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.
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
te samāsādya gaṅgāṃ tu śivāṃ puṇyajanocitām। hradinīṃ vaprasampannāṃ mahānūpāṃ mahāvanām ॥11-27-1॥
They reached the auspicious Ganga, which is suitable for the virtuous, filled with pools, having banks, and surrounded by great marshlands and forests.
bhūṣaṇānyuttarīyāṇi veṣṭanānyavamucya ca। tataḥ pitṝṇāṃ pautrāṇāṃ bhrātṝṇāṃ svajanasya ca॥11-27-2॥
Having removed the ornaments, upper garments, and wrappings, then (he gave them) to the fathers, grandsons, brothers, and his own people.
putrāṇām āryakāṇāṃ ca patīnām ca kuru-striyaḥ। udakaṃ cakrire sarvā rudantyo bhṛśa-duḥkhitāḥ॥
All the Kuru women, overwhelmed with grief and weeping, performed water libations for their sons, noble relatives, and husbands.
udake kriyamāṇe tu vīrāṇāṃ vīrapatnibhiḥ। sūpatīrthābhavadgaṅgā bhūyo viprasasāra ca ॥11-27-4॥
While the wives of the heroes performed the rites in the water, Gaṅgā, with her excellent fords, once again began to flow.
tan-mahodadhi-saṅkāśaṃ nirānandam-anutsavam। vīra-patnībhiḥ ākīrṇaṃ gaṅgā-tīram aśobhata ॥11-27-5॥
That bank of the Ganga, vast as the ocean, was joyless and without festivity, crowded with the wives of heroes, and appeared desolate.
tataḥ kuntī mahārāja sahasā śokakarśitā। rudatī mandayā vācā putrān vacanam abravīt ॥11-27-6॥
Then Kuntī, overwhelmed by grief, suddenly began to weep and, in a faint voice, addressed her sons with these words, O king.
yaḥ sa śūro maheṣvāso rathayūthapayūthapaḥ। arjunena hataḥ saṅkhye vīralakṣaṇalakṣitaḥ ॥11-27-7॥
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.
yaṃ sūtaputraṃ manyadhvaṃ rādheyam iti pāṇḍavāḥ। yo vyarājac camūmadhye divākara iva prabhuḥ॥11-27-8॥
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.
pratyayudhyata yaḥ sarvān purā vaḥ sapadānugān। duryodhanabalaṃ sarvaṃ yaḥ prakarṣan vyarocata ॥11-27-9॥
He who once fought against all your followers, who shone while dragging the entire army of Duryodhana.
yasya nāsti samo vīrye pṛthivyām api kaścana। satyasandhasya śūrasya saṅgrāmeṣv apalāyinaḥ ॥11-27-10॥
There is no one on earth equal in strength to him; he is true to his word, brave, and never flees in battle.
kurudhvamudakaṃ tasya bhrātur akliṣṭa-karmaṇaḥ। sa hi vaḥ pūrvajo bhrātā bhāskaraān mayy ajāyata॥ kuṇḍalī kavacī śūro divākara-sama-prabhaḥ॥11-27-11॥
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.
śrutvā tu pāṇḍavāḥ sarve mātur vacanam apriyam। karṇam eva anuśocanta bhūyaḥ ca ārtatarā abhavan ॥11-27-12॥
But when all the Pāṇḍavas heard their mother's unpleasant words, they lamented only for Karna and became even more distressed.
tataḥ sa puruṣavyāghraḥ kuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। uvāca mātaraṃ vīro niḥśvasanniva pannagaḥ ॥11-27-13॥
Then Yudhiṣṭhira, the son of Kuntī and tiger among men, sighed like a serpent and spoke to his mother as a hero.
yasyeṣupātam āsādya nānyas tiṣṭhed dhanañjayāt। kathaṃ putro bhavatyāṃ sa devagarbhaḥ purābhavat॥11-27-14॥
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?
yasya bāhupratāpena tāpitāḥ sarvato vayam। tam agnim iva vastreṇa kathaṃ chāditavaty asi ॥ yasya bāhubalaṃ ghoraṃ dhārtarāṣṭrair upāsitam ॥11-27-15॥
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.
nānyaḥ kuntīsutāt-karṇād-agṛhṇāt rathināṃ rathī। sa naḥ prathamajo bhrātā sarvaśastrabhṛtāṃ varaḥ ॥ asūta taṃ bhavaty-agre katham adbhutavikramam ॥11-27-16॥
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?
aho bhavatyā mantrasya pidhānena vayaṃ hatāḥ। nidhānena hi karṇasya pīḍitāḥ sma sabāndhavāḥ॥11-27-17॥
Alas, by your concealment of the mantra, we have been ruined. Truly, by Karṇa's death, we and all our kin have suffered.
abhimanyorvināśena draupadeyavadhen ca। pāñcālānāṃ ca nāśena kurūṇāṃ patanena ca ॥11-27-18॥
By the destruction of Abhimanyu, the killing of Draupadī's sons, the ruin of the Pāñcālas, and the downfall of the Kurus.
tataḥ śataguṇaṃ duḥkham idaṃ mām aspṛśad bhṛśam। karṇam evānuśocan hi dahyāmy agnāv ivāhitaḥ॥11-27-19॥
Then, a hundredfold suffering touched me intensely; lamenting only Karna, I am indeed burning as if placed in fire.
na hi sma kiñcidaprāpyam bhavedapi divi sthitam। na ca sma vaiśasaṃ ghoraṃ kauravāntakaraṃ bhavet ॥11-27-20॥
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.
evaṃ vilapya bahulaṃ dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ। vinadañśanakai rājaṃścakārāsyodakaṃ prabhuḥ ॥11-27-21॥
Thus, after much lamentation, Yudhishthira, the king of dharma, slowly and tearfully performed the water-offering for him, O king.
tato vineduḥ sahasā strīpuṃsāstatra sarvaśaḥ। abhito ye sthitāstatra tasminnudakakarmaṇi ॥11-27-22॥
Then, all the women and men who were present there at the water-rite suddenly wailed together.
tat ānāyayāmāsa karṇasya saparicchadam। striyaḥ kurupatirdhīmānbhrātuḥ premṇā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ॥11-27-23॥
Yudhiṣṭhira, the wise king of the Kurus, out of love for his brother, had Karṇa's women and their attendants brought to him.
sa tābhiḥ saha dharmātmā pretakṛtyamanantaram। kṛtvottatāra gaṅgāyāḥ salilādākulendriyaḥ ॥11-27-24॥
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.
