मृतस्य कीर्त्या किं कार्यं भस्मीभूतस्य देहिनः। मृतः कीर्तिं न जानीते जीवन्कीर्ति समश्नुते
What use is fame to one who is dead, whose body has turned to ashes? The dead do not know fame; the living alone enjoy honor.
मृतस्य कीर्तिर्मर्त्यस्य यथा माला गतायुषः। अहं तु त्वां ब्रवीम्येतद्भक्तोसीति हितेप्सया
The fame of a mortal who has died is like a garland on one whose life has departed. I tell you this out of devotion, wishing your welfare.
भक्तिमन्तो हि मे रक्ष्या इत्येतेनापि हेतुना। भक्तोयं परया भक्त्या मामित्येव महाभुज
Those devoted to me are to be protected for this very reason; this one is my devotee with supreme devotion, O mighty-armed one.
ममापि भक्तिरुत्पन्ना स त्वं कुरु वचो मम। अस्ति चात्र परं किंचिदध्यात्मं देवनिर्मितम्। अतश्च त्वां ब्रवीम्येतत्क्रियतामविशङ्कया
Devotion has arisen in me as well; therefore, do as I say. There is also a supreme spiritual matter here, established by the gods. For this reason, I tell you this—do it without hesitation.
देवगुह्यं त्वया ज्ञातुं न शक्यं पुरुषर्षभ। नस्मान्नाख्यामि ते गुह्यं काले वेत्स्यति तद्भवान्
The divine secret cannot be known by you, O best of men; therefore, I do not reveal this secret to you. In time, you will know it.
पुनरुक्तं च वक्ष्यामि त्वं राधेय निबोध तत्। माऽस्मै ते कुण्डले दद्या भिक्षिते वज्रापाणिना
I will repeat again, O Radheya, listen to this: do not give your earrings to him who begs for them, the wielder of the thunderbolt.
शोभसे कुण्डलाभ्यां च रुचिराभ्यां महाद्युते। विशाखयोर्मध्यगतः शशीव विमले दिवि
You shine with those beautiful earrings, O greatly radiant one, like the moon between the two bright stars Vishakha in the clear sky.
कीर्तिश्च जीवतः साध्वी पुरुषस्येति विद्धि तत्। प्रत्याख्येयस्त्वया तात कुण्डलार्थे सुरेश्वरः
Know this: a man's honor is truly virtuous while he lives. Therefore, my son, you must refuse the lord of the gods regarding the earrings.
पाण्डवानां हिते युक्तो भिक्षन्ब्राह्मणवेषधृत्'। शक्त्या बहुविधैर्वाक्यैः कुण्डलेप्सा त्वयाऽनघ। विहन्तुं देवराजस् हेतुयुक्तैः पुनःपुनः
Intent on the welfare of the Pandavas, you approached in the guise of a Brahmin beggar; by many skillful words, O faultless one, you sought the earrings, again and again devising reasons to deprive the king of the gods.
उपपत्त्युपपन्नार्थैर्माधुर्यकृतभूषणैः। पुरंदरस्य कर्ण त्वं बुद्धिमेतामपानुद
With arguments that were logical and appropriate, adorned with sweetness, O Karna, you turned aside the mind of Purandara.
त्वं हि नित्यं नरव्याघ्र स्पर्धसे सव्यसाचिना। सव्यसाची त्वया चेह युधि शूरः समेष्यति
For you, O tiger among men, always strive to rival Savyasacin; and Savyasacin, too, will meet you here in battle as a hero.
न तु त्वामर्जुनः शक्तः कुण्डलाभ्यां समन्वितम्। विजेतुं युधि यद्यस्य स्वयमिन्द्रः शरो भवेत्
But Arjuna is not able to conquer you in battle when you are endowed with the earrings, even if Indra himself were to become his arrow.
तस्मान्न देये शख्राय त्वयैते कुण्डले शुभे। संग्रामे यदि निर्जेतुं कर्ण कामयसेऽर्जुनम्
Therefore, O Karna, if you desire to defeat Arjuna in battle, these auspicious earrings must not be given by you to the wielder of the thunderbolt.
वैशंपायन उवाच
Vaishampayana said:
भगवन्तमहं भक्तो यथा मां वेत्थ गोपते। तथा परमतिग्मांशो नास्त्यदेयं कथंचन
O lord of cattle, as you know me to be your devotee, so too, O blazing one, there is nothing whatsoever that cannot be given.
न मे दारा न मेपुत्रा न चात्मा सुहृदो न च। तथेष्टा वै सदा भक्त्या यथा त्वं गोपते मम
I have no wife, no sons, nor even myself or friends; all are always offered with devotion, just as you, O lord of cattle, are dear to me.
इष्टानां च महात्मानो भक्तानां च न संशयः। कुर्वन्ति भक्तिमिष्टां च जानीषे त्वं च भास्कर
There is no doubt that the great-souled ones do what is dear to their devotees and those who are dear to them; you know this, O Sun.
इष्टो भक्तश्च मे कर्णो न चान्यद्दैवतं दिवि। जानीत इतिवै कृत्वा भगवानाह मद्धितम्
Karna is both dear and devoted to me; there is no other deity in heaven whom I know in this way—thus, having considered, the Blessed Lord spoke for my benefit.
भूयश्च शिरसा याचे प्रसाद्य च पुनःपुनः। इति ब्रवीमि तिग्मांशो त्वं तु मे क्षन्तुमर्हसि
Again and again, bowing my head and entreating, I say this, O blazing one: you ought to forgive me.
बिभेमि न तथा मृत्योर्यथा बिभ्येऽनृतादहम्। विशेषेण द्विजातीनां सर्वेषां सर्वदा सताम्
I do not fear death as much as I fear falsehood, especially toward all twice-born and always toward the virtuous.
प्रदाने जीवितस्यापि न मेऽत्रास्ति विचारणा। यच्च मामात्थ देव त्वं पाण्डवं फल्गुनं प्रति
Even in the giving of life itself, I have no hesitation; and what you, O god, have asked of me concerning the Pandava, Phalguna—
व्येतु संतापजं दुःखं तव भास्कर मानसम्। अर्जुनप्रतिमं चैव विजेष्यामि रणेऽर्जुनम्
Let the sorrow born of anguish in your mind be dispelled, O Sun; I will conquer Arjuna in battle, equal to Arjuna himself.
तवापि विदितं देव ममाप्यस्त्रबलं महत्। जामदग्न्यादुपात्तं यत्तथा द्रोणान्महात्मनः
You also know, O god, my great power in weapons, which I obtained from Jamadagni’s son and from the great-souled Drona.
इदं त्वमनुजानीहि सुरश्रेष्ठ व्रतं मम। भिक्षते वज्रिणे दद्यामपि जीवितमात्मनः
Now grant me this, O best of gods, as my vow: even to the wielder of the thunderbolt, if he begs, I would give my very life.
यदि तात ददास्येते वज्रिणे कुण्डले शुभे। त्वमप्येनमथो ब्रूया विजयार्थं महाबल
If, dear one, you give these auspicious earrings to the wielder of the thunderbolt, then you should also tell him, O mighty one, for the sake of victory.
नियमेन प्रदद्यास्त्वं कुण्डलेवै शतक्रतोः। अवध्यो ह्यसि भूतानां कुण्डलाभ्यां समन्वितः
If you give the earrings to Shakra in accordance with your vow, you will be invulnerable to all beings as long as you possess the earrings.
अर्जुनन विनाशं हि तव दानवसूदनः। प्रार्तयानो रणे वत्स कुण्डले ते जिहीर्षति
O child, the slayer of the Dānavas, desiring Arjuna's destruction in battle, seeks to take your earrings.
स त्वमप्येनमाराध्य सूनृताभिः पुनः पुनः। अभ्यर्थयेथा देवेशममोघार्थं पुरंदरम्
Therefore, you too should repeatedly worship the lord of the gods with pleasing words, and earnestly request Purandara for an unfailing weapon.
अमोघां देहि मे शक्तिममित्रविनिबर्हिणीम्। दास्यामि ते सहस्राक्ष कुण्डले वर्म चोत्तमम्
"Grant me an unfailing weapon that destroys enemies, O thousand-eyed one; I will give you, O Indra, my earrings and also my excellent armor."
इत्येव नियमेन त्वं दद्याः शक्राय कुण्डले। तया त्वं कर्ण संग्रामे हनिष्यसि रणे रिपून्
Thus, by this vow, you should give your earrings to Śakra; with that, O Karṇa, you will slay your foes in battle.