वैशम्पायन उवाच ततः स्रस्तोत्तरपटः सप्रस्वेदः सवेपथुः। विवेशाधिरथो रङ्गं यष्टिप्राणो ह्वयन्निव॥
Vaishampayana said: Thereupon Adhiratha (Karna's father), with his sheet loosely hanging down, trembling and perspiring, supporting himself on a stuff, entered the arena.
तमालोक्य धनुस्त्यक्त्वा पितृगौरवयन्त्रितः। कर्णोऽभिषेकाशिराः शिरसा समवन्दत॥
Seeing him, Karna left his bow and impelled by filial regard bowed his head, wet with the water of his coronation.
ततः पादाववच्छाद्य पटान्तेन ससमम्भ्रमः। पुत्रेति परिपूर्णार्थमब्रवीत् रथसारथिः॥
The charioteer (Adhiratha) hurriedly covered his feet with the end of his sheet and addressed the successful Karna as his son.
परिष्वज्य च तस्याथ मूर्धानं स्नेहविक्लवः। अङ्गराज्याभिषेकामश्रुभिः सिषिचे पुनः॥
He (Adhiratha) embraced him (Karna) and wetted his head with tears, his head which was still wet with the water sprinkled over it at his coronation as the king of Anga.
तं दृष्ट्वा सूतपुत्रोऽयमिति संचिन्त्य पाण्डवः। भीमसेनस्तदा वाक्यमब्रवीत् प्रहसन्निव॥
Seeing him (Adhiratha) the Pandavas considered him to be a son of a charioteer and Bhishma jeeringly said,
न त्वमर्हसि पार्थेन सूतपुत्र रणे वधम्। कुलस्य सदृशस्तूर्णं प्रतोदो गृह्यतां त्वया॥
O Charioteer's son, you deserve no to be killed by Partha in the battle. You should better take up the whip (instead of the sword) which befits your race.
अङ्गराज्यं च नार्हस्त्वमुपभोक्तुं नराधम। श्वा हुताशमीपस्थं पुरोडाशमिवाध्वरे॥
O worst of men, you are not worthy of enjoying the kingdom of Anga, as a dog deserves not the ghee placed before the sacrificial fire."
एवमुक्तस्ततः कर्णः किंचित्प्रस्फुरिताधरः। गगनस्थं विनिःश्वस्य दिवाकरमुर्दक्षत॥
Thus addressed Karna looked at the sun in the sky and with slightly quivering lips he heaved a deep sigh.
कोपादुत्ययात महाबलः। भ्रातृपद्मवनात् तस्मान्मदोत्कट इव द्विपः॥
Like a mad elephant the greatly strong Duryodhana rose in anger from among his brothers, who were like an assemblage of lotuses.
सोऽब्रवीद् भीमकर्माणं भीमसेनमवस्थितम्। वृकोदर न युक्तं ते वचनं वक्तुमीदृशम्॥
He said to that doer of fearful deeds, Bhimasena there present, “Vrikodara, you should not speak such words.
ततो दुर्योधनः क्षत्रियाणां बलं ज्येष्ठं योद्धव्यं क्षत्रबन्धुना। शूराणां च नदीनां च दुर्विदाः प्रभवाः किल॥
The strength is the cardinal virtue of the Kshatriyas; even a man of inferior birth deserve to be fought with. The sources of heroes and rivers are the same, both the always unknown.
सलिलादुत्थितो वह्निर्येन व्याप्तं चराचरम्। दधीचस्यास्थितो वज्रं कृतं दानवसूदनम्॥
The fore that covers the whole world rises from water. The Danava destroying thunder was made of Dadhichi's bone.
आग्नेयः कृत्तिकापुत्रो रौद्रो गाङ्गेय इत्यपि। श्रूयते भगवान् देवः सर्वगुह्यमयो गुहः॥
It is heard that the birth of the illustrious god Guha (Kartikeya) is full of all mysteries. Some say he is the son of Agni, (some say) he is the son of Kirtika, (some again say) he is the son of Rudra and (other say) he is the son of Ganga.
क्षत्रियेभ्यश्च ये जाता ब्राह्मणास्ते च ते श्रुताः। विश्वामित्रप्रभृतयः प्राप्ता ब्रह्मत्वमव्ययम्॥
It is also heard that those that were born Kshatriyas became Brahmanas. Vishvamitra and other attained to eternal Brahma.
आचार्यः कलशाज्जातो द्रोणः शस्त्रभृतां वरः। गौतमस्यान्ववाये च शरस्तम्बाच्च गौतमः॥
The foremost of all wielders of arms, the preceptor (Drona), was born in a water vessel and the son of Gautama (Kripa) sprung from a clump of heath.
भवतां च यथा जन्म तदप्यागमितं मया। सकुण्डलं सकवचं सर्वलक्षणलक्षितम्। कथमादित्यसदृशं मृगी व्याघ्नं जनिष्यति॥
I know also about your own birth. Can a deer give birth to this tiger, as effulgent as the sun, born with a natural armour and ear-rings and possessing all auspicious mark?
पृथिवीराज्यमर्होऽयं नाङ्गराज्यं नरेश्वरः। अनेन बाहुवीर्येण मया चाज्ञानुवर्तिना॥
This lord of men deserves the sovereignty of not only Anga but of the whole world, by the prowess of his arms and by my obedience to him.
यस्य वा मनुजस्येदं न क्षान्तं मद्विचेष्टितम्। रथमारुह्य पद्भ्यां स विनामयतु कार्मुकम्॥
If there is any one to whom all that I have done to him (Karna) has became intolerable, let him ascend his car and bend his bow with the help of his feet."
ततः सर्वस्य रङ्गस्य हाहाकारो महानभूत्। साधुवादानुसम्बद्धः सूर्यश्चास्तमुपागमत्॥
Thereupon there arose a loud cheer among all the spectators, approving of Duryodhana's speech. At this time the sun went down.
ततो दुर्योधनः कर्णमालम्ब्यागकरे नृपः। दीपिकाग्निकृतालोकस्तस्माद् रङ्गाद् विनिर्ययौ॥
Then king Duryodhana took Karna's hand and led him out of the arena lighted with countless lamps.
पाण्डवाश्च सहद्रोणाः सकृपाश्च विशाम्पते। भीष्मेण सहिताः सर्वे ययुः स्वं स्वं निवेशनम्॥
The Pandavas also with Drona, Kripa and Bhishma returned to their own homes. All the people also went the respective houses.
अर्जुनेति जनः कश्चित् कश्चित् कर्णेति भारत। कश्चिद् दुर्योधनेत्येवं ब्रुवन्तः प्रस्थितास्तदा॥
O descendant of the Bharata race, some of them named Arjuna), some Karna and some Duryodhana (as the victor of the day) as they went away.
कुन्त्याश्च प्रत्यभिज्ञाय दिव्यलक्षणसूचितम्। पुत्रमङ्गेश्वरं स्नेहाच्छन्ना प्रीतिरजायत॥
Kunti also was much pleased out of her motherly love towards her son Karna, for he had various auspicious marks on his person and for he was installed as the king of Anga.
दुर्योधनस्यापि तदा कर्णमासाद्य पार्थिवा भयमर्जुनसंजातं क्षिप्रमन्तरधीयत॥
O king, Duryodhana, having obtained Karna, banished his fears arising out of Arjuna)'s proficiency in arms.
स चापि वीरः कृतशस्त्रनिश्रमः परेण साम्नाभ्यवदत् सुयोधनम्। युधिष्ठिरस्याप्यभवत् तदा मतिन कर्णतुल्योऽस्ति धनुर्धरः क्षितौ॥
And that hero, (Karna), accomplished in arms also began to gratify Duryodhana with sweet speeches; and Yudhisthira was impressed with the belief that there was no warrior like Karna on earth.