यदा च कर्णो राजेन्द्र भानुमन्तं दिवाकरम्। स्तौति मध्यंदिने प्राप्ते प्राञ्जलिः सलिलोत्थितः
And when, O king, Karna, with folded hands, rising from the water, praised the radiant Sun at midday—
तत्रैनमुपतिष्ठन्ति ब्राह्मणा धनहेतुना। नादेयं तस्य तत्काले किंचिदस्ति द्विजातिषु
Then, brahmins would approach him there for wealth; at that time, there was nothing he would not give to the twice-born.
तमिन्द्रो ब्राह्मणो भूत्वा भिक्षां देहीत्युपस्थितः। स्वागतं चेति राधेयस्तमथ प्रत्यभाषत
Indra, taking the form of a brahmin, came to him and asked for alms; Radheya welcomed him and spoke to him.
देवराजमनुप्राप्तं ब्राह्मणच्छद्मनाऽऽवृतम्। दृष्ट्वास्वागतमित्याह न बुबोधास्य मानसम्
Seeing the lord of the gods approach, disguised as a brahmin, he greeted him, but did not recognize him in his mind.
हिरण्यकण्ठीः प्रमदा ग्रामान्वा बहुगोकुलान्। किं ददानीति तं विप्रमुवाचाधिरथिस्ततः
Then Adhiratha's son asked the brahmin, 'Shall I give you women adorned with golden necklaces, or villages with many herds of cows?'
हिरण्यकण्ठ्यः प्रमदा यच्चान्यत्प्रीतिवर्धनम्। नाह दत्तमिहेच्छामि तदर्थिभ्यः प्रदीयताम्
The brahmin replied, 'I do not wish for women with golden necklaces or any other gift that brings delight; let those be given to other supplicants.'
यदेतत्सहजं वर्म कुण्डले च तवानघ। एतदुत्कृत्य मे देहि यदि सत्यव्रतो भवान्
'But if you are truly devoted to truth, O sinless one, give me this natural armor and these earrings of yours, cutting them from yourself.'
एतदिच्छाम्यहं भिक्षां त्वया दत्तां परंतप। एष मे सर्वलाभानां लाभः परमको मतः
'This is the alms I desire from you, scorcher of foes; to me, this is the highest gain among all gains.'
अवनिं प्रमदा गाश्च निर्वापं बहुवार्षिकम्। तत्ते विप्र प्रदास्यामि न तु वर्म सकुण्डलम्
'I will give you, O brahmin, women, cows, land, and abundant offerings for many years, but not my armor with the earrings.'
एवं बहुविधैर्वाक्यैर्वार्यमाणः स तु द्विजः। रकर्णेन भरतश्रेष्ठ नान्यं वरमयाचत
Though restrained by many words, O best of Bharatas, the brahmin did not ask Karna for any other boon.
सान्त्वितश्च यथाशक्ति पूजितश्च यथाविधि। न चान्यं स द्विजश्रेष्ठः कामयामास वै वरम्
Honored and comforted as best as possible and worshipped according to custom, the best of brahmins still did not desire any other boon.
यदा नान्य प्रवृणुते वरं वै द्विजसत्तमः। `विनाऽस् सहजं वर्म कुण्डले च विशांपते'। तदैनमब्रवीद्भूयो राधेयः प्रहसन्निव
When the foremost of brahmins would not choose any boon except for the natural armor and earrings, then Karna, son of Radha, spoke to him again with a smile.
सहजं वर्म मे विप्र कुण्डले चामृतोद्भवे। तेनावध्योस्मि लोकेषु ततो नैतज्जहाम्यहम्
'O brahmin, my natural armor and earrings were born with me; by them I am invulnerable in the worlds, and so I do not part with them.'
विशालं पृथिवीराज्यं क्षेमं निहतकण्टकम्। प्रतिगृह्णीष्व मत्तस्त्वं साधु ब्राह्मणपुङ्गव
'Accept from me a vast and prosperous kingdom, free from enemies, O best of brahmins.'
कुण्डलाभ्यां विमुक्तोऽहंवर्मणा सहजेन च। दमनीयो भविष्यामि शत्रूणां द्विजसत्तम
'If I am deprived of my earrings and natural armor, O best of brahmins, I will become vulnerable to my enemies.'
यदन्यं न वरं वव्रे भगवान्पाकशासनः। ततः प्रहस् कर्णस्तं पुनरित्यब्रवीद्वचः
When the lord wielder of the thunderbolt would not choose any other boon, Karna laughed and spoke to him again.
विदितो देवदेवेश प्रागेवासि मम प्रभो। न तु न्याय्यं मया दातुं तव शक्र वृथा वरम्
'O lord, I recognized you, the god of gods, even before you arrived; but it is not right for me to give you a boon in vain, O Shakra.'
त्वं हि देवेश्वरः साक्षात्त्वया देयो वरो मम। अन्येषां चैव भूतानामीश्वरो ह्यसि भूतकृत्
'You are indeed the lord of the gods, and the boon must be given to you by me; you are the lord and creator of all beings.'
यदि दास्यामि ते देव कुण्डले कवचं तथा। वध्यतामुपयास्यामि त्वं च शक्रावहास्यताम्
'If I give you, O god, the earrings and the armor, I will become subject to death, and you, O Shakra, will be ridiculed.'
तस्माद्विनिमयं कृत्वा कुण्डलेवर्म चोत्तमम्। हरस्व शक्रकामं मे न दद्यामहमन्यथा
'Therefore, let us make an exchange: take my excellent earrings and armor as you wish, O Shakra, for I will not give otherwise.'
विदितोऽहं रवेः पूर्वमायानेव तवान्तिकम्। तेन ते सर्वमाख्यातमेवमेतन्न संशयः
'I knew you before, O son of the Sun, when you came to me; thus, everything has been revealed to you, and so it is, without doubt.'
काममस्तु तथा तात तव कर्ण यथेच्छसि। वर्जयित्वा तु मे वज्रं प्रवृणीष्व यथेच्छसि
'So be it, dear one, let it be as you wish, O Karna; only except my thunderbolt, choose whatever else you desire.'
ततः कर्णः प्रहृष्टस्तु उपसंगम्य वासवम्। अमोघां शक्तिमभ्येत्य वव्रे सम्पूर्णमानसः
Then Karna, delighted, approached Indra and, with his heart full, requested the unfailing spear.
वर्मणा कुण्डलाभ्यां च शक्तिं मे देहि वासव। अमोघां शत्रुसङ्घानां घातिनीं पृथनामुखे
O Indra, grant me the spear, along with the armor and earrings, unfailing and deadly to hosts of enemies on the battlefield.
ततः सञ्चिन्त्य मनसा मुहूर्तमिव वासवः। शक्त्यर्थं पृथिवीपाल कर्णं वाक्यमथाब्रवीत्
Then Indra, pondering for a moment, addressed Karna, the protector of the earth, regarding the spear.
कुण्डले मे प्रयच्छस्व वर्म चैव शरीरजम्। गृहाण कर्ण शक्तिं त्वमनेन समयेन च
Give me your earrings and the armor born with your body; take the spear, Karna, under this condition.
अमोघा हन्ति शतशः शत्रून्मम करच्युता। पुनश्च पाणिमभ्येति मम दैत्यान्विनिघ्नतः
Released from my hand, this unfailing spear slays hundreds of enemies; after destroying demons, it returns to my hand.
सेयं तव करप्राप्ता हत्वैरकं रिपुमूर्जितम्। गर्जन्तं प्रतपन्तं च मामेवैष्यति सूतज
Now that it has come into your hand, it will kill a mighty enemy, roaring and blazing, and then return to me, O son of a charioteer.
एकमेवाहमिच्छामि रिपुं हन्तुं महाहवे। गर्जन्तंप्रतपन्तं च यतो मम भयं भवेत्
I desire to slay only one enemy in the great battle, one who roars and shines, from whom danger may arise for me.
एकं हनिष्यसि रिपुं गर्जन्तं बलिनं रणे। त्वं तु यं प्रार्थयस्येकं रक्ष्यते स महात्मना
You will slay one powerful enemy, roaring in battle; but the one you seek to kill will be protected by a great soul.