11.027
Core and Pancharatra: All women perform water rites for their loved ones on the banks of the river Ganga. Kunti discloses Karna as her son and asks the Pandavas to perform his last rites accordingly.
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
ते समासाद्य गङ्गां तु शिवां पुण्यजनोचिताम्। ह्रदिनीं वप्रसम्पन्नां महानूपां महावनाम् ॥११-२७-१॥
They reached the auspicious Ganga, which is suitable for the virtuous, filled with pools, having banks, and surrounded by great marshlands and forests.
भूषणान्युत्तरीयाणि वेष्टनान्यवमुच्य च। ततः पितॄणां पौत्राणां भ्रातॄणां स्वजनस्य च ॥११-२७-२॥
Having removed the ornaments, upper garments, and wrappings, then (he gave them) to the fathers, grandsons, brothers, and his own people.
पुत्राणामार्यकाणां च पतीनां च कुरुस्त्रियः। उदकं चक्रिरे सर्वा रुदन्त्यो भृशदुःखिताः ॥
All the Kuru women, overwhelmed with grief and weeping, performed water libations for their sons, noble relatives, and husbands.
उदके क्रियमाणे तु वीराणां वीरपत्निभिः। सूपतीर्थाभवद्गङ्गा भूयो विप्रससार च ॥११-२७-४॥
While the wives of the heroes performed the rites in the water, Gaṅgā, with her excellent fords, once again began to flow.
तन्महोदधिसङ्काशं निरानन्दमनुत्सवम्। वीरपत्नीभिराकीर्णं गङ्गातीरमशोभत ॥११-२७-५॥
That bank of the Ganga, vast as the ocean, was joyless and without festivity, crowded with the wives of heroes, and appeared desolate.
ततः कुन्ती महाराज सहसा शोककर्शिता। रुदती मन्दया वाचा पुत्रान्वचनमब्रवीत् ॥११-२७-६॥
Then Kuntī, overwhelmed by grief, suddenly began to weep and, in a faint voice, addressed her sons with these words, O king.
यः स शूरो महेष्वासो रथयूथपयूथपः। अर्जुनेन हतः सङ्ख्ये वीरलक्षणलक्षितः ॥११-२७-७॥
He who was a hero, a great archer, the chief among chariot-warriors, marked by the signs of a hero, was slain in battle by Arjuna.
यं सूतपुत्रं मन्यध्वं राधेयमिति पाण्डवाः। यो व्यराजच्चमूमध्ये दिवाकर इव प्रभुः ॥११-२७-८॥
O Pāṇḍavas, the one whom you call the son of the charioteer, Radheya, he shone in the midst of the army like the sun, a true lord.
प्रत्ययुध्यत यः सर्वान्पुरा वः सपदानुगान्। दुर्योधनबलं सर्वं यः प्रकर्षन्व्यरोचत ॥११-२७-९॥
He who once fought against all your followers, who shone while dragging the entire army of Duryodhana.
यस्य नास्ति समो वीर्ये पृथिव्यामपि कश्चन। सत्यसन्धस्य शूरस्य सङ्ग्रामेष्वपलायिनः ॥११-२७-१०॥
There is no one on earth equal in strength to him; he is true to his word, brave, and never flees in battle.
कुरुध्वमुदकं तस्य भ्रातुरक्लिष्टकर्मणः। स हि वः पूर्वजो भ्राता भास्करान्मय्यजायत ॥ कुण्डली कवची शूरो दिवाकरसमप्रभः ॥११-२७-११॥
Offer water to that brother of tireless deeds. He is your elder brother, born from Bhāskara through me, adorned with earrings and armor, heroic, and radiant like the Sun.
श्रुत्वा तु पाण्डवाः सर्वे मातुर्वचनमप्रियम्। कर्णमेवानुशोचन्त भूयश्चार्ततराभवन् ॥११-२७-१२॥
But when all the Pāṇḍavas heard their mother's unpleasant words, they lamented only for Karna and became even more distressed.
ततः स पुरुषव्याघ्रः कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः। उवाच मातरं वीरो निःश्वसन्निव पन्नगः ॥११-२७-१३॥
Then Yudhiṣṭhira, the son of Kuntī and tiger among men, sighed like a serpent and spoke to his mother as a hero.
यस्येषुपातमासाद्य नान्यस्तिष्ठेद्धनञ्जयात्। कथं पुत्रो भवत्यां स देवगर्भः पुराभवत् ॥११-२७-१४॥
Of whom, when the fall of arrows was approached, no one except Dhananjaya could stand; how did your son, who is divine-born, exist formerly?
यस्य बाहुप्रतापेन तापिताः सर्वतो वयम्। तमग्निमिव वस्त्रेण कथं छादितवत्यसि ॥ यस्य बाहुबलं घोरं धार्तराष्ट्रैरुपासितम् ॥११-२७-१५॥
By whose arm's might we have been tormented everywhere—how have you covered him, like fire with a cloth? His terrible strength of arms has been revered by the sons of Dhritarashtra.
नान्यः कुन्तीसुतात्कर्णादगृह्णाद्रथिनां रथी। स नः प्रथमजो भ्राता सर्वशस्त्रभृतां वरः ॥ असूत तं भवत्यग्रे कथमद्भुतविक्रमम् ॥११-२७-१६॥
No other charioteer among all charioteers surpassed Karṇa, the son of Kuntī; he was our eldest brother, the best among all wielders of weapons. O lady, how did you give birth to him before, he of such wondrous prowess?
अहो भवत्या मन्त्रस्य पिधानेन वयं हताः। निधनेन हि कर्णस्य पीडिताः स्म सबान्धवाः ॥११-२७-१७॥
Alas, by your concealment of the mantra, we have been ruined. Truly, by Karṇa's death, we and all our kin have suffered.
अभिमन्योर्विनाशेन द्रौपदेयवधेन च। पाञ्चालानां च नाशेन कुरूणां पतनेन च ॥११-२७-१८॥
By the destruction of Abhimanyu, the killing of Draupadī's sons, the ruin of the Pāñcālas, and the downfall of the Kurus.
ततः शतगुणं दुःखमिदं मामस्पृशद्भृशम्। कर्णमेवानुशोचन्हि दह्याम्यग्नाविवाहितः ॥११-२७-१९॥
Then, a hundredfold suffering touched me intensely; lamenting only Karna, I am indeed burning as if placed in fire.
न हि स्म किञ्चिदप्राप्यं भवेदपि दिवि स्थितम्। न च स्म वैशसं घोरं कौरवान्तकरं भवेत् ॥११-२७-२०॥
Indeed, nothing would ever be unattainable, even if it were situated in heaven; nor would there ever be a terrible calamity causing the destruction of the Kauravas.
एवं विलप्य बहुलं धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिरः। विनदञ्शनकै राजंश्चकारास्योदकं प्रभुः ॥११-२७-२१॥
Thus, after much lamentation, Yudhishthira, the king of dharma, slowly and tearfully performed the water-offering for him, O king.
ततो विनेदुः सहसा स्त्रीपुंसास्तत्र सर्वशः। अभितो ये स्थितास्तत्र तस्मिन्नुदककर्मणि ॥११-२७-२२॥
Then, all the women and men who were present there at the water-rite suddenly wailed together.
तत आनाययामास कर्णस्य सपरिच्छदम्। स्त्रियः कुरुपतिर्धीमान्भ्रातुः प्रेम्णा युधिष्ठिरः ॥११-२७-२३॥
Yudhiṣṭhira, the wise king of the Kurus, out of love for his brother, had Karṇa's women and their attendants brought to him.
स ताभिः सह धर्मात्मा प्रेतकृत्यमनन्तरम्। कृत्वोत्ततार गङ्गायाः सलिलादाकुलेन्द्रियः ॥११-२७-२४॥
He, the righteous-souled one, together with those women, having performed the funeral rites, immediately emerged from the waters of the Ganga, his senses disturbed.
