Adhiratha and Radha Find the Child Karna

Verse 1 (3.310.1)

एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु धृतराष्ट्रस्य वै सखा । सूतोऽधिरथ इत्येव सदारो जाह्नवीं ययौ ॥

etasminneva kāle tu dhṛtarāṣṭrasya vai sakhā | sūto'dhiratha ityeva sadāro jāhnavīṃ yayau

At that very time the suta named Adhiratha, a friend of Dhritarashtra, went with his wife to the Jahnavi (the Ganga).

Verse 2 (3.310.2)

तस्य भार्याऽभवद्राजन्रूपेणासदृशी भुवि । राधा नाम महाभागा न सा पुत्रमविन्दत । अपत्यार्थे परं यत्नमकरोच्च विशेषतः ॥

tasya bhāryā'bhavadrājanrūpeṇāsadṛśī bhuvi | rādhā nāma mahābhāgā na sā putramavindata | apatyārthe paraṃ yatnamakarocca viśeṣataḥ

His wife, O king, was unrivalled in beauty on earth — the fortunate Radha by name. She had not borne a son, and above all she had striven hard to have a child.

Verse 3 (3.310.3)

सा ददर्शाथ मञ्जूषामुह्यमानां यदृच्छया । दत्तरक्षाप्रतिसरामन्वालम्भनशोभनाम् ॥

sā dadarśātha mañjūṣāmuhyamānāṃ yadṛcchayā | dattarakṣāpratisarāmanvālambhanaśobhanām

By chance she saw the basket floating along, tied with a protective amulet-thread and beautifully anointed,

Note on the text: Corresponds to critical edition 3.293.3ab (reading अन्वालम्भनशोभनाम् for anvālabhanaśobhitām, a variant); the alignment missed it because the critical edition joins this with the first line of the next verse.

Verse 4 (3.310.4)

ऊर्मीतरङ्गैर्जाह्नव्याः समानीतामुपह्वरम् । विवर्तमानां बहुशः पुनःपुनरितस्ततः ॥

ūrmītaraṅgairjāhnavyāḥ samānītāmupahvaram | vivartamānāṃ bahuśaḥ punaḥpunaritastataḥ

brought close to the bank by the rolling waves of the Jahnavi, turning over again and again, this way and that.

Note on the text: Removed a stray backtick before the second line. Line 1 = critical edition 3.293.3ef; line 2 is not in the critical edition text but appears in its apparatus as star passage 1347 (line 1), after 3.293.3.

Verse 5 (3.310.5)

ततः सा वायुना राजन्स्रोतसा च बलीयसा । उपानीता यतः सूतः सभार्यो जलमाश्रितः ॥

tataḥ sā vāyunā rājansrotasā ca balīyasā | upānītā yataḥ sūtaḥ sabhāryo jalamāśritaḥ

Then, O king, the wind and the strong current carried it to where the suta and his wife stood in the water.

Note on the text: Removed a stray closing quote mark. Corrected उपानीतो → उपानीता (misprint in Wikisource; the participle must agree with the feminine मञ्जूषा, and the critical edition apparatus reads upānītā). Not in the critical edition text; appears in its apparatus as star passage 1347 (lines 2–3), after 3.293.3 (vulgate/southern addition).

Verse 6 (3.310.6)

सा तु कौतूहलात्प्राप्तां ग्राहयामास भामिनी । ततो निवेदयामास सूतस्याधिरथस्य वै ॥

sā tu kautūhalātprāptāṃ grāhayāmāsa bhāminī | tato nivedayāmāsa sūtasyādhirathasya vai

Out of curiosity the lady had it caught and brought in, and then she told Adhiratha the suta.

Verse 7 (3.310.7)

स तामुद्धृत्य मञ्जूषामुत्सार्य जलमन्तिकात् । यन्त्रैरुद्घाटयामास सोऽपश्यत्तत्रबालकम् ॥

sa tāmuddhṛtya mañjūṣāmutsārya jalamantikāt | yantrairudghāṭayāmāsa so'paśyattatrabālakam

He lifted the basket out, set it away from the water's edge and opened it with tools, and there he saw a little boy,

Verse 8 (3.310.8)

मृष्टकुण्डलयुक्तेन वदनेन विराजितम् । परिम्लानमुखं बालं रुदन्तं क्षुधितं भृशम् ॥

mṛṣṭakuṇḍalayuktena vadanena virājitam | parimlānamukhaṃ bālaṃ rudantaṃ kṣudhitaṃ bhṛśam

his face shining with polished earrings — a child with a wan face, crying and very hungry.

Note on the text: Removed a stray backtick before the second line. Line 1 = critical edition 3.293.6cd (विराजितम् for virājatā, a variant); Wikisource does not have 3.293.6ab ("taruṇādityasaṃkāśaṃ hemavarmadharaṃ tathā"), but its text runs on without a gap, so nothing is restored. Line 2 is in the critical edition apparatus only, as star passage 1348 (line 1).

Verse 9 (3.310.9)

स तु तं परया लक्ष्म्या दृष्ट्वा युक्तं वरात्मजम् । स सूतो भार्यया सार्धं विस्मयोत्फुल्ललोचनः । अङ्कमारोप्य तं बालं भार्यां वचनमब्रवीत् ॥

sa tu taṃ parayā lakṣmyā dṛṣṭvā yuktaṃ varātmajam | sa sūto bhāryayā sārdhaṃ vismayotphullalocanaḥ | aṅkamāropya taṃ bālaṃ bhāryāṃ vacanamabravīt

Seeing that fine child endowed with supreme splendour, the suta and his wife stared wide-eyed in wonder; he took the boy on his lap and said to his wife:

Note on the text: Removed a stray closing quote mark. Line 1 is in the critical edition apparatus only, as star passage 1348 (line 2); lines 2–3 = critical edition 3.293.7 (the alignment missed it because of the extra line).

Verse 10 (3.310.10)

इदमत्यद्भुतं भीरु यतो जातोस्मि भामिनि । दृष्टवान्देवगर्भोऽयं मन्येऽस्माकमुपागतः ॥

idamatyadbhutaṃ bhīru yato jātosmi bhāmini | dṛṣṭavāndevagarbho'yaṃ manye'smākamupāgataḥ

"This is a great marvel, timid one; never since I was born, lovely lady, have I seen such a thing. I think this is a child of the gods who has come to us."

Note on the text: Speaker: Adhiratha's words to Radha fill this verse with no printed heading; assigned to Adhiratha.

Verse 11 (3.310.11)

अनपत्यस्य पुत्रोऽयं देवैर्दत्तो ध्रुवं मम । इत्युक्त्वा तं ददौ पुत्रं राधायै स महीपते ॥

anapatyasya putro'yaṃ devairdatto dhruvaṃ mama | ityuktvā taṃ dadau putraṃ rādhāyai sa mahīpate

"Surely the gods have given this son to me, who am childless." Saying this, lord of the earth, he gave the son to Radha.

Verse 12 (3.310.12)

प्रतिजग्राह तं राधा विधिवद्दिव्यरूपिणम् । पुत्रं कमलगर्भाभं देवगर्भं श्रिया वृतम् ॥

pratijagrāha taṃ rādhā vidhivaddivyarūpiṇam | putraṃ kamalagarbhābhaṃ devagarbhaṃ śriyā vṛtam

Radha received him with due rites — the god-like child, bright as the heart of a lotus, offspring of a god, wrapped in splendour.

Note on the text: Corrected रप्रतिजग्राह → प्रतिजग्राह (misprint in Wikisource; stray र, the critical edition reads pratijagrāha).

Verse 13 (3.310.13)

स्तन्यं समस्रवच्चास्य दैवादित्यथ निश्चयः । पुपोष चैनं विधिवद्ववृधे स च वीर्यवान् । ततः प्रभृति चाप्यन्ये प्राभवन्नौरसाः सुताः ॥

stanyaṃ samasravaccāsya daivādityatha niścayaḥ | pupoṣa cainaṃ vidhivadvavṛdhe sa ca vīryavān | tataḥ prabhṛti cāpyanye prābhavannaurasāḥ sutāḥ

Milk flowed for him by the will of heaven — so it was settled. She reared him with care, and the mighty boy grew; and from then on other sons were born to them of their own body.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (backtick and quote) around the first line. Corrected दैवादित्थ → दैवादित्यथ (misprint in Wikisource; a dropped akshara breaks the metre, the critical edition apparatus reads daivād ity atha). Line 1 is in the critical edition apparatus only, as star passage 1349; lines 2–3 = critical edition 3.293.11 (the alignment missed it because of the extra line).

Verse 14 (3.310.14)

नामकर्म च चक्रुस्ते कुण्डले तस्य दृश्यते । कर्ण इत्येव तं बालं दृष्ट्वा कर्णं सकुण्डलम् ॥

nāmakarma ca cakruste kuṇḍale tasya dṛśyate | karṇa ityeva taṃ bālaṃ dṛṣṭvā karṇaṃ sakuṇḍalam

They performed his naming rite: because earrings were seen on him, seeing the boy with earrings on his ears, they named him Karna.

Note on the text: Removed stray wiki marks (backtick and quote). Corrected तस् → तस्य (misprint in Wikisource; dropped akshara, the critical edition apparatus reads tasya). Not in the critical edition text; appears in its apparatus as star passage 1350, after 3.293.11 (vulgate/southern addition).

Verse 15 (3.310.15)

वसुवर्मधरं दृष्ट्वा तं बालं हेमकुण्डलम् । नामास्य वसुषेणेति ततश्चक्रुर्द्विजातयः ॥

vasuvarmadharaṃ dṛṣṭvā taṃ bālaṃ hemakuṇḍalam | nāmāsya vasuṣeṇeti tataścakrurdvijātayaḥ

Seeing the child wearing armour of gold and golden earrings, the brahmins named him Vasushena.

Verse 16 (3.310.16)

एवं स सूतपुत्रत्वं जगामामितविक्रमः । वसुषेण इतिख्यातो वृष इत्येव च प्रभुः ॥

evaṃ sa sūtaputratvaṃ jagāmāmitavikramaḥ | vasuṣeṇa itikhyāto vṛṣa ityeva ca prabhuḥ

Thus the hero of boundless valour came to be the son of a suta, known as Vasushena and also as Vrisha.

Verse 17 (3.310.17)

सूतस्य ववृधेऽङ्गेषु ज्येष्ठः पुत्रः स वीर्यवान् । चारेण विदितश्चासीत्पृथया दिव्यवर्मभृत् ॥

sūtasya vavṛdhe'ṅgeṣu jyeṣṭhaḥ putraḥ sa vīryavān | cāreṇa viditaścāsītpṛthayā divyavarmabhṛt

The mighty eldest son of the suta grew up among the Angas; and Pritha learned through a spy of him who wore the divine armour.

Note on the text: Corresponds to critical edition 3.293.14 (word order differs in the first line, a recension variant); the alignment missed it.

Verse 18 (3.310.18)

सूतस्त्वधिरथः पुत्रं विवृद्धं समयेन तम् । दृष्ट्वा प्रस्थापयामास पुरं वारणसाह्वयम् ॥

sūtastvadhirathaḥ putraṃ vivṛddhaṃ samayena tam | dṛṣṭvā prasthāpayāmāsa puraṃ vāraṇasāhvayam

When Adhiratha the suta saw that his son had grown up in due time, he sent him to the city named after the elephant (Hastinapura).

Verse 19 (3.310.19)

तत्रोपसदनं चक्रे द्रोणस्येष्वस्त्रकर्मणि । सख्यं दुर्योधनेनैवमगमत्स च वीर्यवान् ॥

tatropasadanaṃ cakre droṇasyeṣvastrakarmaṇi | sakhyaṃ duryodhanenaivamagamatsa ca vīryavān

There he became Drona's pupil to learn archery and the use of weapons, and so the mighty youth came to be Duryodhana's friend.

Verse 20 (3.310.20)

द्रोणात्कृपाच्च रामाच्च सोऽस्त्रग्रामं चतुर्विधम् । लब्ध्वा लोकेऽभवत्ख्यातः परमेष्वासतां गतः ॥

droṇātkṛpācca rāmācca so'stragrāmaṃ caturvidham | labdhvā loke'bhavatkhyātaḥ parameṣvāsatāṃ gataḥ

Having gained the fourfold body of weapon-lore from Drona, Kripa and Rama, he became famous in the world as a great archer.

Verse 21 (3.310.21)

संधाय धार्तराष्ट्रेण पार्थानां विप्रिये रतः । योद्धुमाशंसते नित्यं फल्गुनेन महात्मना ॥

saṃdhāya dhārtarāṣṭreṇa pārthānāṃ vipriye rataḥ | yoddhumāśaṃsate nityaṃ phalgunena mahātmanā

Allied with the son of Dhritarashtra and intent on harming the Parthas, he always longed to fight the great-souled Phalguna (Arjuna).

Verse 22 (3.310.22)

सदा हि तस्य स्पर्धाऽऽसीदर्जुनेन विशांपते । अर्जुनस्य च कर्णेन यतो द्वन्द्वं बभूव ह ॥

sadā hi tasya spardhā''sīdarjunena viśāṃpate | arjunasya ca karṇena yato dvandvaṃ babhūva ha

For there was always rivalry between him and Arjuna, lord of the people, and between Arjuna and Karna, ever since they had met in contest.

Note on the text: Corrected तस् → तस्य and अर्जुनन → अर्जुनेन (misprints in Wikisource; dropped akshara and missing e-sign, the critical edition reads tasya … arjunena).

Verse 23 (3.310.23)

एतद्गुह्यं महाराज सूर्यस्यासीन्न संशयः । यः सूर्यसंभवः कर्णः कुर्यात्प्रतिकूले रतः ॥

etadguhyaṃ mahārāja sūryasyāsīnna saṃśayaḥ | yaḥ sūryasaṃbhavaḥ karṇaḥ kuryātpratikūle rataḥ

This was the secret of the Sun, great king, without a doubt: that Karna, born of the Sun, would be bent on opposing his own kin.

Note on the text: Corrected प्रतिकुले → प्रतिकूले (misprint in Wikisource; short u for long ū). Not in the critical edition text; its apparatus has a similar couplet as star passage 1351 after 3.293.19, whose second line reads "kuntyāṃ sūtakule tadā" where Wikisource has कुर्यात्प्रतिकूले रतः — the Wikisource line looks corrupt but cannot be mended minimally, so it is kept and translated as it stands.

Verse 24 (3.310.24)

तं तु कुण्डलिनं दृष्ट्वा वर्मणा च समन्वितम् । अवध्यं समरे मत्वा पर्यतप्यद्युधिष्ठिरः ॥

taṃ tu kuṇḍalinaṃ dṛṣṭvā varmaṇā ca samanvitam | avadhyaṃ samare matvā paryatapyadyudhiṣṭhiraḥ

Seeing him with his earrings and clad in his armour, Yudhishthira was tormented, believing him impossible to kill in battle.

Verse 25 (3.310.25)

यदा च कर्णो राजेन्द्र भानुमन्तं दिवाकरम् । स्तौति मध्यंदिने प्राप्ते प्राञ्जलिः सलिलोत्थितः ॥

yadā ca karṇo rājendra bhānumantaṃ divākaram | stauti madhyaṃdine prāpte prāñjaliḥ salilotthitaḥ

And when, king of kings, Karna rose from the water at midday and praised the radiant Sun, the maker of day, with joined palms,

Verse 26 (3.310.26)

तत्रैनमुपतिष्ठन्ति ब्राह्मणा धनहेतुना । नादेयं तस्य तत्काले किंचिदस्ति द्विजातिषु ॥

tatrainamupatiṣṭhanti brāhmaṇā dhanahetunā | nādeyaṃ tasya tatkāle kiṃcidasti dvijātiṣu

brahmins would come to him there for the sake of wealth; at that time there was nothing he would not give to the twice-born.

Verse 27 (3.310.27)

तमिन्द्रो ब्राह्मणो भूत्वा भिक्षां देहीत्युपस्थितः । स्वागतं चेति राधेयस्तमथ प्रत्यभाषत ॥

tamindro brāhmaṇo bhūtvā bhikṣāṃ dehītyupasthitaḥ | svāgataṃ ceti rādheyastamatha pratyabhāṣata

Indra, taking the form of a brahmin, came to him saying, "Give me alms!" And Radha's son answered him, "Welcome!"