12.005
Pancharatra-Ext: Narada concludes, summarizing the reasons why Karna was defeated by Arjuna.

नारद उवाच॥

nārada uvāca॥

[नारद (nārada) - Nārada; (name of the sage); उवाच (uvāca) - said; spoke;]

(Nārada said;)

Nārada said:

आविष्कृतबलं कर्णं ज्ञात्वा राजा तु मागधः। आह्वयद्द्वैरथेनाजौ जरासन्धो महीपतिः ॥१२-५-१॥

āviṣkṛtabalaṃ karṇaṃ jñātvā rājā tu māgadhaḥ। āhvayaddvairathenājau jarāsandho mahīpatiḥ ॥12-5-1॥

[आविष्कृत (āviṣkṛta) - manifested; revealed; बलं (balaṃ) - strength; power; कर्णं (karṇam) - Karṇa (proper noun); ज्ञात्वा (jñātvā) - having known; राजा (rājā) - king; तु (tu) - but; मागधः (māgadhaḥ) - the Magadhan (king of Magadha); आह्वयत् (āhvayat) - invited; challenged; द्वैरथेन (dvairathena) - to a duel; with chariots; अजौ (ajau) - in battle; जरासन्धः (jarāsandhaḥ) - Jarāsandha (proper noun); महीपतिः (mahīpatiḥ) - the king;]

(Having known Karṇa, whose strength was manifested, the king of Magadha, Jarāsandha, but invited (him) to a duel in battle.)

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॥

tayoḥ samabhavadyuddhaṃ divyāstraviduṣordvayoḥ। yudhi nānāpraharaṇairanyonyamabhivarṣatoḥ ॥12-5-2॥

[तयोः (tayoḥ) - of those two; समभवत् (samabhavat) - arose equally; युद्धं (yuddham) - battle; दिव्यास्त्रविदुषोः (divyāstra-viduṣoḥ) - of the two knowers of divine weapons; द्वयोः (dvayoḥ) - of the two; युधि (yudhi) - in battle; नाना-प्रहरणैः (nānā-praharaṇaiḥ) - with various weapons; अन्योन्यम् (anyonyam) - each other; अभिवर्षतोः (abhivarṣatoḥ) - showering upon;]

(Of those two, an equal battle arose between the two knowers of divine weapons, in battle, with various weapons, as each showered upon the other.)

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॥

kṣīṇabāṇau vidhanuṣau bhagnakhaḍgau mahīṃ gatau| bāhubhiḥ samasajjetāmubhāvapi balānvitau ||12-5-3||

[क्षीण (kṣīṇa) - diminished; बाणौ (bāṇau) - arrows (dual); वि (vi) - without; धनुषौ (dhanuṣau) - bows (dual); भग्न (bhagna) - broken; खड्गौ (khaḍgau) - swords (dual); महीं (mahīm) - earth; गतौ (gatau) - gone (dual); बाहुभिः (bāhubhiḥ) - by arms; समसज्जेताम् (samasajjetām) - would have fought (dual); उभौ (ubhau) - both; अपि (api) - even; बल (bala) - strength; अन्वितौ (anvitau) - endowed with (dual);]

(With diminished arrows, without bows, with broken swords, gone to the earth, by arms both, even endowed with strength, would have fought.)

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॥

bāhukaṇṭakayuddhena tasya karṇo’tha yudhyataḥ। bibheda sandhiṃ dehasya jarayā śleṣitasya ha ॥12-5-4॥

[बाहु (bāhu) - arm; कण्टक (kaṇṭaka) - thorn; युद्धेन (yuddhena) - by battle; तस्य (tasya) - his; कर्णः (karṇaḥ) - Karṇa; अथ (atha) - then; युध्यतः (yudhyataḥ) - fighting; बिभेद (bibheda) - broke; सन्धिं (sandhiṃ) - joint; देहस्य (dehasya) - of the body; जरया (jarayā) - by old age; श्लेषितस्य (śleṣitasya) - enfeebled; ह (ha) - indeed;]

(By the battle of arm-thorns, then Karṇa, as he was fighting, broke the joint of his body, indeed, enfeebled by old age.)

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॥

sa vikāraṃ śarīrasya dṛṣṭvā nṛpatir ātmanaḥ। prīto'smīty abravīt karṇaṃ vairam utsṛjya bhārata ॥12-5-5॥

[स (sa) - he; विकारं (vikāram) - change; (transformation;) शरीरस्य (śarīrasya) - of the body; दृष्ट्वा (dṛṣṭvā) - having seen; नृपतिः (nṛpatiḥ) - the king; आत्मनः (ātmanaḥ) - of himself; प्रीतः (prītaḥ) - pleased; अस्मि (asmi) - I am; इति (iti) - thus; अब्रवीत् (abravīt) - said; कर्णं (karṇam) - to Karṇa; वैरम् (vairam) - enmity; उत्सृज्य (utsṛjya) - having abandoned; भारत (bhārata) - O Bhārata;]

(He, having seen the change of the body of himself, the king, pleased, said thus to Karṇa, having abandoned enmity, O Bhārata.)

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॥

prītyā dadau sa karṇāya mālinīṃ nagarīmatha। aṅgeṣu naraśārdūla sa rājāsītsapatnajit ॥12-5-6॥

[प्रीत्या (prītyā) - with affection; ददौ (dadau) - he gave; स (sa) - he; कर्णाय (karṇāya) - to Karṇa; मालिनीं (mālinīṃ) - Mālinī (name of city); नगरीम् (nagarīm) - city; अथ (atha) - then; अङ्गेषु (aṅgeṣu) - in Aṅga (region); नरशार्दूल (naraśārdūla) - tiger among men; स (sa) - he; राजा (rājā) - king; असीत् (asīt) - became; सपत्नजित् (sapatnajit) - conqueror of rivals;]

(With affection, he gave Mālinī city to Karṇa; then, in Aṅga, that tiger among men, he became king, conqueror of rivals.)

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॥

pālayāmāsa campāṃ tu karṇaḥ parabalārdanaḥ। duryodhanasyānumate tavāpi viditaṃ tathā ॥12-5-7॥

[पालयामास (pālayāmāsa) - protected; (from √pā, to protect, with causative and imperfect tense ending); चम्पां (campāṃ) - Campā (name of a city); तु (tu) - but; कर्णः (karṇaḥ) - Karṇa (proper name); परबलार्दनः (parabalārdanaḥ) - destroyer of enemy forces; (para-bala-ardanaḥ); दुर्योधनस्य (duryodhanasya) - of Duryodhana; (genitive case); अनुमते (anumate) - with the consent; (from anu-mati, approval); तव (tava) - your; (genitive case); अपि (api) - also; विदितं (viditaṃ) - known; (from √vid, to know, past participle); तथा (tathā) - thus;]

(Karṇa, the destroyer of enemy forces, protected Campā, but with the consent of Duryodhana and also yours, this is thus known.)

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॥

evaṃ śastrapratāpena prathitaḥ so'bhavat kṣitau। tvaddhitārthaṃ surendreṇa bhikṣito varmakauṇḍale ॥12-5-8॥

[एवं (evaṃ) - thus; शस्त्रप्रतापेन (śastrapratāpena) - by the power of weapons; प्रथितः (prathitaḥ) - renowned; सः (saḥ) - he; अभवत् (abhavat) - became; क्षितौ (kṣitau) - on earth; त्वद्धितार्थम् (tvaddhitārtham) - for your benefit; सुरेन्द्रेण (surendreṇa) - by the lord of gods; भिक्षितः (bhikṣitaḥ) - was begged; वर्मकुण्डले (varmakauṇḍale) - armor and earrings;]

(Thus, by the power of weapons, he became renowned on earth; for your benefit, the lord of gods begged for the armor and earrings.)

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॥

sa divye sahaja prādāt kuṇḍale paramārcite। sahajaṃ kavacaṃ caiva mohito devamāyayā ॥12-5-9॥

[स (sa) - he; दिव्ये (divye) - divine (in); सहजे (sahaje) - natural (in); प्रादात् (prādāt) - gave; कुण्डले (kuṇḍale) - earrings; परमार्चिते (paramārcite) - supremely worshipped (in); सहजं (sahajaṃ) - natural; कवचं (kavacaṃ) - armor; च (ca) - and; एव (eva) - indeed; मोहितः (mohitaḥ) - deluded; देवमायया (devamāyayā) - by divine illusion;]

(He, in the divine and natural (form), gave the earrings, supremely worshipped; the natural armor also indeed, deluded by divine illusion.)

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॥

vimuktaḥ kuṇḍalābhyāṃ ca sahajena ca varmaṇā। nihato vijayenājau vāsudevasya paśyataḥ ॥12-5-10॥

[विमुक्तः (vimuktaḥ) - released; कुण्डलाभ्यां (kuṇḍalābhyām) - from the two earrings; च (ca) - and; सहजेन (sahajena) - by the natural; च (ca) - and; वर्मणा (varmaṇā) - by the armor; निहतः (nihataḥ) - slain; विजयेन (vijayena) - by Vijaya (Arjuna); अजौ (ajau) - in battle; वासुदेवस्य (vāsudevasya) - of Vāsudeva (Krishna); पश्यतः (paśyataḥ) - while watching;]

(Released from the two earrings and by the natural armor, slain by Vijaya in battle while Vāsudeva was watching.)

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॥

brāhmaṇasyābhiśāpena rāmasya ca mahātmanaḥ। kuntyāś ca varadānena māyayā ca śatakratoḥ ॥12-5-11॥

[ब्राह्मणस्य (brāhmaṇasya) - of the Brāhmaṇa; अभिशापेन (abhiśāpena) - by the curse; रामस्य (rāmasya) - of Rāma; च (ca) - and; महात्मनः (mahātmanaḥ) - of the great-souled; कुन्त्याः (kuntyāḥ) - of Kuntī; च (ca) - and; वरदानेन (varadānena) - by the boon; मायया (māyayā) - by the illusion; च (ca) - and; शतक्रतोः (śatakratoḥ) - of Śatakratu (Indra);]

(By the curse of the Brāhmaṇa, and of the great-souled Rāma; and by the boon of Kuntī, and by the illusion of Śatakratu (Indra);)

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॥

bhīṣmāvamānātsaṅkhyāyāṃ rathānāmardhakīrtanāt| śalyāttejovadhāccāpi vāsudevanayena ca ||12-5-12||

[भीष्म-अवमानात् (bhīṣma-avamānāt) - from the disrespect of Bhishma; सङ्ख्यायाम् (saṅkhyāyām) - in the enumeration; रथानाम् (rathānām) - of chariots; अर्ध-कीर्तनात् (ardha-kīrtanāt) - from the half-mention; शल्यात् (śalyāt) - from Shalya; तेजः-वधात् (tejaḥ-vadhāt) - from the destruction of energy; च (ca) - and; अपि (api) - also; वासुदेव-नयेन (vāsudeva-nayena) - by the policy of Vasudeva; च (ca) - and;]

(From the disrespect of Bhishma, in the enumeration of chariots, from the half-mention, from Shalya, from the destruction of energy, and also by the policy of Vasudeva, and.)

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॥

rudrasya devarājasya yamasya varuṇasya ca। kuberadroṇayoścaiva kṛpasya ca mahātmanaḥ ॥12-5-13॥

[रुद्रस्य (rudrasya) - of Rudra; देवराजस्य (devarājasya) - of the king of gods; यमस्य (yamasya) - of Yama; वरुणस्य (varuṇasya) - of Varuṇa; च (ca) - and; कुबेरद्रोणयोः (kuberadroṇayoḥ) - of Kubera and Droṇa; च (ca) - and; एव (eva) - indeed; कृपस्य (kṛpasya) - of Kṛpa; च (ca) - and; महात्मनः (mahātmanaḥ) - of the great-souled one;]

(of Rudra, of the king of gods, of Yama, of Varuṇa and; of Kubera and Droṇa and indeed; of Kṛpa and of the great-souled one.)

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॥

astrāṇi divyāny ādāya yudhi gāṇḍīvadhanvanā। hato vaikartanaḥ karṇo divākara-samadyutiḥ ॥12-5-14॥

[अस्त्राणि (astrāṇi) - weapons; (plural, neuter) दिव्यानि (divyāni) - divine; (plural, neuter) आदाय (ādāya) - having taken; युधि (yudhi) - in battle; गाण्डीवधन्वना (gāṇḍīvadhanvanā) - by the wielder of the bow Gāṇḍīva; हतः (hataḥ) - slain; वैकर्तनः (vaikartanaḥ) - the son of Vikartana (Karna); कर्णः (karṇaḥ) - Karṇa; दिवाकरसमद्युतिः (divākara-samadyutiḥ) - having brilliance equal to the sun;]

(Having taken divine weapons in battle, Karṇa, the son of Vikartana, possessing brilliance equal to the sun, was slain by the wielder of the bow Gāṇḍīva.)

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॥

evaṃ śaptas tava bhrātā bahubhiś cāpi vañcitaḥ। na śocyaḥ sa naravyāghro yuddhe hi nidhanaṃ gataḥ॥12-5-15॥

[एवं (evaṃ) - thus; शप्तः (śaptaḥ) - cursed; तव (tava) - your; भ्राता (bhrātā) - brother; बहुभिः (bahubhiḥ) - by many; च (ca) - and; अपि (api) - also; वञ्चितः (vañcitaḥ) - deceived; न (na) - not; शोच्यः (śocyaḥ) - to be mourned; स (sa) - he; नरव्याघ्रः (naravyāghraḥ) - tiger among men; युद्धे (yuddhe) - in battle; हि (hi) - indeed; निधनम् (nidhanam) - death; गतः (gataḥ) - gone;]

(Thus cursed, your brother, deceived also by many, is not to be mourned; he, the tiger among men, indeed has gone to death in battle.)

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.