कर्ण उवाच हन्त शल्य विजानीहि हन्त भूयो ब्रवीमि ते। उच्यमानं मया सम्यक् त्वमेकाग्रमनाः शृणु।॥
Karna said You should know all this, O Shalya, I shall again speak. Hear attentively what I say.
ब्राह्मणः किल नो गेहमध्यगच्छत् पुरातिथिः। आचारं तत्र सम्प्रेक्ष्य प्रीतो वचनमब्रवीत्॥
Once on a time a Brahmana came to our houses as a guest. he was highly pleased with
मया हिमवतः शृङ्गमेकेनाध्युषितं चिरम्। दृष्टांश्च बहवो देशा नानाधर्मसमावृताः॥
I lived for a long time alone on a summit of the Himalaya mountain, since then I have seen various countries following various religions.
न च केन च धर्मेण विरुध्यन्ते प्रजा इमाः। सर्व हि तेऽब्रुवन् धर्मं यदुक्तं वेदपारगैः॥
But I have never seen a country where all the people are irreligious, All the races I have met with recognise as religion what has been declared by persons conversant with the Vedas.
अटता तु ततो देशान् नानाधर्मसमाकुलान्। आगच्छता महाराज वाहीकेषु निशामितम्॥
Wandering through various countries following diverse religions, I came at last O king, among the Vahikas. There I heard,
तत्र वै ब्राह्मणो भूत्वा ततो भवति क्षत्रियः। वैश्यः शूद्रश्च वाहीकस्ततो भवति नापितः॥
That one at first becomes a Brahmana and then becomes a Kshatriya, A Vahika after that will become a Vaishya, then a Sudra and then a barber.
नापितंश्च ततो भूत्वा पुनर्भवति ब्राह्मणः। द्विजो भूत्वा च तत्रैव पुनर्दासोऽभिजायते॥
Having become a barber he will again become a Brahmana. Attaining again to the position of a Brahmana he will again become a slave.
भवन्त्येककुले विप्राः प्रसृष्टा: कामचारिणः। गान्धारा मद्रकांश्चैव वाहीकांचाल्पचेतसः॥
One member of a family becomes a Brahmana, All others falling off from virtue act as they please. The Govharas, the Madrakas and the little-witted Vahikas are such.
एतन्मया श्रुतं तत्र धर्मसंकरकारकम्। कृत्स्त्रामटित्वा पृथिवीं वाहीकेषु विपर्ययः॥
Having wandered over the entire earth I heard of these sinful practices and irregularities amongst the Vahikas.
हन्त शल्य विजानीहि हन्त भूयो ब्रवीमे ते। यदप्यन्योऽबवीद् वाक्यं वाहीकानां च कुत्सितम्॥१०
You should know this, O Shalya; I will speak to you again these words blaming the Vahikas which another person said to me.
सती पुरा हृता काचिदारट्टात् किल दस्युभिः। अधर्मतंश्योपयाता सा तानभ्यशपत् ततः॥
In the days of yore a chaste woman of the country of Aratta was abducted by robbers; they violated her, on which she imprecated a
बालां बन्धुमती यन्मामधर्मेणोपगच्छथ। तस्मानार्यो भविष्यन्ति बन्धक्यो वै कुलस्य च॥
As you have sinfully ravished a girl who has no husband all the women of your families will become unchaste.
न चैवास्मात् प्रमोक्षध्वं घोरात् पापानराधमाः। तस्मात् तेषां भागहरा भागिनेया न सूनवः॥
You villains, you will never escape the consequences of this great iniquity. It is for this O Shalya, that the sisters sons of the Arattas become their heirs and not their own sons,
कुरवः सहपञ्चाला: शाल्वा मत्स्याः सनैमिषाः। कोसलाः काशपौण्ड्राश्च कालिङ्गा मागधास्तथा।॥ चेदयंश्च महाभागा धर्मं जानान्ति शाश्वतम्। नानादेशेषु सन्तंश्च प्रायो बाह्यलयादृते॥
Kauravas with the Panchalas, the Shalyas, the Matsyas, the Naimishas, the Koshalas, the Kashapaunctras, the Kalingas, the Maghadas and the Chedis, who are all blessed, are conversant with the eternal religion. Even the wicked of every country know what religion is; the Balhikas are however divested of piety.
आ मत्स्येभ्यः कुरुपञ्चालदेश्या आ नैमिषाचेदयो ये विशिष्टाः। धर्म पुराणमुपजीवन्ति सन्तो मद्रादृते पाञ्चनदांश्च जिह्यान्॥
The Matsyas, the Kurus, the Panchalas, the Naimishas and all other respectable races know the eternal truths of religion. This cannot be said of the Madrakas and the wily people that live in the land of the five rivers.
स्तूष्णीभूतो जडवच्छल्य भूयाः। त्वं तस्य गोप्ता च जनस्य राजा षड्भागहर्ता शुभदृष्कृतस्य॥
Knowing all these, O Shalya, O king, you should hold your tongue like one of base words in all matters connected with religion and virtue. You are the guardian and the king of this race and therefore partake of the tenth part of their virtue and sin.
अथवा दुष्कृतस्य त्वं हर्ता तेषामरक्षिता। रक्षिता पुण्यभागाजा प्रजानां त्वं ह्यपुण्यभाक्॥
Or perhaps you pertake of the sixth portion of their sins only for you never protect them. A king who protects his people is only entitled to the sixth portion of their virtue. You are not a sharer of their virtue.
पूज्यमाने पुरा धर्मे सर्वदेशेषु शाश्वते। धर्मं पाञ्चनदं दृष्ट्वा धिगित्याह पितामहः॥
In the days of yore when the eternal religion was held in reverence in all countries, the grand-father, marking the conduct of those living in the land of five rivers, denounced them.
व्रात्यानां दासमीयानां कृतेऽप्यशुभकर्मणाम्। ब्रह्मणा निन्दिते धर्मे स त्वं लोके किमब्रवीः॥
When even in the golden age the Brahman had consumed those fallen men of evil deeds who were begotten by Sudra on others' wives who can put them to shame?
इति पाञ्चनदं धर्ममवमेने पितामहः। स्वधर्मस्थेषु वर्षेषु सोऽप्येतान् नाभ्यपूजयत्॥
Thus did the grand-father condemn the practices of the land of five rivers. When all the people observed the duties of their respective orders he had to find fault with those people.
हन्त शल्य विजानीहि हन्त भूयो ब्रवीमि ते। कल्माषपादः सरसि निमजन् राक्षसोऽब्रवीत्॥
You should know all this, O Shalya, I will speak again to you. A Rakshasa by the name of Kamalashapada, while bathing in a tank said.
क्षत्रिस्य मलं भक्ष्यं ब्राह्मणस्याश्रुतं मलम्। मलं पृथिव्यां वाहीकाः स्त्रीणां मद्रस्त्रियो मलम्॥२३
Begging is a Kshatriya's dirt, the nonobservance of vows is that of Brahmana. The Vahikas are the dirt of the earth and the Madra women are the dirt of the whole female sex.
निमज्जमानमुद्धत्य कश्चिद् राजा निशाचरम्। अपृच्छत् तेन चाख्यातं प्रोक्तवांस्तन्निबोध मे॥
While going down the stream a king rescued the Rakshasa. Asked by the former the latter gave this answer. I will recite it to you, listen.
मानुषाणां मलं म्लेच्छा म्लेच्छाना मौष्ट्रिका मलम्। शौण्डिकानां मलं घण्ढाः षण्ढानां राजयाजकाः॥२५
The Mlechas are the dirt of the humanity, the oil-men are the dirt of Mlechas; eunuchs are the dirt of oilmen. And they who appoint Kshatriyas as priests in their yagnas are the dirt of eunuchs.
राजयाजकयाज्यानां मद्रकाणां च यन्मलम्। तद् भवेद् वै तव मलं यद्यस्मान विमुञ्चसि॥
The sin of those persons who appoint Kshatriyas as their priests as well as that of the Madrakas will visit you if you do not abandon me.
इति रक्षोपसृष्टेषु विषवीर्यहतेषु च। राक्षसं भैषजं प्रोक्तं संसिद्धवचनोत्तरम्॥
This was declared by the Rakshasa as the Mantra that should be used as a remedy for curing a person possessed by a Rakshasa or one killed by poison.
ब्राह्यं पञ्चालाः कौरवेयास्तु धर्म्य सत्यं मत्स्याः शूरसेनाश्च यज्ञम्। प्राच्या दासा वृषला दाक्षिणात्याः स्तेना वाहीका: संकरा वै सुराष्ट्राः॥
The Panchalas observe the duties laid down in the Vedas; the Kauravas observe truth; the Matsyas Surasena perform Yajnas; the people of the east follow the conduct of the Sudras. Those of the south are fallen; the Bahikas are thieves, the Saurashtras are bastards.
कृतघ्नता परवित्तपहारो मद्यपानं गुरुदारावमर्दः। वावपारुष्यं गोवधो रात्रिचर्या बहिर्गेहं परवस्त्रोपभोगः॥
They are defiled by ingratitude, theft, drunkenness, adultery with the wives of their preceptors, harshness of speech, slaughter of kine, absence from house during night for bad purposes, the using of other people's ornaments. What sin is there that they cannot commit? Fie on Arathas and the people of the land of the five rivers.
येषां धर्मस्तान् प्रति नास्त्यधर्मो ह्यारट्टानां पञ्चनदान धिगस्तु। आ पाञ्चाल्येभ्यः कुरवो नैमिषाश्च मत्स्याश्चैतेऽप्यथ जानन्ति धर्मम्। अथोदीच्याश्चाङ्गका मागधाश्च शिष्टान् धर्मानुपजीवन्ति वृद्धाः॥
The Panchalas, the Kauravas, the Naimishas, the Matsyas all these are conversant with religion. Even the old people of the North, the Angas and Magadhas follow the practice of the pious.
प्राची दिशं श्रिता देवा जातवेदः पुरोगमाः। दक्षिणां पितरो गुप्तां यमेन शुभकर्मणा॥
Many gods, led by Agni, reside in the East. The ancestral manes live in the South presided our by Yama the just.
प्रतीची वरुणः पाति पालयानः सुरान् बली। उदीची भगवान् सोमो ब्राह्मणैः सह रक्षति॥
The West is ruled over by the powerful Varuna, who is superior to all the gods there. The North is guarded by the Divine along with the Brahmanas.
तथा रक्षः पिशाचाच हिमवन्तं नगोत्तमम्। गुह्यकाश्च महाराज पर्वतं गन्धमादनम्॥
The Rakshasas and Pichashas protect Himavat, the best of mountains. The Guhykas protect, O great king, the mount Gandhamadana. Forsooth does Vishnu otherwise called Janardana all creatures.
ध्रुवः सर्वाणि भूतानि विष्णुः पाति जनार्दनः। इङ्गितज्ञाश्च मगधाः प्रेक्षितज्ञाश्च कोसलाः॥
The Magadhas are conversánt with hints, the Koshalas can understand what they see. The Kurus and Panchalas can understand halfexpressed words. The Shalyas cannot understand till the whole thing is expressed.
अर्थोक्ताः कुरुपञ्चालाः शाल्वाः कृत्स्नानुशासनाः। पर्वतीयाच विषमा यथैव शिवयस्तथा॥
The mountaineers like Sivis are very dull. The Yavanas are omniscient, O king and the Suras and particularly so.
सर्वज्ञा यवना राजशूश्चैव विशेषतः। म्लेच्छाः स्वसंज्ञानियता नानुक्तमितरे जनाः॥
The Mlechchas are steeped in their own fanciful creations-other inferior people cannot understand any thing. Bahikas never accept good counsels and Madrakas are none amongst protect them. You are such, O Shalya, you should not give me any reply.
प्रतिरथास्तु वाहिका न च केचन मद्रकाः। स त्वमेतादृशः शल्य नोत्तरं वक्तुमर्हसि॥
Madras are called the dirt of all nations on earth so the Madra woman is called the dirt of the entire female sex.
साधोः पानं गुरुतल्यावमर्दो भ्रूणहत्या परवित्तापहारः। येषां धर्मस्तान् प्रति नास्त्यधर्म आरट्टजान् पञ्चनदान् धिगस्तु॥
There is none more wretched than he whose duty consists in drinking wine, violating the bed of his preceptor, destroying the embryo by miscarriage and robbing other people of their riches. Oh fie on the Arthas and the people of the land of five rivers.
एतज्ज्ञावा जोषमास्स्व प्रतीपं मा स्म वै कृथाः। मा त्वां पूर्वमहं हत्वा हनिष्ये केशवार्जुनौ॥
Knowing this, be silent. do not try to contradict me. Do not make me kill Keshava and Arjuna after having killed you first.
शल्य उवाच आतुराणां परित्याग: स्वदारसुतविक्रयः। अङ्गे प्रवर्तते कर्ण येषामधिपतिर्भवान्॥
Shalya said To forsake the distressed and sell children with wives are the practices of Angas whose king you are, O Karna.
रथातिरथसंख्यायां यत् त्वां भीष्मस्तदाब्रवीत्। तान् विदित्वाऽऽत्मनो दोषान् निर्मन्युभव मा क्रुधः॥४
Remembering your faults that were recited by Bhishma before the assembled car-warriors and mighty car-warriors drive away your anger and be not angry.
सर्वत्र ब्राह्मणा सन्ति सन्ति सर्वत्र क्षत्रियाः। वैश्याः शूद्रास्तथा कर्ण स्त्रियः साध्व्यश्च सुव्रताः॥
In every country, O Karma, there are Brahmanas, the Kshatriyas, the Vaishyas, the Sudras and the chaste women observant of good vows.
रमन्ते चोपहासने पुरुषाः पुरुषैः सह अन्योन्यमवतक्षन्तो देशे देशे समैथुनाः॥
In every country there are kings observant of their own religions and engaged in repressing the wicked. And in every country there are virtuous men.
परवाच्येषु निपणः सर्वो भवति सर्वदा। आत्मवाच्यं न जानीते जानन्नपि च मुह्यति॥
There is in every country and every moment men who are experts in speaking of the faults of others. There is none who knows his own faults and knowing them becomes ashamed.
सर्वत्र सन्ति राजानः स्वं स्वं धर्ममनुव्रताः। दुर्मनुष्यान् निगृह्णन्ति सन्ति सर्वत्र धार्मिका॥
In every country there are kings observant of their own religions and engaged in repressing the wicked. And in every country there are virtuous men.
न कर्ण देशसामान्यात् सर्वः पापं निषेवते। यादृशाः स्वस्वभावेन देवा अपि न तादृशा॥
There is no country, O Karma, where every one is sinful. There are men in many countries who excel even the gods by their good conduct.
संजय उवाच ततो दुर्योधन राजा कर्णशल्याववारयत्। सखिभावेन राधेयं शल्यं स्वाञ्जल्यकेन च॥
Sanjaya said Thereupon the king Duryodhana stopped Karna Shalya, addressing the son of Radha as a friend and requesting Shalya with joined hands.
ततो निवारितः कर्णो धार्तराष्ट्रेण मारिष। कर्णोऽपिनोत्तरं प्राह शल्योऽप्यभिमुखः परान्। ततः प्रहस्य राधेयः पुनर्याहीत्यचोदयत्॥
Karna was pacified, Osire and did not speak anything more. Shalya, then advanced against his enemies. Thereupon smilingly Karna once more excited Shalya saying-"go on."