12.002
Pancharatra-Ext: Sage Narada narrates Karna's story of how he became a disciple of Bharadwaja to learn Brahmastra, faking himself as a Brahmin. Then by accident he killed a cow and was cursed by a Brahmin.
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said:
स एवमुक्तस्तु मुनिर्नारदो वदतां वरः। कथयामास तत्सर्वं यथा शप्तः स सूतजः ॥१२-२-१॥
Thus addressed, the sage Nārada, foremost among speakers, narrated everything about how the son of a sūta had been cursed.
एवमेतन्महाबाहो यथा वदसि भारत। न कर्णार्जुनयोः किञ्चिदविषह्यं भवेद्रणे ॥१२-२-२॥
O mighty-armed one, it is just as you say, O Bhārata; in battle, there is nothing that would be insurmountable for Karṇa and Arjuna.
गुह्यमेतत्तु देवानां कथयिष्यामि ते नृप। तन्निबोध महाराज यथा वृत्तमिदं पुरा ॥१२-२-३॥
O king, I shall tell you this secret of the gods. Understand, O great king, how this happened in ancient times.
क्षत्रं स्वर्गं कथं गच्छेच्छस्त्रपूतमिति प्रभो। सङ्घर्षजननस्तस्मात्कन्यागर्भो विनिर्मितः ॥१२-२-४॥
O lord, how can the warrior class attain heaven, being purified by weapons? Therefore, the womb of a maiden was created as the source of conflict.
स बालस्तेजसा युक्तः सूतपुत्रत्वमागतः। चकाराङ्गिरसां श्रेष्ठे धनुर्वेदं गुरौ तव ॥१२-२-५॥
He, as a brilliant boy who had become a charioteer's son, studied the science of archery under your foremost teacher of the Angiras lineage.
स बलं भीमसेनस्य फल्गुनस्य च लाघवम्। बुद्धिं च तव राजेन्द्र यमयोर्विनयं तथा ॥१२-२-६॥
He had the strength of Bhīmasena, the agility of Phalguna, your intellect, O king, and also the humility of the two Yamas.
सख्यं च वासुदेवेन बाल्ये गाण्डिवधन्वनः। प्रजानामनुरागं च चिन्तयानो व्यदह्यत ॥१२-२-७॥
Thinking of his childhood friendship with Vāsudeva and the affection of the people, the wielder of the Gāṇḍīva bow was consumed with grief.
स सख्यमगमद्बाल्ये राज्ञा दुर्योधनेन वै। युष्माभिर्नित्यसंद्विष्टो दैवाच्चापि स्वभावतः ॥१२-२-८॥
He formed a friendship with King Duryodhana in his childhood; he was always hated by you, both by fate and by nature.
विद्याधिकमथालक्ष्य धनुर्वेदे धनञ्जयम्। द्रोणं रहस्युपागम्य कर्णो वचनमब्रवीत् ॥१२-२-९॥
Seeing that Arjuna excelled in archery, Karṇa secretly approached Droṇa and spoke to him.
ब्रह्मास्त्रं वेत्तुमिच्छामि सरहस्यनिवर्तनम्। अर्जुनेन समो युद्धे भवेयमिति मे मतिः ॥१२-२-१०॥
I wish to learn the Brahmāstra, including the secret of its withdrawal. My intention is to become Arjuna's equal in battle.
समः पुत्रेषु च स्नेहः शिष्येषु च तव ध्रुवम्। त्वत्प्रसादान्न मां ब्रूयुरकृतास्त्रं विचक्षणाः ॥१२-२-११॥
You are impartial among your sons and affectionate towards your disciples. Surely, by your grace, the wise would not call me unskilled in weapons.
द्रोणस्तथोक्तः कर्णेन सापेक्षः फल्गुनं प्रति। दौरात्म्यं चापि कर्णस्य विदित्वा तमुवाच ह ॥१२-२-१२॥
Thus addressed by Karṇa, Droṇa, considering Arjuna and knowing also the wickedness of Karṇa, spoke to him.
ब्रह्मास्त्रं ब्राह्मणो विद्याद्यथावच्चरितव्रतः। क्षत्रियो वा तपस्वी यो नान्यो विद्यात्कथञ्चन ॥१२-२-१३॥
A Brāhmaṇa who has properly observed vows should know the Brahmāstra; or a Kṣatriya ascetic may know it, but no one else should ever know it.
इत्युक्तोऽङ्गिरसां श्रेष्ठमामन्त्र्य प्रतिपूज्य च। जगाम सहसा रामं महेन्द्रं पर्वतं प्रति ॥१२-२-१४॥
Thus, after being addressed, bidding farewell to the best of the Angiras sages and duly honoring him, he suddenly went to Rāma, towards the Mahendra mountain.
स तु राममुपागम्य शिरसाभिप्रणम्य च। ब्राह्मणो भार्गवोऽस्मीति गौरवेणाभ्यगच्छत ॥१२-२-१५॥
But he approached Rāma, bowed his head in respect, and said, "I am a brāhmaṇa, a descendant of Bhṛgu," thus he came forward with reverence.
रामस्तं प्रतिजग्राह पृष्ट्वा गोत्रादि सर्वशः। उष्यतां स्वागतं चेति प्रीतिमांश्चाभवद्भृशम् ॥१२-२-१६॥
Rāma welcomed him after inquiring thoroughly about his lineage and other details, saying, "Let him stay, welcome," and became extremely delighted.
तत्र कर्णस्य वसतो महेन्द्रे पर्वतोत्तमे। गन्धर्वै राक्षसैर्यक्षैर्देवैश्चासीत्समागमः ॥१२-२-१७॥
While Karṇa was residing on the supreme mountain Mahendra, there was a gathering of Gandharvas, Rākṣasas, Yakṣas, and Devas.
स तत्रेष्वस्त्रमकरोद्भृगुश्रेष्ठाद्यथाविधि। प्रियश्चाभवदत्यर्थं देवगन्धर्वरक्षसाम् ॥१२-२-१८॥
There he made a weapon as prescribed by the best of Bhṛgus, and became greatly beloved by the gods, gandharvas, and rākṣasas.
स कदाचित्समुद्रान्ते विचरन्नाश्रमान्तिके। एकः खड्गधनुष्पाणिः परिचक्राम सूतजः ॥१२-२-१९॥
Once, while he was wandering near the hermitage at the ocean's edge, a charioteer's son, armed with sword and bow, was moving about.
सोऽग्निहोत्रप्रसक्तस्य कस्यचिद्ब्रह्मवादिनः। जघानाज्ञानतः पार्थ होमधेनुं यदृच्छया ॥१२-२-२०॥
O Pārtha, he, by chance and out of ignorance, killed the sacrificial cow belonging to a certain brahmavādin who was engaged in agnihotra.
तदज्ञानकृतं मत्वा ब्राह्मणाय न्यवेदयत्। कर्णः प्रसादयंश्चैनमिदमित्यब्रवीद्वचः ॥१२-२-२१॥
Thinking that it was done out of ignorance, he informed the Brāhmaṇa. Karṇa, seeking to appease him, spoke these words: "
अबुद्धिपूर्वं भगवन्धेनुरेषा हता तव। मया तत्र प्रसादं मे कुरुष्वेति पुनः पुनः ॥१२-२-२२॥
O Lord, without prior knowledge, I killed this cow of yours there; again and again I beg you, please show me your grace.
तं स विप्रोऽब्रवीत्क्रुद्धो वाचा निर्भर्त्सयन्निव। दुराचार वधार्हस्त्वं फलं प्राप्नुहि दुर्मते ॥१२-२-२३॥
The brāhmaṇa, angry, spoke to him as if rebuking: "You of wicked conduct, deserving death, evil-minded one, receive the result (of your actions)!"
येन विस्पर्धसे नित्यं यदर्थं घटसेऽनिशम्। युध्यतस्तेन ते पाप भूमिश्चक्रं ग्रसिष्यति ॥१२-२-२४॥
The one with whom you always compete and for whose sake you constantly strive—when he fights, your sin will be consumed by the wheel of the earth.
ततश्चक्रे महीग्रस्ते मूर्धानं ते विचेतसः। पातयिष्यति विक्रम्य शत्रुर्गच्छ नराधम ॥१२-२-२५॥
Then, when the earth is swallowed, your unconscious head will be struck down by the enemy who advances. Go, you lowest of men.
यथेयं गौर्हता मूढ प्रमत्तेन त्वया मम। प्रमत्तस्यैवमेवान्यः शिरस्ते पातयिष्यति ॥१२-२-२६॥
Just as you, in your delusion and carelessness, have killed this cow of mine, in the same way, another careless person will cause your head to fall.
ततः प्रसादयामास पुनस्तं द्विजसत्तमम्। गोभिर्धनैश्च रत्नैश्च स चैनं पुनरब्रवीत् ॥१२-२-२७॥
Then he once again tried to please that excellent Brāhmaṇa with cows, wealth, and jewels, and he again addressed him.
नेदं मद्व्याहृतं कुर्यात्सर्वलोकोऽपि वै मृषा। गच्छ वा तिष्ठ वा यद्वा कार्यं ते तत्समाचर ॥१२-२-२८॥
No one at all should act falsely upon my words. Go, stand, or do whatever you must—just do your duty.
इत्युक्तो ब्राह्मणेनाथ कर्णो दैन्यादधोमुखः। राममभ्यागमद्भीतस्तदेव मनसा स्मरन् ॥१२-२-२९॥
Thus, when addressed by the Brāhmaṇa, Karṇa, dejected and with his face lowered, approached Rāma in fear, his mind dwelling only on that.
