01.104
Core-Pancharatra: Kunti's boon and her Son.
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
शूरो नाम यदुश्रेष्ठो वसुदेवपिताभवत् । तस्य कन्या पृथा नाम रूपेणासदृशी भुवि ॥१-१०४-१॥
Śūra, the foremost among the Yadus and father of Vasudeva, had a daughter named Pṛthā, unmatched in beauty on earth.
पैतृष्वसेयाय स तामनपत्याय वीर्यवान् । अग्र्यमग्रे प्रतिज्ञाय स्वस्यापत्यस्य वीर्यवान् ॥१-१०४-२॥
He, the mighty one, gave her to his paternal cousin who was childless, having promised in advance that his own powerful offspring would be given.
अग्रजातेति तां कन्यामग्र्यानुग्रहकाङ्क्षिणे । प्रददौ कुन्तिभोजाय सखा सख्ये महात्मने ॥१-१०४-३॥
Thus, desiring to bestow the highest favor on his friend, he gave that first-born maiden to the great-souled Kuntibhoja.
सा नियुक्ता पितुर्गेहे देवतातिथिपूजने । उग्रं पर्यचरद्घोरं ब्राह्मणं संशितव्रतम् ॥१-१०४-४॥
She was appointed in her father's house to worship gods and guests, and served a fierce and terrible Brahmin of firm vows.
निगूढनिश्चयं धर्मे यं तं दुर्वाससं विदुः । तमुग्रं संशितात्मानं सर्वयत्नैरतोषयत् ॥१-१०४-५॥
Whom they knew as Durvāsas, of hidden resolve in righteousness, him — the fierce and self-disciplined — she pleased with all efforts.
तस्यै स प्रददौ मन्त्रमापद्धर्मान्ववेक्षया । अभिचाराभिसंयुक्तमब्रवीच्चैव तां मुनिः ॥१-१०४-६॥
The sage, considering duty in distress, gave her a mantra endowed with magical potency and indeed instructed her.
यं यं देवं त्वमेतेन मन्त्रेणावाहयिष्यसि । तस्य तस्य प्रसादेन पुत्रस्तव भविष्यति ॥१-१०४-७॥
Whichever god you invoke with this mantra, by his grace you will obtain a son.
तथोक्ता सा तु विप्रेण तेन कौतूहलात्तदा । कन्या सती देवमर्कमाजुहाव यशस्विनी ॥१-१०४-८॥
Thus instructed by the sage, the illustrious maiden, being chaste, out of curiosity invoked the Sun god.
सा ददर्श तमायान्तं भास्करं लोकभावनम् । विस्मिता चानवद्याङ्गी दृष्ट्वा तन्महदद्भुतम् ॥१-१०४-९॥
She saw the Sun, the nourisher of the world, approaching, and being flawless in form, was amazed at that great wonder.
प्रकाशकर्मा तपनस्तस्यां गर्भं दधौ ततः । अजीजनत्ततो वीरं सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरम् । आमुक्तकवचः श्रीमान्देवगर्भः श्रियावृतः ॥१-१०४-१०॥
The radiant Sun deposited a seed in her womb, and she gave birth to a hero — the best among all warriors, naturally clad in armor, glorious, god-begotten, and enveloped in splendor.
सहजं कवचं बिभ्रत्कुण्डलोद्द्योतिताननः । अजायत सुतः कर्णः सर्वलोकेषु विश्रुतः ॥१-१०४-११॥
Karṇa, wearing natural armor and with a face illuminated by earrings, was born — a son renowned in all the worlds.
प्रादाच्च तस्याः कन्यात्वं पुनः स परमद्युतिः । दत्त्वा च ददतां श्रेष्ठो दिवमाचक्रमे ततः ॥१-१०४-१२॥
That supremely radiant being restored her maidenhood and, having done so, the best among givers ascended to heaven.
गूहमानापचारं तं बन्धुपक्षभयात्तदा । उत्ससर्ज जले कुन्ती तं कुमारं सलक्षणम् ॥१-१०४-१३॥
Fearing her relatives and hiding her transgression, Kuntī abandoned that auspiciously marked boy in the water.
तमुत्सृष्टं तदा गर्भं राधाभर्ता महायशाः । पुत्रत्वे कल्पयामास सभार्यः सूतनन्दनः ॥१-१०४-१४॥
The greatly renowned husband of Rādhā, son of a charioteer, accepted that abandoned infant as his son, along with his wife.
नामधेयं च चक्राते तस्य बालस्य तावुभौ । वसुना सह जातोऽयं वसुषेणो भवत्विति ॥१-१०४-१५॥
The two gave that boy the name Vasuṣeṇa, saying, “Born with a Vasu, i.e. wealth, let him be called Vasuṣeṇa.”
स वर्धमानो बलवान्सर्वास्त्रेषूद्यतोऽभवत् । आ पृष्ठतापादादित्यमुपतस्थे स वीर्यवान् ॥१-१०४-१६॥
As he grew up, he became strong and skilled in all weapons, and the mighty one approached the Sun due to the burning of his back.
यस्मिन्काले जपन्नास्ते स वीरः सत्यसङ्गरः । नादेयं ब्राह्मणेष्वासीत्तस्मिन्काले महात्मनः ॥१-१०४-१७॥
At that time, the hero, firm in truth, sat reciting, and there was nothing he would refuse to the Brāhmaṇas.
तमिन्द्रो ब्राह्मणो भूत्वा भिक्षार्थं भूतभावनः । कुण्डले प्रार्थयामास कवचं च महाद्युतिः ॥१-१०४-१८॥
Indra, assuming the form of a Brāhmaṇa and desiring alms, the nourisher of beings, of great splendor, requested from him his earrings and armor.
उत्कृत्य विमनाः स्वाङ्गात्कवचं रुधिरस्रवम् । कर्णस्तु कुण्डले छित्त्वा प्रायच्छत्स कृताञ्जलिः ॥१-१०४-१९॥
Sorrowfully cutting off the bleeding armor from his own body and severing his earrings, Karṇa gave them with joined palms.
शक्तिं तस्मै ददौ शक्रः विस्मितो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । देवासुरमनुष्याणां गन्धर्वोरगरक्षसाम् । यस्मै क्षेप्स्यसि रुष्टः सन्सोऽनया न भविष्यति ॥१-१०४-२०॥
Indra, amazed, gave him a missile and said, “Among gods, demons, men, Gandharvas, serpents, and Rākṣasas — whomever you hurl this at in anger, he shall not survive.”
पुरा नाम तु तस्यासीद्वसुषेण इति श्रुतम् । ततो वैकर्तनः कर्णः कर्मणा तेन सोऽभवत् ॥१-१०४-२१॥
Formerly his name was Vasuṣeṇa, as is heard; but by that act, Karṇa became known as Vaikartana — one born of cutting.
