नारद उवाच आविष्कृतबलं कर्णं श्रुत्वा राजा स मागधः। आह्वयद् द्वैरथेनाजी जरासंधो महीपतिः॥ तयोः समभवद् युद्धं दिव्यास्त्रविदुषोईयोः। युधि नानाप्रहरणैरन्योन्यमभिवर्षतोः॥
Narada said Hearing of Karna's power the king of the Magadhas, Jarasandha, challenged him to a single combat. Both of them were masters of celestial weapons. A dreadful battle took place between them in which they struck each other with various kinds of weapons.
क्षीणबाणौ विधनुषौ भग्नखड्गौ महीं गतौ। बाहुभिः समसज्जेतामुभावपि बलान्वितौ॥
At last when their arrows were run out, and bows and swords were broken, and they both lost their cars, they began, powerful as they were, to fight with bare arms.
बाहुकण्टकयुद्धेन तस्य कर्णोऽथ युध्यतः। बिभेद सन्धिं देहस्य जरया श्लेषितस्य हि॥
While engaged with him a dreadful encounter with bare arms, Karna was about to cut the two portions of his antagonist's body that had been joined by Jara.
स विकारं शरीरस्य दृष्ट्वा नृपतिरात्मनः। प्रीतोऽस्मीत्यब्रवीत् कर्णं वैरमुत्सृज्य दूरतः॥
Feeling himself very much pained, and giving up desire of hostility, the king of Magadha addressed Karma, saying,-I am pleased.
प्रीत्या ददौ स कर्णाय मालिनी नगरीमथ। अड्रेषु नरशार्दूल स राजाऽऽसीत् सपत्नजित्॥ पालयामास चम्पां च कर्णः परबलार्दनः। दुर्योधनस्यानुमते तवापि विदितं तथा॥
Out of friendship he then gave to Karna the town Malini. Before this, that foremost of men and subjugator of all enemies (Karna), had been king of the Angas only, but from that time that grinder of hostile forces, began to rule over Champa also, as desired by Duryodhana, as you know.
एवं शस्त्रप्रतापेन प्रथितः सोऽभवत् क्षितौ। त्वद्धितार्थं सुरेन्द्रेण भिक्षितो वर्मकुण्डले॥ स दिव्ये सहजे प्रादात् कुण्डले परमार्जिते। सहजं कवचं चापि मोहितो देवमायया।॥
Thus Karna became known on Earth for the strength of his arms. When, for your well-being the king of gods begged of him his (natural) coat-of-mail and ear-rings, stupefied by celestial illusion, he gave away those precious things.
विमुक्तः कुण्डलाभ्यां च सहजेन च वर्मणा। निहतो विजयेनाजौ वासुदेवस्य पश्यतः॥
Deprived of his ear-rings and his natural armour, he was killed by Arjuna before Vasudeva.
ब्राह्मणस्याभिशापेन रामस्य च महात्मनः। कुन्त्याच वरदानेन मायया च शतक्रतोः॥ भीष्मावमानात् संख्यायां रथस्यार्धानुकीर्तनात्। शल्यात् तेजोवधाच्चापि वासुदेवनयेन च॥॥ रुद्रस्य देवराजस्य यमस्य वरुणस्य च। कुबेरद्रोणयोश्चैव कृपस्य च पहात्मनः॥ अस्त्राणि दिव्यान्यादाय युधि गाण्डीवधन्वना। हतो वैकर्तनः कर्णो दिवाकरसमद्युतिः॥
On account of a Brahmana's curse, as also of the curse of the great Rama, of the boon granted to Kunti and the illusion practised on him by Indra, of his being belittled by Bhishma as only half-a car-warrior, behind Rathas and Atirathas, of the destruction of his energy caused by Shalya, of Vasudeva's policy, and, lastly, of the celestial weapons acquired by Arjuna from Rudra and Indra and Yama and Varuna and Kuvera and Drona and the illustrious Kripa, Arjuna succeeded in killing. Vikartana's son Karna of solar effulgence.
एवं शप्तस्तव भ्राता बहुभिश्चापि वञ्चितः। न शोच्यः पुरुषव्याघ्र युद्धेन निधनं गतः॥
Thus had your brother been cursed and beguiled by many! As, however, he has fallen in battle, you should not grieve for that foremost of man.