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.
गत्वा तु पुंडरीकाक्षो ब्रह्माणं प्राह वै पुनः। त्वया सृष्टमिदं सर्वं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम्
Then Pundarīkākṣa went and again addressed Brahma: All this, the three worlds with moving and unmoving beings, has been created by you.
आवां कार्यस्य करणे सहायौ च तव प्रभो। स्वयं कृत्वा पुनर्नाशं कर्तुं देव न बुध्यसे
We two, O lord, are your helpers in the accomplishment of your task; though you yourself have created, you do not realize that you must also bring about destruction.
कृतं जुगुप्सितं कर्म शंभुमेतं जिघांसता। त्वया च देवदेवस्य सृष्टः कोपेन वै पुमान्
An act to be shunned has been done in seeking to slay Shambhu; and by you, out of anger, a man was created from the lord of the gods.
शुद्ध्यर्थमस्य पापस्य प्रायश्चित्तं परं कुरु। गृह्णन्वह्नित्रयं देव अग्निहोत्रमुपाहर
For the purification of this sin, perform the supreme atonement; taking up the three fires, O god, offer the agnihotra.
पुण्यतीर्थे तथा देशे वने वापि पितामह। स्वपत्न्या सहितो यज्ञं कुरुष्वास्मत्परिग्रहात्
In a holy place, or in a sacred region, or in a forest, O grandsire, perform the sacrifice with your own wife, accepting us as priests.
सर्वे देवास्तथादित्या रुद्राश्चापि जगत्पते। आदेशं ते करिष्यंति यतोस्माकं भवान्प्रभुः
All the gods, the Adityas, and even the Rudras, O lord of the world, will carry out your command, for you are our master.
एकोहि गार्हपत्योग्निर्दक्षिणाग्निर्द्वितीयकः। आहवनीयस्तृतीयस्तु त्रिकुंडेषु प्रकल्पय
Let there be one household fire, the southern fire as the second, and the offering fire as the third—establish them in three pits.
वर्तुले त्वर्चयात्मानम्मामथो धनुराकृतौ। चतुःकोणे हरं देवं ऋग्यजुःसामनामभिः
In the circular pit, worship yourself in the form of the sun; in the bow-shaped one, worship the god Hara in the four-cornered pit, with the names of the Rig, Yajur, and Sama Vedas.
अग्नीनुत्पाद्य तपसा परामृद्धिमवाप्य च। दिव्यं वर्षसहस्रं तु हुत्वाग्नीन्शमयिष्यसि
Having kindled the fires through austerity and attained supreme prosperity, after offering oblations for a divine thousand years, you will pacify the fires.
अग्निहोत्रात्परं नान्यत्पवित्रमिह पठ्यते। सुकृतेनाग्निहोत्रेण प्रशुद्ध्यंति भुवि द्विजाः
Nothing is declared purer here than the agnihotra; by the meritorious agnihotra, the twice-born are purified on earth.