्तोऽङ्गिरसां श्रेष्ठमामन्त्र्य प्रतिपूज्य च जगाम सहसा रामं महेन्द्रं पर्वतं प्रति
M. N. Dutt: When Drona had answered thus, Karna, having adored him, took his permission and proceeded forthwith to Rama then living on the Mahendra mountains.
स तु राममुपागम्य शिरसाभिप्रणम्य च ब्राह्मणो भार्गवोऽस्मीति गौरवेणाभ्यगच्छत
M. N. Dutt: Approaching Rama, hc bowed to him and said,-I am a Brahmana of Bhrigu's race!-This secured honour for him.
रामस्तं प्रतिजग्राह पृष्ट्वा गोत्रादि सर्वशः उष्यतां स्वागतं चेति प्रीतिमांश्चाभवद्भृशम्
M. N. Dutt: With this knowledge about his birth and family, Rama received him kindly and said, You are welcome!-at which Karna became highly pleased.
तत्र कर्णस्य वसतो महेन्द्रे पर्वतोत्तमे गन्धर्वै राक्षसैर्यक्षैर्देवैश्चासीत्समागमः
M. N. Dutt: While living on the Mahendra mountains resembling heaven itself, Karna met and mixed with many Gandharvas, and Yakshas, and gods.
स तत्रेष्वस्त्रमकरोद्भृगुश्रेष्ठाद्यथाविधि प्रियश्चाभवदत्यर्थं देवगन्धर्वरक्षसाम्
M. N. Dutt: While living there, he learnt the use of all the weapons duly, and became a great favourite of the gods, the Gandharvas, and the Rakshasas.
स कदाचित्समुद्रान्ते विचरन्नाश्रमान्तिके एकः खड्गधनुष्पाणिः परिचक्राम सूतजः
M. N. Dutt: One day he walked on the sea shore by the side of that hermitage. Armed with bow and sword, Surya's son wandered alone.
सोऽग्निहोत्रप्रसक्तस्य कस्यचिद्ब्रह्मवादिनः जघानाज्ञानतः पार्थ होमधेनुं यदृच्छया
M. N. Dutt: While thus walking, O Partha, he inadvertently and unwittingly killed the Homa Cow of a certain Brahmavadin who daily performed his Agnihotra rite.
तदज्ञानकृतं मत्वा ब्राह्मणाय न्यवेदयत् कर्णः प्रसादयंश्चैनमिदमित्यब्रवीद्वचः
AI Translation: Knowing that it was caused by ignorance, he informed the brahmin. And Karna, trying to please him, spoke these words:
अबुद्धिपूर्वं भगवन्धेनुरेषा हता तव मया तत्र प्रसादं मे कुरुष्वेति पुनः पुनः
AI Translation: "O Blessed One, this cow of yours was killed by me without any intention. " "Please forgive me for that," he said again and again.
तं स विप्रोऽब्रवीत्क्रुद्धो वाचा निर्भर्त्सयन्निव दुराचार वधार्हस्त्वं फलं प्राप्नुहि दुर्मते
AI Translation: The brahmin angrily spoke to him, as if rebuking him with words: "O you of evil conduct, you deserve to be killed. O you of evil mind, may you attain the fruit of your evil conduct."
येन विस्पर्धसे नित्यं यदर्थं घटसेऽनिशम् युध्यतस्तेन ते पाप भूमिश्चक्रं ग्रसिष्यति
M. N. Dutt: While fighting him, O wretch, whom you always challenge, and for whom you are trying so much every day, the Earth shall swallow the wheel of your car.
ततश्चक्रे महीग्रस्ते मूर्धानं ते विचेतसः पातयिष्यति विक्रम्य शत्रुर्गच्छ नराधम
M. N. Dutt: And while the wheel of your car shall thus be swallowed up by the Earth, your enemy displaying his prowess, will cut off your head, you being stupefied then. Leave me, O vile man!
यथेयं गौर्हता मूढ प्रमत्तेन त्वया मम प्रमत्तस्यैवमेवान्यः शिरस्ते पातयिष्यति
AI Translation: Just as this cow of mine has been killed by you, a fool, out of carelessness, so too, someone else will strike off your head out of carelessness.
ततः प्रसादयामास पुनस्तं द्विजसत्तमम् गोभिर्धनैश्च रत्नैश्च स चैनं पुनरब्रवीत्
AI Translation: Then he again propitiated that best of Brahmins with cows, wealth, and jewels. He again said to him,
नेदं मद्व्याहृतं कुर्यात्सर्वलोकोऽपि वै मृषा गच्छ वा तिष्ठ वा यद्वा कार्यं ते तत्समाचर
AI Translation: Let not the whole world do what I say, even if it is false. Go or stay, or do whatever you want to do.
इत्युक्तो ब्राह्मणेनाथ कर्णो दैन्यादधोमुखः राममभ्यागमद्भीतस्तदेव मनसा स्मरन्
AI Translation: Thus addressed by the Brāhman, Karna, with downcast face, through grief, approached Rama, fearing, remembering that very thing in his mind.