वैशम्पायन उवाच प्रविशन्तं महाराज सूतास्तुष्टुवुरच्युतम्। जनाश्चापि महेष्वासं तुष्टुवू राजसत्तम॥
Vaishampayana said: O great king, when he (Duryodhana) was entering (the city) the bards and penegyrists eulogised that undeteriorating one. Other people also eulogised that great bow man, that foreinost of kings.
लाजैश्चन्दनचूर्णैश्च विकीर्य च जनास्ततः। ऊचुर्दिष्ट्या नृपाविघ्नः समाप्तोऽयं क्रतुस्तव॥
Sprinkling over him fried paddy and sandal paste; the people said “By good luck, O king, your sacrifice has been completed without obstruction.
अपरे त्वब्रुवंस्तत्र वातिकास्तं महीपतिम्। युधिष्ठिरस्य यज्ञेन न समो ह्येष ते क्रतुः॥
Some who were present and who were not very careful in their speech said to that lord of earth, “Surely this sacrifice cannot be compared with that of Yudhishthira.
नैव तस्य क्रतोरेष कलामर्हति षोडशीम्। एवं तत्रानुवन् केचिद् वातिकास्तं जनेश्वरम्॥
It does not come to the sixteenth part of that (sacrifice); thus spoke to that king some that were reckless in their speech.
सुहृदस्त्वब्रुवंस्तत्र अति सर्वानयं क्रतुः। ययातिनहुषश्चापि मान्धाता भरतस्तथा॥ क्रतुमेनं समाहत्य पूताः सर्वे दिवं गताः।
His friends said, “your this sacrifice has surpassed all others. Yayati, Nahusa, Mandhata and Bharata having been sanctified by performing such a sacrifice have all gone to heaven”.
एता वाचः शुभाः शृण्वन् सुहृदां भरतर्षभ॥ प्रविवेश पुरं हृष्टः स्ववेश्म च नराधिपः।
O foremost of the Bharatas, hearing such pleasing words from the friends, that ruler of men (Duryodhana) cheerfully entered the city and his iron palace.
अभिवाद्य ततः पादौ मातापित्रोविशाम्पते।॥ भीष्मद्रोणकृपादीनां विदुरस्य च धीमतः। अभिवादितः कनीयोभिर्धातृभिर्धातनन्दनः॥
O king, then worshipping the feet of his father and mother and others headed by Bhishma, Drona and the wise Vidura and being worshipped also by his younger brothers.
निषसादासने मुख्य भ्रातृभिः परिवारितः। तमुत्थाय पहाराजं सूतपुत्रोऽब्रवीद् वचः॥
He sat on an excellent seat surrounded by all his brothers. Then O great king, Suta's son (Karna) rose and thus spoke to him.
दिष्ट्या ते भरतश्रेष्ठ समाप्तोऽयं महाक्रतुः। हतेषु युधि पार्थेषु राजसूये तथा त्वया॥ आहतेऽहं नरश्रेष्ठ त्वां सभाजयिता पुनः।
“O foremost of the Bharata race, by good luck you have completed the great sacrifice. When the Pandavas will be killed in battle and when you will thus complete Rajasuya sacrifice, then at that time again I shall thus honour you."
तमब्रवीन्महाराजो धार्तराष्ट्रो महायशाः॥ सत्यमेतत् त्वयोक्तं हि पाण्डवेषु दुरात्मसु। निहतेषु नरश्रेष्ठ प्राप्ते चापि महाक्रतौ॥ राजसूये पुनर्वीर त्वमेवं वर्धयिष्यसि।
The greatly illustrious son of Dhritarashtra, that great king (Duryodhana) thus spoke to him, "Truly has this been said by you. When, O foremost of men, the wicked-minded Pandavas have been killed and when the great Rajasuya has been performed by me, then O hero, you shall again thus honour me."
एवमुक्त्वा महाराज कर्णमाश्लिष्य भारत।॥ राजसूयं क्रतुश्रेष्ठं चिन्तयामास कौरवः।
O great king, O descendant of Bharata, having said this, he embraced Karna. That Kuru prince then began to think of that foremost of sacrifices Rajasuya.
सोऽब्रवीत् कौरवांश्चापि पार्श्वस्थान् नृपसत्तमः॥ कदा तु तं क्रतुवरं राजसूयं महाधनम्। निहत्य पाण्डवान् सर्वानाहरिष्यामि कौरवाः॥
That best of kings then thus spoke to the Kurus who were near him. O Kurus, when shall I celebrate that costly and foremost of sacrifices Rajasuya after having killed all the Pandavas?
तमब्रवीत् तदा कर्णः शृणु मे राजकुञ्जर। पादौ न धावये तावद् यावन्न निहतोऽर्जुनः॥ कीलालजं न खादेयं करिष्ये चासुरव्रतम्। नास्तीति नैव वक्ष्यामि याचितो येन केनचित्॥
Thereupon Karna said to the king, "O foremost of kings, hear what I say? As long I sons do not kill Arjuna, so long I shall not wash my feet. Nor shall I taste meat. I shall observe the Asura vow. Whoever will ask from me any thing, I shall never say “I have it not.”
अथोत्क्रुष्टं महेष्वासैर्धार्तराष्ट्रैर्महारथैः। प्रतिज्ञाते फाल्गुनस्य वधे कर्णेन संयुगे॥
When Karna had thus vowed to kill Arjuna in battle those mighty car-warriors and bowmen, the sons of Dhritarashtra, sent up a loud shout.
विजितांश्चाप्यमन्यन्त पाण्डवान् धृतराष्ट्रजाः। दुर्योधनोऽपि राजेन्द्र विसृज्य नरपुङ्गवान्॥ प्रविवेश गृहं श्रीमान् यथा चैत्ररथं प्रभुः। तेऽपि सर्वे महेष्वासा जग्मुर्वेश्मानि भारत॥
Dhritarashtra's thought that the Pandavas were already killed. O king of kings, Duryodhana, then leaving those foremost of men, that handsome one entered his house as Kubera the lord' enters the garden of Chitraratha. O descendant of Bharata, those great bow-men also went to their own houses.
पाण्डवाश्च महेष्वासा दूतवाक्यप्रचोदिताः। चिन्तयन्तस्तमेवार्थं नालभन्त सुखं क्वचित्॥
(Meanwhile) those great bowmen, the Pandavas, moved by the words of the messenger, became anxious and they did not experience the least happiness.
भूयश्च चारै राजेन्द्र प्रवृत्तिरुपपादिता। प्रतिज्ञा सूतपुत्रस्य विजयस्य वधं प्रति॥
O king of kings, the news had been brought to him by spies that the Suta's son (Karna) had aken the vow to kill Vijaya (Arjuna).
एतच्छ्रुत्वा धर्मसुतः समुद्विग्नो नराधिप। अभेद्यकवचं मत्वा कर्णमद्भुतविक्रमम्॥ अनुस्मरंश्च संक्लेशान् न शान्तिमुपयाति सः।
O ruler of men, having heard this the son of Dharma (Yudhishthira) became filled with great anxiety; thinking of the impenetrable armour of the greatly powerful Karna. Remembering all their misery, he felt no peace of mind.
तस्य चिन्तापरीतस्य बुद्धिर्जज्ञे महात्मनः॥ बहुव्यालमृगाकीर्णं त्यक्तुं द्वैतवनं वनम्।
That high-souled hero, filled with anxiety, made up his mind to abandon the forest of Dvaitavana abounding in wild animals.
धार्तराष्ट्रोऽपि नृपतिः प्रशशास वसुन्धराम्॥ भ्रातृभिः सहितो वीरैर्भीष्मद्रोणकृपैस्तथा। सङ्गम्य सूतपुत्रेण कर्णेनाहवशोभिना॥
The king, the son of Dhritarashtra, meanwhile began to rule the earth, along with his heroic brothers as also with Bhishma, Drona and Kripa. With the assistance of the Suta's son crowned with martial glory.
दुर्योधन: प्रिये नित्यं वर्तमानो महीभृताम्। पूजयामास विप्रेन्द्रान् क्रतुभिर्भूरिदक्षिणैः॥
Duryodhana remained ever intent on the welfare of the ruler of earth. He worshipped the foremost of Brahmanas by celebrating sacrifices with large Dakshinas.
भ्रातृणां च प्रियं राजन् स चकार परंतपः। निश्चित्य मनसा वीरो दत्तभुक्तफलं धनम्॥
O king, that hero, that chastiser of foes was engaged in doing good to his brothers, concluding in his mind that giving and enjoying are the only (proper) uses of the wealth.