Surya Tells Karna to Ask Indra for the Spear

Verse 1 (3.303.1)

भगवन्तमहं भक्तो यथा मां वेत्थ गोपते । तथा परमतिग्मांशो नास्त्यदेयं कथंचन ॥

bhagavantamahaṃ bhakto yathā māṃ vettha gopate | tathā paramatigmāṃśo nāstyadeyaṃ kathaṃcana

"O lord of rays, just as you know me to be your devotee, so too, O you of supremely fierce rays, there is nothing whatever that I would hold back from giving."

Verse 2 (3.303.2)

न मे दारा न मे पुत्रा न चात्मा सुहृदो न च । तथेष्टा वै सदा भक्त्या यथा त्वं गोपते मम ॥

na me dārā na me putrā na cātmā suhṛdo na ca | tatheṣṭā vai sadā bhaktyā yathā tvaṃ gopate mama

"Neither my wives, nor my sons, nor my own self, nor my friends are as dear to me, in my constant devotion, as you are, O lord of rays."

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (मेपुत्रा → मे पुत्रा).

Verse 3 (3.303.3)

इष्टानां च महात्मानो भक्तानां च न संशयः । कुर्वन्ति भक्तिमिष्टां च जानीषे त्वं च भास्कर ॥

iṣṭānāṃ ca mahātmāno bhaktānāṃ ca na saṃśayaḥ | kurvanti bhaktimiṣṭāṃ ca jānīṣe tvaṃ ca bhāskara

"Great-souled beings, without doubt, show loving favour to those who are dear to them and devoted to them; this you know, O Bhaskara."

Verse 4 (3.303.4)

इष्टो भक्तश्च मे कर्णो न चान्यद्दैवतं दिवि । जानीत इति वै कृत्वा भगवानाह मद्धितम् ॥

iṣṭo bhaktaśca me karṇo na cānyaddaivataṃ divi | jānīta iti vai kṛtvā bhagavānāha maddhitam

"'Karna is dear to me and devoted to me, and he knows no other deity in heaven' — with this in mind the Lord has spoken for my good."

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (इतिवै → इति वै).

Verse 5 (3.303.5)

भूयश्च शिरसा याचे प्रसाद्य च पुनःपुनः । इति ब्रवीमि तिग्मांशो त्वं तु मे क्षन्तुमर्हसि ॥

bhūyaśca śirasā yāce prasādya ca punaḥpunaḥ | iti bravīmi tigmāṃśo tvaṃ tu me kṣantumarhasi

"Yet once more I bow my head and beg you, seeking your favour again and again. This is what I say, O fierce-rayed one, and you must forgive me."

Verse 6 (3.303.6)

बिभेमि न तथा मृत्योर्यथा बिभ्येऽनृतादहम् । विशेषेण द्विजातीनां सर्वेषां सर्वदा सताम् ॥

bibhemi na tathā mṛtyoryathā bibhye'nṛtādaham | viśeṣeṇa dvijātīnāṃ sarveṣāṃ sarvadā satām

"I do not fear death as much as I fear untruth — above all toward Brahmins, and toward all the good, at all times."

Note on the text: Wikisource divides the critical edition's two six-line verses 3.286.6–7 into three couplets (verses 6–8); this verse = CE 3.286.6ab–cd.

Verse 7 (3.303.7)

प्रदाने जीवितस्यापि न मेऽत्रास्ति विचारणा । यच्च मामात्थ देव त्वं पाण्डवं फल्गुनं प्रति ॥

pradāne jīvitasyāpi na me'trāsti vicāraṇā | yacca māmāttha deva tvaṃ pāṇḍavaṃ phalgunaṃ prati

"Even in giving away my life I would not hesitate here. And as for what you have told me, O god, about Phalguna the Pandava —"

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE 3.286.6ef; line 2 = CE 3.286.7ab (see verse 6).

Verse 8 (3.303.8)

व्येतु संतापजं दुःखं तव भास्कर मानसम् । अर्जुनप्रतिमं चैव विजेष्यामि रणेऽर्जुनम् ॥

vyetu saṃtāpajaṃ duḥkhaṃ tava bhāskara mānasam | arjunapratimaṃ caiva vijeṣyāmi raṇe'rjunam

"let the sorrow born of anguish leave your mind, O Bhaskara: I shall conquer Arjuna in battle, peerless as Arjuna is."

Note on the text: This verse = CE 3.286.7cd–ef. Wikisource reads अर्जुनप्रतिमं where the critical edition has arjunaṃ prati māṃ (a recension variant, kept).

Verse 9 (3.303.9)

तवापि विदितं देव ममाप्यस्त्रबलं महत् । जामदग्न्यादुपात्तं यत्तथा द्रोणान्महात्मनः ॥

tavāpi viditaṃ deva mamāpyastrabalaṃ mahat | jāmadagnyādupāttaṃ yattathā droṇānmahātmanaḥ

"You too know, O god, the great might of my weapons, which I received from Jamadagni's son and likewise from the great-souled Drona."

Verse 10 (3.303.10)

इदं त्वमनुजानीहि सुरश्रेष्ठ व्रतं मम । भिक्षते वज्रिणे दद्यामपि जीवितमात्मनः ॥

idaṃ tvamanujānīhi suraśreṣṭha vrataṃ mama | bhikṣate vajriṇe dadyāmapi jīvitamātmanaḥ

"Grant me this vow of mine, O best of gods: to the wielder of the thunderbolt, if he begs of me, I would give even my own life."

Verse 11 (3.303.11)

यदि तात ददास्येते वज्रिणे कुण्डले शुभे । त्वमप्येनमथो ब्रूया विजयार्थं महाबल ॥

yadi tāta dadāsyete vajriṇe kuṇḍale śubhe | tvamapyenamatho brūyā vijayārthaṃ mahābala

"If, my son, you give these lovely earrings to the thunderbolt-wielder, then you too, mighty one, must say something to him for the sake of your victory."

Verse 12 (3.303.12)

नियमेन प्रदद्यास्त्वं कुण्डले वै शतक्रतोः । अवध्यो ह्यसि भूतानां कुण्डलाभ्यां समन्वितः ॥

niyamena pradadyāstvaṃ kuṇḍale vai śatakratoḥ | avadhyo hyasi bhūtānāṃ kuṇḍalābhyāṃ samanvitaḥ

"You should give the earrings to Shatakratu on a condition; for while you have the earrings, no being can slay you."

Note on the text: Restored a missing word space (कुण्डलेवै → कुण्डले वै).

Verse 13 (3.303.13)

अर्जुनेन विनाशं हि तव दानवसूदनः । प्रार्थयानो रणे वत्स कुण्डले ते जिहीर्षति ॥

arjunena vināśaṃ hi tava dānavasūdanaḥ | prārthayāno raṇe vatsa kuṇḍale te jihīrṣati

"It is because the slayer of the Danavas wants your destruction in battle at Arjuna's hands, my child, that he seeks to take your earrings."

Note on the text: Corrected अर्जुनन → अर्जुनेन (misprint in Wikisource; the e-sign dropped; the critical edition reads arjunena). Corrected प्रार्तयानो → प्रार्थयानो (misprint in Wikisource; त for थ; the critical edition reads prārthayāno).

Verse 14 (3.303.14)

स त्वमप्येनमाराध्य सूनृताभिः पुनः पुनः । अभ्यर्थयेथा देवेशममोघार्थं पुरंदरम् ॥

sa tvamapyenamārādhya sūnṛtābhiḥ punaḥ punaḥ | abhyarthayethā deveśamamoghārthaṃ puraṃdaram

"So you too, having won him over again and again with pleasing words, should make this request of Purandara, lord of the gods, whose purpose never fails:"

Verse 15 (3.303.15)

अमोघां देहि मे शक्तिममित्रविनिबर्हिणीम् । दास्यामि ते सहस्राक्ष कुण्डले वर्म चोत्तमम् ॥

amoghāṃ dehi me śaktimamitravinibarhiṇīm | dāsyāmi te sahasrākṣa kuṇḍale varma cottamam

"Give me your unfailing spear, the destroyer of enemies, and I will give you, O thousand-eyed one, the earrings and my excellent armour."

Verse 16 (3.303.16)

इत्येव नियमेन त्वं दद्याः शक्राय कुण्डले । तया त्वं कर्ण संग्रामे हनिष्यसि रणे रिपून् ॥

ityeva niyamena tvaṃ dadyāḥ śakrāya kuṇḍale | tayā tvaṃ karṇa saṃgrāme haniṣyasi raṇe ripūn

"On just this condition should you give the earrings to Shakra. With that spear, Karna, you will slay your enemies in battle."

Verse 17 (3.303.17)

नाहत्वा हि महाबाहो शत्रूनेति करं पुनः । सा शक्तिर्देवराजस्य शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः ॥

nāhatvā hi mahābāho śatrūneti karaṃ punaḥ | sā śaktirdevarājasya śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ

"For, mighty-armed one, the spear of the king of the gods does not return to his hand until it has slain enemies by the hundreds and thousands."

Verse 18 (3.303.18)

एवमुक्त्वा सहस्रांशुः सहसाऽन्तरधीयत । कर्णस्तु बुबुधे राजन्स्वप्नान्ते प्रव्यथन्निव ॥

evamuktvā sahasrāṃśuḥ sahasā'ntaradhīyata | karṇastu bubudhe rājansvapnānte pravyathanniva

Having spoken thus, the thousand-rayed Sun suddenly vanished. And Karna, O king, awoke at the end of his dream as if deeply troubled.

Note on the text: The speaker heading above this verse carries the row id 3-300-18x on the Wikisource page, a typo for 3-303-18x (the critical edition also has vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca at 3.286.17); kept as the speaker. Line 1 = CE 3.286.17ab; line 2 opens a passage (verses 18b–22a) that Wikisource marks off and the critical edition relegates to its apparatus as *1335 (lines 1–8, after 3.286.17ab). Removed stray wiki quote marks (`) that set off this passage in Wikisource.

Verse 19 (3.303.19)

प्रतिबुद्धस्तु राधेयः स्वप्नं संचिन्त्य भारत । चकार निश्चयं राजञ्शक्त्यर्थं वदतां वर ॥

pratibuddhastu rādheyaḥ svapnaṃ saṃcintya bhārata | cakāra niścayaṃ rājañśaktyarthaṃ vadatāṃ vara

Awake now, Radha's son pondered the dream, O Bharata, and made his resolve about the spear, O best of speakers, O king:

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition text; it is in the CE apparatus as *1335 lines 2–3 (found in the vulgate recension). Restored a missing word space (वदतांवर → वदतां वर).

Verse 20 (3.303.20)

यदि मामिन्द्र आयाति कुण्डलार्थं परन्तप । शक्त्या तस्मै प्रदास्यामि कुण्डले वर्म चैव ह ॥

yadi māmindra āyāti kuṇḍalārthaṃ parantapa | śaktyā tasmai pradāsyāmi kuṇḍale varma caiva ha

"If Indra comes to me for the earrings, O scorcher of foes, I will give him the earrings and the armour as well — in exchange for the spear."

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition text; it is in the CE apparatus as *1335 lines 4–5 (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 21 (3.303.21)

स कृत्वा प्रातरुत्थाय कार्याणि भरतर्षभ । ब्राह्मणान्वाचयित्वा च यथाकार्यमुपाक्रमत् ॥

sa kṛtvā prātarutthāya kāryāṇi bharatarṣabha | brāhmaṇānvācayitvā ca yathākāryamupākramat

Rising at dawn, O bull of the Bharatas, he performed his duties, had the Brahmins pronounce their blessings, and set about what had to be done.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition text; it is in the CE apparatus as *1335 lines 6–7 (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 22 (3.303.22)

विधिना राजशार्दूल मुहूर्तमजपत्तदा । ततः सूर्याय जप्यान्ते कर्णः स्वप्नं न्यवेदयत् ॥

vidhinā rājaśārdūla muhūrtamajapattadā | tataḥ sūryāya japyānte karṇaḥ svapnaṃ nyavedayat

For a while, O tiger among kings, he duly murmured his prayers. Then, at the end of his prayers, Karna told the Sun of his dream —

Note on the text: Line 1 = CE apparatus *1335 line 8 (the CE reads tataḥ for तदा) and closes the passage Wikisource marks off; line 2 = CE 3.286.17cd. Removed stray wiki quote marks (') that set off this passage in Wikisource.

Verse 23 (3.303.23)

यथा दृष्टं यथातत्त्वं यथोक्तमुभयोर्निशि । तत्सर्वमानुपूर्व्येण शशंसास्मै वृषस्तदा ॥

yathā dṛṣṭaṃ yathātattvaṃ yathoktamubhayorniśi | tatsarvamānupūrvyeṇa śaśaṃsāsmai vṛṣastadā

just as he had seen it, exactly as it was, and as both had spoken in the night; Vrisha (Karna) then related all of it to him in order.

Note on the text: Corrected निसि → निशि (misprint in Wikisource; स for श; the critical edition reads niśi).

Verse 24 (3.303.24)

तच्छ्रुत्वा भगवान्देवो भानुः स्वर्भानुसूदनः । उवाच तं तथेत्येव कर्णं सूर्यः स्मयन्निव ॥

tacchrutvā bhagavāndevo bhānuḥ svarbhānusūdanaḥ | uvāca taṃ tathetyeva karṇaṃ sūryaḥ smayanniva

Hearing it, the blessed god Bhanu, the Sun, destroyer of Svarbhanu, said to Karna, as if smiling, "It is so."

Verse 25 (3.303.25)

ततस्तत्त्वमिति ज्ञात्वा राधेयः परवीरहा । शक्तिमेवाभिकाङ्क्षन्वै वासवं प्रत्यपालयत् ॥

tatastattvamiti jñātvā rādheyaḥ paravīrahā | śaktimevābhikāṅkṣanvai vāsavaṃ pratyapālayat

Then, knowing it to be true, Radha's son, slayer of enemy heroes, set his heart on the spear alone and waited for Vasava.