ससंभ्रममुवाचेदं ब्रह्माणं मधुसूदनः। रक्तजेनाद्य भो ब्रह्मन्स्वेदजोयं निपातितः
With agitation, Madhusūdana spoke these words to Brahma: 'O Brahma, today the one born of sweat has been struck down by the one born of blood.'
श्रुत्वैतदाकुलो ब्रह्मा बभाषे मधुसूदनम्। हरे द्यजन्मनि नरो मदीयो जीवतादयम्
Hearing this, Brahma, disturbed, spoke to Madhusūdana: 'O Hari, in your next birth, this man will be mine, living from today.'
तथा तुष्टोऽब्रवीत्तं च विष्णुरेवं भविष्यति। गत्वा तयो रणमपि निवार्याऽऽह च तावुभौ
Thus, being pleased, Viṣṇu said to him, 'So it shall be.' Then, going to them, he stopped their battle and spoke to both.
अन्यजन्मनि भविता कलिद्वापरयोर्मिथः। संधौ महारणे जाते तत्राहं योजयामि वां
In another birth, at the junction of the Kali and Dvāpara ages, when a great battle arises between you, there I will unite you both.
विष्णुना तु समाहूय ग्रहेश्वरसुरेश्वरौ। उक्ताविमौ नरौ भद्रौ पालनीयौ ममाज्ञया
Then, having summoned the lords of the planets and the gods, Viṣṇu spoke: 'These two noble men are to be protected by you, according to my command.'
सहस्रांशो स्वेदजोयं स्वकीयोंऽशो धरातले। द्वापरांतेवतार्योयं देवानां कार्यसिद्धये
This being, born from sweat, is a portion of the thousand-rayed one, and at the end of the Dvāpara age, he will descend to earth for the accomplishment of the gods' purpose.
यदूनां तु कुले भावी शूरोनाम महाबलः। तस्य कन्या पृथा नाम रूपेणाप्रतिमा भुवि५० 1.14.
In the lineage of the Yadus, there will be a mighty man named Śūra; his daughter, called Pṛthā, will be peerless in beauty upon the earth.
उत्पत्स्यति महाभागा देवानां कार्यसिद्धये। दुर्वासास्तु वरं तस्यै मंत्रग्रामं प्रदास्यति
That greatly fortunate one will be born for the fulfillment of the gods' purpose; Durvāsas will grant her a boon, giving her a collection of mantras.
मंत्रेणानेन यं देवं भक्त्या आवाहयिष्यति। देवि तस्य प्रसादात्तु तव पुत्रो भविष्यति
With this mantra, whichever god she invokes with devotion, O goddess, by his favor, he will become your son.
सा च त्वामुदये दृष्ट्वा साभिलाषा रजस्वला। चिंताभिपन्ना तिष्ठंती भजितव्या विभावसो
She, seeing you at sunrise, filled with desire and in her time of menstruation, will be overcome by anxiety and will worship you, O blazing one.
तस्या गर्भे त्वयं भावी कानीनः कुंतिनंदनः। भविष्यति सुतो देवदेवकार्यार्थसिद्धये
In her womb, you will be born as a son before marriage, O son of Kuntī, for the accomplishment of the gods' task.
तथेति चोक्त्वा प्रोवाच तेजोराशिर्दिवाकरः। पुत्रमुत्पादयिष्यामि कानीनं बलगर्वितम्
Having said 'So be it,' the radiant Sun spoke: 'I will beget a son, born before marriage, proud of his strength.'
यस्य कर्णेति वै नाम लोकः सर्वो वदिष्यति। मत्प्रसादादस्य विष्णो विप्राणां भावितात्मनः
'His name will be Karṇa, as all the world will call him; by my favor, O Viṣṇu, he will be devoted to the brāhmaṇas and noble in spirit.'
अदेयं नास्ति वै लोके वस्तु किंचिच्च केशव। एवं प्रभावं चैवैनं जनये वचनात्तव
'There is nothing in this world, O Keśava, that will be unattainable for him; thus, by your word, I will beget him with such power.'
एवमुक्त्वा सहस्रांशुर्देवं दानवघातिनम्। नारायणं महात्मानं तत्रैवांतर्दधे रविः
Having spoken thus, the thousand-rayed Sun vanished there, after addressing Nārāyaṇa, the great-souled slayer of the Dānavas.
अदर्शनं गते देवे भास्करे वारितस्करे। वृद्धश्रवसमप्येवमुवाच प्रीतमानसः
When the god Bhāskara, the remover of darkness, had disappeared from sight, he spoke with a joyful heart to Vṛddhaśravas as well.
सहस्रनेत्ररक्तोत्थो नरोऽयं मदनुग्रहात्। स्वांशभूतो द्वापरांते योक्तव्यो भूतले त्वया
'This man, arisen from the blood of the thousand-eyed one by my favor, being a portion of myself, should be employed by you on earth at the end of the Dvāpara age.'
यदा पांडुर्महाभागः पृथां भार्यामवाप्स्यति। माद्रीं चापि महाभाग तदारण्यं गमिष्यति
'When the greatly fortunate Pāṇḍu obtains Pṛthā as his wife, and also Mādrī, then he will go to the forest.'
तस्याप्यरण्यसंस्थस्य मृगः शापं प्रदास्यति। तेन चोत्पन्नवैराग्यः शतशृगं गमिष्यति
'While he dwells in the forest, a deer will curse him; because of that, filled with dispassion, he will go to Śataśṛṅga.'
पुत्रानभीप्सन्क्षेत्रोत्थान्भार्यां स प्रवदिष्यति। अनीप्संती तदा कुंती भर्त्तारं सा वदिष्यति
'Desiring no sons born of his own seed, he will tell his wife; and then Kuntī, unwilling, will speak to her husband.'
नाहं मर्त्यस्य वै राजन्पुत्रानिच्छे कथंचन। दैवतेभ्यः प्रसादाच्च पुत्रानिच्छे नराधिप
'O king, I do not wish for sons from a mortal in any way; but by the favor of the gods, I desire sons, O lord of men.'
प्रार्थयंत्यै त्वया शक्र कुंत्यै देयो नरस्ततः। वचसा च मदीयेन एवं कुरु शचीपते
'When she requests, O Śakra, a man should be given to Kuntī by you; and by my word, do thus, O lord of Śacī.'
अथाब्रवीत्तदा विष्णुं देवेशो दुःखितो वचः। अस्मिन्मन्वंतरेऽतीते चतुर्विंशतिके युगे
Then, distressed, the lord of the gods spoke these words to Vishnu: In this past Manvantara, in the cycle of twenty-four yugas—
अवतीर्य रघुकुले गृहे दशरथस्य च। रावणस्य वधार्थाय शांत्यर्थं च दिवौकसाम्
You descended in the Raghu dynasty, in the house of Dasharatha, for the destruction of Ravana and for the peace of the gods.
रामरूपेण भवता सीतार्थमटता वने। मत्पुत्रो हिंसितो देव सूर्यपुत्रहितार्थिना
Assuming the form of Rama, you wandered in the forest for Sita's sake; O god, my son was harmed by you, who sought the welfare of the son of the Sun.
वालिनाम प्लवंगेंद्रः सुग्रीवार्थे त्वया यतः। दुःखेनानेन तप्तोहं गृह्णामि न सुतं नरम्
Vali, the king of the monkeys, was slain by you for the sake of Sugriva; afflicted by this sorrow, I do not accept a human son.
अगृह्णमानं देवेंद्रं कारणांतरवादिनम्। हरिः प्रोचे शुनासीरं भुवो भारावतारणे
When Indra, giving other reasons, did not accept, Hari spoke to Shunāsīra regarding the removal of the burden of the earth.
अवतारं करिष्यामि मर्त्यलोके त्वहं प्रभो। सूर्यपुत्रस्य नाशार्थं जयार्थमात्मजस्य ते
I myself will descend to the world of mortals, O lord, to destroy the son of the Sun and to grant victory to your own son.
सारथ्यं च करिष्यामि नाशं कुरुकुलस्य च। ततो हृष्टोभवच्छक्रो विष्णुवाक्येन तेन ह
I will also act as charioteer and bring about the destruction of the Kuru dynasty; then Shakra was gladdened by those words of Vishnu.
प्रतिगृह्य नरं हृष्टः सत्यं चास्तु वचस्तव। एवमुक्त्वा वरं देवः प्रेषयित्वाऽच्युतः स्वयम्
Joyfully accepting the man, he said, 'May your words be fulfilled.' Having spoken thus, the god, after sending Achyuta, departed himself.