इत्युक्तवति गाङ्गेये अभिवाद्योपमन्त्र्य च। राधेयो रथमारुह्य प्रायात्तव सुतं प्रति
When Bhishma had spoken thus, Karna, having offered respect and taken leave, mounted his chariot and went toward your son.
इत्येतद्बहुवृत्तान्तं भीष्मपर्वाखिलं मया। शृण्वते ते महाराज प्रोक्तं पापहरं शुभम्
Thus, O great king, I have recounted to you the entire Bhishma Parva, full of many events, auspicious and destroying sin.
यः श्रावयेत्सदा राजन्ब्राह्मणान्वेदपारगान् । श्रद्धावन्तश्च ये चापि श्रोष्यन्ति मनुजा भुवि
Whoever causes learned Brahmins, versed in the Vedas, to hear this, and those faithful men who listen on earth,
विधूय सर्वपापानि विहायान्ते कलेवरम् । प्रयान्ति तत्पदं विष्णोर्यत्प्राप्य न निवर्तते
Having cast off all sins and left the body at the end, they attain that abode of Vishnu from which there is no return.
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन भारतं भरतर्षभ। शृणुयात्सिद्धिमन्विच्छन्निह वामुत्र मानवः
Therefore, O best of Bharatas, with all effort, one seeking success should listen to the Bharata, here or hereafter.
भोजनं भोजयेद्विप्रान्गन्धमाल्यैरलङ्कृतान् । भीष्मपर्वणि राजेन्द्र दद्यात्पानीयमुत्तमम्
One should feed Brahmins adorned with fragrant garlands, and, O king, offer excellent water during the Bhishma Parva.
पतिते भरतश्रेष्ठे बभूव कुरुवाहिनी। द्यौरिवापेतनक्षत्रा हीनं खमिव वायुना
When the best of the Bharatas fell, the Kuru army became like the sky bereft of stars, or the heavens emptied by the wind.
विपन्नसस्येव मही वाक्चैवासंस्कृता यथा। आसुरीव यथा सेना निगृहीते नृपे बलौ
The earth was like a field whose crops had failed, speech like unrefined words, and the army like demons when their lord is subdued.
विधवेव वारारोहा शुष्कतोयेव निम्नगा। वृकैरिव वने रुद्धा पृषती हतयूथपा
Like a widow bereft of her husband, a river with dried-up water, or a herd of deer blocked in the forest after their leader is slain.
शरभाऽऽहतसिंहेव महती गिरिकन्दरा। सा सेना भरतश्रेष्ठे पतिते जाह्नवीसुते
Like a great mountain cave after the lion has been struck down by a sharabha, so was that army when the best of the Bharatas, the son of Jahnavi, had fallen.
विष्वग्वाताहतिक्षुब्धा नौरिवासीन्महार्णवे। बलिभिः पाण्डवैर्वीरैर्लब्धलक्षैर्भृशार्दिता
Tossed about by opposing winds like a ship in the great ocean, it was greatly afflicted by the mighty Pandavas, who had attained their aim.
सा तदासीद्भृशं सेना व्याकुलाश्वरथद्विपा। विपन्नभूयिष्ठनरा कृपणा ध्वस्तमानसा
Then that army became greatly distressed, with horses, chariots, and elephants in confusion, most men destroyed, pitiable, and their minds shattered.
तस्यां त्रस्ता नृपतयः सैनिकाश्च पृथग्विधाः। पाताल इव मज्जन्तो हीना देवव्रतेन ते
In that army, the kings and various soldiers, deprived of Devavrata, were terrified, sinking as if into the netherworld.
कर्णस्य कुरवोऽस्मार्षुः स हि देवव्रतोपमः। सर्वशस्त्रभृतां श्रेष्ठं रोचमानमिवातिथिम्
The Kurus turned to Karna, for he was like Devavrata, the best among all wielders of weapons, shining like a guest.
बन्धुमापद्गतस्येव तमेवोपागमन्मनः। चुक्रुशुः कर्णकर्णेति तत्र भारत पार्थिवाः
Just as the mind turns to a relative in distress, so too did their thoughts turn to him; there, O Bhārata, the kings cried out, 'Karna! Karna!'
राधेयं हितमस्माकं सूतपुत्रं तनुत्यजम्। स हि नाबुध्यत तदा दशाहानि महायशाः
For our welfare, they called out to Radheya, the charioteer's son, who would give up his life; yet, at that time, the illustrious one did not respond for ten days.
सामात्यबन्धुः कर्णो वै तमानयत माचिरम्। भीष्मेण हि महाबाहुः सर्वक्षत्रस्य पश्यतः
Karna, along with his allies and kinsmen, was summoned without delay, for the mighty-armed Bhishma, before all the Kshatriyas, had called him.
रथेषु गण्यमानेषु बलविक्रमशालिषु। सङ्ख्यातोऽर्धरथः कर्णो द्विगुणः सन्नरर्षभः
When the warriors and their valor were being counted among the charioteers, Karna was reckoned as a half-ratha, yet, O bull among men, he was truly twice as powerful.
रथातिरथसङ्ख्यायां योऽग्रणीः शूरसम्भतः। सासुरानपि देवेशान्रणे यो योद्धुमुत्सहेत्
In the reckoning of charioteers and atirathas, he was foremost, endowed with heroism; he alone could withstand even the lords of gods and asuras in battle.
स तु तेनैव कोपेन राजन्गाङ्गेयमुक्तवान्। त्वयि जीवति कौरव्य नाहं योत्स्ये कदाचन
But, O King, in his anger, Anga's son declared: 'As long as you live, O Kaurava, I will never fight.'
त्वया तु पाण्डवेयेषु निहतेषु महामृधे। दुर्योधनमनुज्ञाप्य वनं यास्यामि कौरव
'But when you are slain by the Pandavas in the great battle, having obtained Duryodhana's permission, I will go to the forest, O Kaurava.'
हते वा त्वयि पार्थैस्तु युधि स्वर्गमुपेयुषि। हन्तास्म्येकरथेनैव कृत्स्नान् यान्मन्यसे रथान्
'Or, if you are killed in battle by the sons of Pandu and attain heaven, then with a single chariot I will destroy all those whom you consider charioteers.'
एवमुक्त्वा महाबाहुर्दशाहान्येक एव स। नायुध्यत ततः कर्णः पुत्रस्य तव संयते
Having spoken thus, the mighty-armed Karna did not fight alone for ten days in your son's battle.
भीष्मः समरविक्रान्तः पाण्डवेयस्य भारत। जघान समरे योधानसङ्ख्येयपराक्रमः
Bhishma, valiant in battle, O Bhārata, struck down countless warriors of the Pandava army with his immeasurable prowess.
तस्मिंस्तु निहते शूरे सत्यसन्धे महौजसि। त्वत्सुताः कर्णमस्मार्षुस्तर्तुकामा इव प्लवम्
But when that heroic, truthful, and mighty one was slain, your sons remembered Karna, longing for him as men longing for a raft to cross over.
तावकास्तव पुत्राश्च सहिताः सर्वराजभिः। हा कर्ण इति चाक्रन्दन्कालोऽयमिति अब्रुवन्
Your sons, together with all the kings, cried out, 'Alas, Karna!' and said, 'This is the time!'
एवं ते स्म हि राधेयं सूतपुत्रं तनुत्यजम् चुक्रुशुः सहिता योधास्तत्र तत्र महाबलाः
Thus, all the mighty warriors there together cried out for Radheya, the charioteer's son, who would give up his life.
जामदग्न्याभ्यनुज्ञातमस्त्रे दुर्वारपौरुषम्। अगमन्नो मनः कर्णं बन्धुमात्ययिकेष्विव
Their minds turned to Karna, whose prowess was irresistible, who was authorized in weapons by Jamadagni's son, as if to a kinsman in a time of peril.
स हि शक्तो रणे राजञ्स्त्रातुमस्मान्महाभयात्।। त्रिदशानिव गोविन्दः सततं सुमहाभयात्
For he, O King, was able to save us from great danger in battle, just as Govinda always saves the gods from immense peril.
तथा तु सञ्जयं कर्णं कीर्तयन्तं पुनः पुनः। आशीविषवदुच्छ्वस्य धृतराष्ट्रोऽब्रवीदिदम्
Thus, as Sanjaya repeatedly praised Karna, Dhritarashtra, breathing heavily like a serpent, spoke these words: