वैशम्पायन उवाच ततः सूर्यानिश्चरितां कर्णः शुश्राव भारतीम्। दुरत्ययां प्रणयिनी पितृवद् भास्करेरिताम्॥
Vaishampayana said Then did Karna hear an affectionate voice issue from the solar disc from afar, spoken with the affection of a father by Surya himself.
सत्यमाह पृथा वाक्यं कर्ण मातृवचः कुरु। श्रेयस्ते स्यान्नरव्याघ्र सर्वमाचरतस्तथा।॥
O Karna, Pritha has spoken the truth; act according to the advice of your mother; then will you get benefit, O best among men, namely by acting in that way in every detail.
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्तस्य मात्रा च स्वयं पित्रा च भानुना। चचाल नैव कर्णसय मतिः सत्यधृतेस्तदा॥
Vaishampayana said Being thus spoken to by his mother, and by his father Bhanu himself, the resolve, formed by Karna, who was ever devoted to truth, did not undergo any change.
कर्ण उवाच न चैतच्छ्रद्दधे वाक्यं क्षत्रिये त्वया। धर्मद्वारं ममैतत् स्यान्नियोगकरणं तव॥
Karna said O Kshatriya, lady, I do not respect the words spoken by you, namely the way to virtue lies in my case to do what you urge me to do.
अकरोन्मयि यत् पापं भवती सुमहात्ययम्। अपाकीर्णोऽस्मि यन्मातस्तद् यशःकीर्तिनाशनम्॥
The behaviour that you adopted towards me was a greatly sinful one, and (owing to that) I have sustained what is tantamount to the destruction of fame and renown.
अहं चेत् क्षत्रियो जातो न प्राप्तः क्षत्रसत्क्रियाम्। त्वत्कृते किं पापीयः शत्रुः कुर्यान्ममाहितम्॥
Myself being born of a Kshatriya I did not obtain rites of a Kshatriya (for my birth); it was all on account of your doings; what enemy can possibly do me a greater injury?
क्रियाकाले त्वनुक्रोशमकृत्वा त्वमिमं मम। हीनसंस्कारसमयमद्य मां समचूचुदः॥
Without showing any mercy to me when it ought to have been shown, you now come to me, deprived of my due rites, when an opportunity arises for you, to urge me.
न वै मम हितं पूर्वं मातृवच्चेष्टितं त्वया। सा मां सम्बोधयस्यद्य केवलात्महितैषिणी॥
My good was never sought for by you as a mother and you now come to address me desiring the good of yourself,
कृष्णेन सहितात् को वै न व्यथेत धनंजयात्। कोऽद्य भीतं न मां विद्यात् पार्थानां समितिं गतम्॥
Who am not afraid of Dhananjaya united with Krishna; and who would not consider me to be struck with fear if I go over to the side of the sons of the Pritha.
अभ्राता विदितः पूर्वं युद्धकाले प्रकाशितः। पाण्डवान् यदि गच्छामि किं मां क्षत्रं वदिष्यति॥
Unknown as a brother before, and known to be so on the eve of battle, if I go over to the side of the sons of Pandu who will call me a Kshatriya.
सर्वकामैः संविभक्तः पूजितश्च यथासुखम्। अहं वै धार्तराष्ट्राणां कुर्यां तदफलं कथम्॥
All my my desires were granted and worshipped by them; I was happy and comfortable; how can I make that worship of the sons of Dhritarashtra vain?
उपनह्य परैर्वैरं ये मां नित्यमुपासते। नमस्कुर्वन्ति च सदा वसवो वासवं यथा॥
They, who having declared hostilities with others, ever seek to please me and ever bow down before me as the Vasus bow down to Vasava,
मम प्राणेन ये शत्रूशक्ताः प्रतिसमासितुम्। मन्यन्ते ते कथं तेषामहं छिन्द्यां मनोरथम्॥
They, think that with my help they can withstand their enemies-how can I act against their cherished desire.
मया प्लवेन संग्रामं तितीर्षन्ति दुरत्ययम्। अपारे पारकामा ये त्यजेयं तानहं कथम्॥
Making me as their boat, they desire to cross the sea of war, which is broad and expansive; how can I abandon them that are desirous of crossing that which can not be crossed.
अयं हि कालः सम्प्राप्तो धार्तराष्ट्रोपजीविनाम्। निर्वेष्टव्यं मया तत्र प्राणानपरिरक्षता॥
This is the time come for those who have earned their living from the son of Dhritarashtra, (to show their fidelity) and I should engaged in that even at the risk of my life.
कृतार्थाः सुभृता ये हि कृत्यकाले झुपस्थिते। अनवेक्ष्य कृतं पापा विकुर्वन्त्यनवस्थिताः॥
Those wretches who, well cared for and well-supported, at the approach of the time when something should be done in return for these acts of kindness, act in an ungraceful manner,
राजकिल्बिषिणां तेषां भर्तृपिण्डापहारिणाम्। नैवायं न परो लोको विद्यते पापकर्मणाम्॥
Untrue to the bread of their lord, as they are, these faithless servants of their kings have neither this world nor the next for their good.
धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्राणामर्थे योत्स्यामि ते सुतैः। बलं च शक्तिं चास्थाय न वै त्वय्यनृतं वदे॥
On the side of the sons of Dhritarashtra, shall I fight with your sons with all my might and prowess; I do not speak untruely to you.
आनृशंस्यमथो वृत्तं रक्षन् सत्पुरुषोचितम्। अतोऽर्थकरमप्येतन्न करोम्यद्य ते वचः॥
At the same time however showing due kindness and observing proper duties which ought to be observed by good men, I shall not act up to your words now as they are beneficial.
न च तेऽयं समारम्भो मयि मोघो भविष्यति। वध्यान् विषह्यान् संग्रामे न हनिष्यामि ते सुतान्॥
But at the same time this appeal to me by you shall not be entirely useless. I shall not kill such of your sons as are capable of being withstood and killed by me, in the battle.
युधिष्ठिरं च भीमं च यमौ चैवार्जुनादृते। अर्जुनेन समं युद्धमपि यौधिष्ठिरे बले॥
There are Yudhishthira, Bhima, and the twins, in fact every one save Arjuna; Arjuna alone in the army of Yudhishthira is worthy to fight with me.
अर्जुनं हि निहत्याजौ सम्प्राप्तं स्यात् फलं मया। यशसा चापि युज्येयं निहत: सब्यसाचिना॥
Having killed Arjuna I shall achieve a reputation for great prowess; or being myself killed by Savyasachin I shall endued with renown.
न ते जातु न शिष्यन्ति पुत्राः पञ्च यशस्विनि। निरर्जुनाः सकर्णा वा सार्जुना वा हते मयि।॥
O lady of renown, your five sons will not decrease; either you will be with Karna and not Arjuna or if I am slain, you will be with Arjuna (and without Karna).
इति कर्णवचः श्रुत्वा दुःखात् प्रवेपती। उवाच पुत्रमाश्लिष्य कर्णं धैर्यादकम्पनम्॥
Hearing these words of Karna Kunti trembled with sorrow and said to his after embracing him who being possessed of fortitude trembled not.
एवं वै भाव्यमेतेन क्षयं यास्यन्ति कौरवाः। यथा त्वं भाषसे कर्ण दैवं तु बलवत्तरम्॥
What you say may happen; the Kurus will meet with destruction, O Karna, destiny is the most powerful.
त्वया चतुर्णां भ्रातृणामभयं शत्रुकर्शन। दत्तं तत् प्रतिजानीहि संगरप्रतिमोचनम्॥
By you has the pledge of safety been given to four of your brothers, O grinder of foes; remember the boon therefore which you have granted when weapons are being shot in the battle.
अनामयं स्वस्ति चेति पृथाऽथो कर्णमब्रवीत्। तां कर्णोऽथ तथेत्युक्त्वा ततस्तौ जग्मतुः पृथक्॥
Pritha at last said to Karna “May you be blessed and may all be well with you” and Karna too saying the same thing to her, the two went in separate directions.