03.286
कर्ण उवाच॥
Karṇa said.
भगवन्तमहं भक्तो यथा मां वेत्थ गोपते। तथा परमतिग्मांशो नान्यं देवं कथञ्चन ॥०३-२८६-१॥
O Divine One, I am your devotee just as you know me, O lord of the cowherds. In the same way, O supreme effulgent one, I do not regard any other god whatsoever. (03-286-1)
न मे दारा न मे पुत्रा न चात्मा सुहृदो न च। तथेष्टा वै सदा भक्त्या यथा त्वं गोपते मम ॥०३-२८६-२॥
I have no wives, no sons, not even myself or friends; none are as always dear to me with devotion as you, O lord of cows, are to me. (03-286-2)
इष्टानां च महात्मानो भक्तानां च न संशयः। कुर्वन्ति भक्तिमिष्टां च जानीषे त्वं च भास्कर ॥०३-२८६-३॥
There is no doubt that great souls and devotees perform the desired devotion; you know this as well, O Bhāskara. (03-286-3)
इष्टो भक्तश्च मे कर्णो न चान्यद्दैवतं दिवि। जानीत इति वै कृत्वा भगवानाह मद्धितम् ॥०३-२८६-४॥
Karṇa is beloved and a devotee to me; there is no other deity in heaven (for me). Thus, having determined this, the Lord said it for my benefit. (03-286-4)
भूयश्च शिरसा याचे प्रसाद्य च पुनः पुनः। इति ब्रवीमि तिग्मांशो त्वं तु मे क्षन्तुमर्हसि ॥०३-२८६-५॥
Again and again, bowing my head and pleading, I request; thus I say, O blazing one, you should pardon me. (03-286-5)
बिभेमि न तथा मृत्योर्यथा बिभ्येऽनृतादहम्। विशेषेण द्विजातीनां सर्वेषां सर्वदा सताम् ॥ प्रदाने जीवितस्यापि न मेऽत्रास्ति विचारणा ॥०३-२८६-६॥
I do not fear death as much as I fear speaking falsehood, especially towards all always-righteous twice-born (Brahmins, etc.). Even if it is a matter of giving my own life, I have no hesitation in this. (03-286-6)
यच्च मामात्थ देव त्वं पाण्डवं फल्गुनं प्रति। व्येतु सन्तापजं दुःखं तव भास्कर मानसम् ॥ अर्जुनं प्रति मां चैव विजेष्यामि रणेऽर्जुनम् ॥०३-२८६-७॥
O god, what you say to me regarding Arjuna, O Bhāskara, may the mental pain caused by affliction in you subside. With regard to Arjuna, I too declare: I will defeat Arjuna in battle. (03-286-7)
तवापि विदितं देव ममाप्यस्त्रबलं महत्। जामदग्न्यादुपात्तं यत्तथा द्रोणान्महात्मनः ॥०३-२८६-८॥
O Lord, you too know well my own great power of weapons, which I have acquired from Jāmadagnya (Parashurāma) and likewise from the high-souled Droṇa. (03-286-8)
इदं त्वमनुजानीहि सुरश्रेष्ठ व्रतं मम। भिक्षते वज्रिणे दद्यामपि जीवितमात्मनः ॥०३-२८६-९॥
Grant this, O best of the gods; this is my vow— even to one who begs, even to Vajrin, I would give my own life. (03-286-9)
सूर्य उवाच॥
The Sun said.
यदि तात ददास्येते वज्रिणे कुण्डले शुभे। त्वमप्येनमथो ब्रूया विजयार्थं महाबल ॥०३-२८६-१०॥
If, dear one, you will give these auspicious earrings to Indra, you too then should tell him this for the purpose of victory, O mighty one. (03-286-10)
नियमेन प्रदद्यास्त्वं कुण्डले वै शतक्रतोः। अवध्यो ह्यसि भूतानां कुण्डलाभ्यां समन्वितः ॥०३-२८६-११॥
You should verily hand over the earrings to Śatakratu (Indra) as required by observance; for, as long as you are endowed with the two earrings, you are invulnerable among all beings. (03-286-11)
अर्जुनेन विनाशं हि तव दानवसूदनः। प्रार्थयानो रणे वत्स कुण्डले ते जिहीर्षति ॥०३-२८६-१२॥
The destroyer of Dānavas, indeed, through Arjuna seeks your destruction; O child, in battle he desires to seize your earrings. (03-286-12)
स त्वमप्येनमाराध्य सूनृताभिः पुनः पुनः। अभ्यर्थयेथा देवेशममोघार्थं पुरंदरम् ॥०३-२८६-१३॥
So you too, having worshipped him with pleasant words again and again, should request Purandara, the lord of the gods, for an unfailing purpose. (03-286-13)
अमोघां देहि मे शक्तिममित्रविनिबर्हिणीम्। दास्यामि ते सहस्राक्ष कुण्डले वर्म चोत्तमम् ॥०३-२८६-१४॥
Grant me the unfailing spear that destroys enemies; I will give you, O thousand-eyed one, earrings and excellent armor. (03-286-14)
इत्येवं नियमेन त्वं दद्याः शक्राय कुण्डले। तया त्वं कर्ण सङ्ग्रामे हनिष्यसि रणे रिपून् ॥०३-२८६-१५॥
Therefore, in this way, following the rule, you should give the earrings to Śakra. With them, you will defeat your enemies in battle against Karṇa. (03-286-15)
नाहत्वा हि महाबाहो शत्रूनेति करं पुनः। सा शक्तिर्देवराजस्य शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः ॥०३-२८६-१६॥
O mighty-armed one, without slaying the enemies, one cannot gain tribute again. Such power of the lord of the gods exists in hundreds and thousands. (03-286-16)
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
एवमुक्त्वा सहस्रांशुः सहसान्तरधीयत। ततः सूर्याय जप्यान्ते कर्णः स्वप्नं न्यवेदयत् ॥०३-२८६-१७॥
After speaking thus, the thousand-rayed Sun suddenly vanished. Afterwards, at the completion of his prayer, Karṇa reported his dream to Sūrya. (03-286-17)
यथादृष्टं यथातत्त्वं यथोक्तमुभयोर्निशि। तत्सर्वमानुपूर्व्येण शशंसास्मै वृषस्तदा ॥०३-२८६-१८॥
Then the bull reported to him all that had been seen, as it truly was, just as it had been told by both at night, in sequential order. (03-286-18)
तच्छ्रुत्वा भगवान्देवो भानुः स्वर्भानुसूदनः। उवाच तं तथेत्येव कर्णं सूर्यः स्मयन्निव ॥०३-२८६-१९॥
Having heard that, the exalted god, the radiant one, destroyer of Svarbhānu—the Sun, smiling as if, spoke to Karṇa, “so be it.” (03-286-19)
ततस्तत्त्वमिति ज्ञात्वा राधेयः परवीरहा। शक्तिमेवाभिकाङ्क्षन्वै वासवं प्रत्यपालयत् ॥०३-२८६-२०॥
Then, having realized the true nature of things, Karna, the destroyer of enemy heroes, desiring only the śakti weapon, awaited the chance to use the Indra-given weapon. (03-286-20)
