12.005
Pancharatra-Ext: Narada concludes, summarizing the reasons why Karna was defeated by Arjuna.
नारद उवाच॥
Nārada said:
आविष्कृतबलं कर्णं ज्ञात्वा राजा तु मागधः। आह्वयद्द्वैरथेनाजौ जरासन्धो महीपतिः ॥१२-५-१॥
But when the king of Magadha, Jarāsandha, saw Karṇa's strength revealed, he invited him to a duel in battle.
तयोः समभवद्युद्धं दिव्यास्त्रविदुषोर्द्वयोः। युधि नानाप्रहरणैरन्योन्यमभिवर्षतोः ॥१२-५-२॥
An equal battle arose between those two masters of divine weapons, each showering various weapons upon the other in the fight.
क्षीणबाणौ विधनुषौ भग्नखड्गौ महीं गतौ। बाहुभिः समसज्जेतामुभावपि बलान्वितौ ॥१२-५-३॥
Both, with their arrows spent, bows broken, and swords shattered, having fallen to the ground, even then, endowed with strength, would have fought each other with their arms.
बाहुकण्टकयुद्धेन तस्य कर्णोऽथ युध्यतः। बिभेद सन्धिं देहस्य जरया श्लेषितस्य ह ॥१२-५-४॥
Then, in the battle of arm-thorns, Karṇa, while fighting, broke the joint of his body, which had been weakened by old age.
स विकारं शरीरस्य दृष्ट्वा नृपतिरात्मनः। प्रीतोऽस्मीत्यब्रवीत्कर्णं वैरमुत्सृज्य भारत ॥१२-५-५॥
O Bhārata, the king, having seen the change in his own body, became pleased and, abandoning enmity, said to Karṇa, "I am pleased."
प्रीत्या ददौ स कर्णाय मालिनीं नगरीमथ। अङ्गेषु नरशार्दूल स राजासीत्सपत्नजित् ॥१२-५-६॥
Out of affection, he gave the city of Mālinī to Karṇa; then, in Aṅga, that tiger among men became king, victorious over his rivals.
पालयामास चम्पां तु कर्णः परबलार्दनः। दुर्योधनस्यानुमते तवापि विदितं तथा ॥१२-५-७॥
Karṇa, the destroyer of enemy forces, protected Campā, but it is known that he did so with the consent of Duryodhana and also with your approval.
एवं शस्त्रप्रतापेन प्रथितः सोऽभवत्क्षितौ। त्वद्धितार्थं सुरेन्द्रेण भिक्षितो वर्मकुण्डले ॥१२-५-८॥
Thus, by his martial prowess, he became famous on earth; for your sake, Indra, the lord of gods, begged him for the armor and earrings.
स दिव्ये सहजे प्रादात्कुण्डले परमार्चिते। सहजं कवचं चैव मोहितो देवमायया ॥१२-५-९॥
He, in his divine and natural form, gave the supremely worshipped earrings and the natural armor, being deluded by divine illusion.
विमुक्तः कुण्डलाभ्यां च सहजेन च वर्मणा। निहतो विजयेनाजौ वासुदेवस्य पश्यतः ॥१२-५-१०॥
Freed from his earrings and natural armor, he was slain by Arjuna in battle as Krishna looked on.
ब्राह्मणस्याभिशापेन रामस्य च महात्मनः। कुन्त्याश्च वरदानेन मायया च शतक्रतोः ॥१२-५-११॥
Because of the Brāhmaṇa's curse and the great-souled Rāma, and due to Kuntī's boon and the illusion of Śatakratu (Indra),
भीष्मावमानात्सङ्ख्यायां रथानामर्धकीर्तनात्। शल्यात्तेजोवधाच्चापि वासुदेवनयेन च ॥१२-५-१२॥
Due to the disrespect shown to Bhishma, the partial reporting of the number of chariots, Shalya's actions, the loss of energy, and also by the strategy of Vasudeva.
रुद्रस्य देवराजस्य यमस्य वरुणस्य च। कुबेरद्रोणयोश्चैव कृपस्य च महात्मनः ॥१२-५-१३॥
Of Rudra, the king of gods, Yama, Varuṇa, Kubera, Droṇa, and also of Kṛpa, the great-souled one.
अस्त्राणि दिव्यान्यादाय युधि गाण्डीवधन्वना। हतो वैकर्तनः कर्णो दिवाकरसमद्युतिः ॥१२-५-१४॥
In the battle, Karṇa, the son of Vikartana, radiant like the sun, was slain by Arjuna, the wielder of the Gāṇḍīva bow, after taking up divine weapons.
एवं शप्तस्तव भ्राता बहुभिश्चापि वञ्चितः। न शोच्यः स नरव्याघ्रो युद्धे हि निधनं गतः ॥१२-५-१५॥
Thus, your brother, having been cursed and deceived by many, is not to be mourned; for that tiger among men has met his end in battle.
