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.
नाहत्वा हि महाबाहो शत्रूनेति करं पुनः। सा शक्तिर्देवराजस्य शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः
For, O mighty-armed one, without killing your enemies, you shall not regain that weapon again; that weapon belongs to the king of the gods, hundreds and thousands of times.
एवमुक्त्वा सहस्रांशुः सहसाऽन्तरधीयत। `कर्णस्तु बुबुधे राजन्स्वप्नान्ते प्रव्यथन्निव
Having spoken thus, the radiant one suddenly vanished; and Karṇa, O King, realized this at the end of his dream, as if greatly disturbed.
प्रतिबुद्धस्तु राधेयः स्वप्नं संचिन्त्य भारत। चकार निश्चयं राजञ्शक्त्यर्थं वदतांवर
Awakened, Rādheya pondered the dream, O Bhārata, and the foremost of speakers resolved upon seeking the weapon.
यदि मामिन्द्र आयाति कुण्डलार्थं परन्तप। शक्त्या तस्मै प्रदास्यामि कुण्डले वर्म चैव ह
"If Indra comes to me for the sake of my earrings, O scorcher of foes, I will give him the earrings and the armor along with the weapon."
स कृत्वा प्रातरुत्थाय कार्याणि भरतर्षभ। ब्राह्मणान्वाचयित्वा च यथाकार्यमुपाक्रमत्
Having made this resolve, he rose at dawn, O bull among the Bharatas, and after having the Brāhmaṇas recite the prescribed texts, he began his daily duties.
विधिना राजशार्दूल मुहूर्तमजपत्तदा'। ततः सूर्याय जप्यान्ते कर्णः स्वप्नं न्यवेदयत्
According to the rite, O tiger among kings, he performed his silent recitation for a moment; then, at the end of his prayers to the Sun, Karṇa related his dream.
यथा दृष्टं यथातत्त्वं यथोक्तमुभयोर्निसि। तत्सर्वमानुपूर्व्येण शशंसास्मै वृषस्तदा
As he had seen, as it truly was, and as it was spoken by both during the night, he narrated everything in order to the radiant one.
तच्छ्रुत्वा भगवान्देवो भानुः स्वर्भानुसूदनः। उवाच तं तथेत्येव कर्णं सूर्यः स्मयन्निव
Hearing this, the blessed god Bhānu, destroyer of Svarbhānu, said to Karṇa, 'So be it,' with a smile.
ततस्तत्त्वमिति ज्ञात्वा राधेयः परवीरहा। शक्तिमेवाभिकाङ्क्षन्वै वासवं प्रत्यपालयत्
Then, knowing the truth of the matter, Rādheya, destroyer of enemy heroes, desired only the weapon and awaited Vāsava.
किं तद्गुह्यं न चाख्यातं कर्णायेहोष्णरश्मिना। कीदृशेकुण्डले ते च कवचं रचैव कीदृशम्
What is that secret which the radiant one did not tell Karṇa here? What kind of earrings and armor does he have?