03.285
The Sun said.
O Karṇa, you have acted in a way that is honorable for yourself, your friends, your sons, your wives, your mother, and your father. (03-285-1)
O best of beings, by preserving the well-being of the body, the attainment of fame and lasting glory in heaven is sought. (03-285-2)
Who you are, if you desire eternal fame by risking your life, that (fame) will depart having taken away your life—there is no doubt about it. (03-285-3)
O best of men, in this world, the father, mother, sons, and other relatives perform actions for living beings, as do some others. O tiger among men, understand that kings also act through their own manliness. (03-285-4)
Glory belongs to the virtuous living man of great brilliance. What use is glory to the dead, whose body is reduced to ashes? The dead do not know glory; it is the living who enjoy glory. (03-285-5)
Fame is for the dead, just as a garland for one whose life has departed; but I say this to you, "You are a devotee," with the desire for your welfare. (03-285-6)
Indeed, those devoted to me should be protected, and for this very reason also; this devotee, by his supreme devotion, regards me thus, O mighty-armed. My own devotion has arisen too—so you, do my word. (03-285-7)
There is, here, a certain supreme spiritual knowledge created by the gods. Therefore, I say this to you: let it be done without doubt. (03-285-8)
O best among men, it is not possible for you to know the divine secret; therefore I do not tell you the secret— in time, you will know it. (03-285-9)
I will state it again, O son of Radha, listen now: do not give your earrings to that beggar, Vajrapāṇi (Indra). (03-285-10)
You shine resplendently with your two beautiful earrings, O greatly radiant one, just as the pure moon appears in the sky between the two Viśākhā stars. (03-285-11)
Know that fame, noble for a living man, O dear one—that should be protected. Indra (Purandara) is to be refused by you, even if it is for the sake of earrings. (03-285-12)
O sinless one, by many kinds of reasoned statements, it is possible again and again for you to thwart the king of the gods regarding the desire for the earrings. (03-285-13)
O Karṇa, with words whose meanings are founded on reasoning and adorned with sweetness, you dispel this intellect of Purandara. (03-285-14)
For you always, O tiger among men, contend with Savyasācin (Arjuna); and Savyasācin too will certainly meet you as a hero in battle. (03-285-15)
But Arjuna is not capable of conquering you, endowed with earrings, in battle—even if his arrow were Indra himself. (03-285-16)
Therefore, O auspicious one, you should not give these earrings to Śakra if you desire Arjuna to conquer Karṇa in battle. (03-285-17)
