01.127
Core:The sun goes down, and the fight between Karna and Arjuna gets halted.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
tataḥ srastottarapaṭaḥ saprasvedaḥ savepathuḥ। viveśādhiratho raṅgaṁ yaṣṭiprāṇo hvayanniva॥1॥
Then Adhiratha, with his upper cloth fallen, sweating and trembling, entered the arena, as if summoned, his staff being his very life.
tamālokya dhanustyaktvā pitṛgauravayantritaḥ। karṇo'bhiṣekārdraśirāḥ śirasā samavandata॥2॥
Seeing him, Karṇa, his head still wet from anointment, dropped his bow, restrained by reverence for his father, and bowed his head in respect.
tataḥ pādāvavacchādya paṭāntena sasambhramaḥ। putreti paripūrṇārthamabravīdrathasārathiḥ॥3॥
Then the charioteer, with emotion, covering his feet with the end of his garment, said with full meaning, "My son."
pariṣvajya ca tasyātha mūrdhānaṁ snehaviklavaḥ। aṅgarājyābhiṣekārdram aśrubhiḥ siṣice punaḥ॥4॥
Embracing him, his father, overcome with affection, again sprinkled his son’s head—already wet from his anointment as king of Aṅga—with his tears.
taṁ dṛṣṭvā sūtaputro'yamiti niścitya pāṇḍavaḥ। bhīmasenastadā vākyamabravītprahasanniva॥5॥
Seeing this and concluding he was the son of a charioteer, Bhīmasena, the Pāṇḍava, then mockingly spoke these words as if laughing.
na tvamarhasi pārthena sūtaputra raṇe vadham। kulasya sadṛśastūrṇaṁ pratodo gṛhyatāṁ tvayā॥6॥
O son of a charioteer, you do not deserve to be slain in battle by Pārtha. Take up a goad instead, something suited to your lineage.
aṅgarājyaṁ ca nārhastvamupabhoktuṁ narādhama। śvā hutāśasamīpasthaṁ puroḍāśamivādhvare॥7॥
O lowest of men, you are not worthy to enjoy the kingdom of Aṅga, like a dog near the sacrificial fire reaching out for the sacred offering.
evamuktastataḥ karṇaḥ kiñcitprasphuritādharaḥ। gaganasthaṁ viniḥśvasya divākaramudaikṣata॥8॥
Thus addressed, Karṇa, with lips slightly trembling, sighed and looked toward the sun in the sky.
tato duryodhanaḥ kopādutpapāta mahābalaḥ। bhrātṛpadmavanāttasmānmadotkaṭa iva dvipaḥ॥9॥
Then mighty Duryodhana rose in wrath like an intoxicated elephant emerging from the lotus-lake of his brothers.
so'bravīdbhīmakarmāṇaṁ bhīmasenamavasthitam। vṛkodara na yuktaṁ te vacanaṁ vaktumīdṛśam॥10॥
He said to Bhīmasena, of terrible deeds, "O Vṛkodara, such words are not fitting for you to speak."
kṣatriyāṇāṁ balaṁ jyeṣṭhaṁ yoddhavyaṁ kṣatrabandhunā। śūrāṇāṁ ca nadīnāṁ ca prabhavā durvidāḥ kila॥11॥
The strength of kṣatriyas is foremost and should be challenged only by another kṣatriya; the origins of heroes and rivers are indeed difficult to trace.
salilādutthito vahnir yena vyāptaṁ carācaram। dadhīcyasthito vajraṁ kṛtaṁ dānavasūdanam॥12॥
Fire arose from water and pervaded all; the thunderbolt made from Dadhīci’s bones became the slayer of demons.
āgneyaḥ kṛttikāputro raudro gāṅgeya ityapi। śrūyate bhagavān devaḥ sarvaguhyamayo guhaḥ॥13॥
The deity Guha is called the son of Agni, the Kṛttikās, Rudra, and Gaṅgā—he is the lord, Guha, composed of all mysteries.
kṣatriyābhyaśca ye jātā brāhmaṇās te ca viśrutāḥ। ācāryaḥ kalaśāj jātaḥ śarastambād guruḥ kṛpaḥ। bhavatāṁ ca yathā janma tad apy āgamitaṁ nṛpaiḥ॥14॥
Brāhmaṇas born from kṣatriyas are also renowned; the teacher was born from a pot, Kṛpa from a heap of arrows—your birth too is known by kings.
sakuṇḍalaṁ sakavacaṁ divyalakṣaṇalakṣitam। katham ādityasaṅkāśaṁ mṛgī vyāghraṁ janiṣyati॥15॥
How can a deer give birth to a tiger radiant like the sun, adorned with earrings and armor, marked by divine signs?
pṛthivīrājyamarho'yaṁ nāṅgarājyaṁ nareśvaraḥ। anena bāhuvīryeṇa mayā cājñānuvartinā॥16॥
This man deserves the sovereignty of the whole earth, not just Aṅga, O lord of men—with this arm's strength and my faithful service.
yasya vā manujasyedaṁ na kṣāntaṁ madviceṣṭitam। rathamāruhya padbhyāṁ vā vināmayatu kārmukam॥17॥
Let any man who cannot bear my act mount a chariot or on foot and bend the bow.
tataḥ sarvasya raṅgasya hāhākāro mahānabhūt। sādhuvādānusambaddhaḥ sūryaścāstamupāgamat॥18॥
Then a great uproar arose in the arena, mingled with cries of approval, and the sun set.
tato duryodhanaḥ karṇamālambyātha kare nṛpa। dīpikāgnikṛtālokaḥ tasmād raṅgād viniryayau॥19॥
Then Duryodhana, holding Karṇa by the hand and lit by the lamp-fire, departed from the arena, O king.
pāṇḍavāś ca sahadroṇāḥ sakṛpāś ca viśāṁ pate। bhīṣmeṇa sahitāḥ sarve yayuḥ svaṁ svaṁ niveśanam॥20॥
And the Pāṇḍavas, along with Droṇa, Kṛpa, and Bhīṣma, all returned to their respective abodes, O lord of people.
arjuneti janaḥ kaścit kaścit karṇeti bhārata। kaścid duryodhanety evaṁ bruvantaḥ prasthitās tadā॥21॥
One said "Arjuna," another "Karna," another "Duryodhana"—so speaking, the people then departed, O Bhārata.
kuntyāś ca pratyabhijñāya divyalakṣaṇasūcitam। putram aṅgeśvaraṁ snehācchannā prītir avardhata॥22॥
Recognizing the son of Aṅga, marked with divine signs, as her own, Kunti's love, concealed by affection, grew even more.
duryodhanasyāpi tadā karṇam āsādya pārthiva। bhayam arjunasāñ jātaṁ kṣipram antaradhīyata॥23॥
Then, O king, Duryodhana’s fear, which had arisen due to Arjuna’s strength, quickly vanished after gaining Karna.
sa cāpi vīraḥ kṛtaśastraniśramaḥ; pareṇa sāmnābhyavadat suyodhanam। yudhiṣṭhirasyāpy abhavat tadā matiḥ; na karṇatulyo'sti dhanurdharaḥ kṣitau॥24॥
That hero, skilled in weapons, spoke gently to Suyodhana; and even Yudhiṣṭhira then thought—there is no bowman on earth equal to Karna.
