Kunti Tells Vyasa the Secret of Karna's Birth

Verse 1 (15.32.1)

भगवञ्श्वशुरो मेऽसि दैवतस्यापि दैवतम् । स मे देवातिदेवस्त्वं शृणु सत्यां गिरं मम ॥

bhagavañśvaśuro me'si daivatasyāpi daivatam | sa me devātidevastvaṃ śṛṇu satyāṃ giraṃ mama

Venerable one, you are my father-in-law, a god even among gods; as such you are my god of gods. Hear my true words.

Verse 2 (15.32.2)

तपस्वी कोपनो विप्रो दुर्वासा नाम मे पितुः । भिक्षामुपागतो भोक्तुं तमहं पर्यतोषयम् ॥

tapasvī kopano vipro durvāsā nāma me pituḥ | bhikṣāmupāgato bhoktuṃ tamahaṃ paryatoṣayam

There was an ascetic brahmin of fierce temper named Durvasas. He came to my father's house to take alms, and I satisfied him.

Verse 3 (15.32.3)

शौचेन त्वागसस्त्यागैः शुद्धेन मनसा तथा । कोपस्थानेष्वपि महत्स्वकुप्यन्न कदाचन ॥

śaucena tvāgasastyāgaiḥ śuddhena manasā tathā | kopasthāneṣvapi mahatsvakupyanna kadācana

By purity, by avoiding every offence, and with a clean mind, I never grew angry, even on the gravest occasions for anger.

Note on the text: Corrected शौचने → शौचेन (misprint in Wikisource; ending misprint; CE reads 'śaucena').

Verse 4 (15.32.4)

स प्रीतो वरदो मेऽभूत्कृतकृत्यो महामुनिः । अवश्यं ते ग्रहीतव्यमिति मां सोब्रवीद्वचः ॥

sa prīto varado me'bhūtkṛtakṛtyo mahāmuniḥ | avaśyaṃ te grahītavyamiti māṃ sobravīdvacaḥ

Pleased, that great sage, his purpose fulfilled, became a giver of boons to me. "You must accept it," he said to me.

Note on the text: Line a is a vulgate reading = CE star line 15,038.004b*0065_01; line b = CE 15,038.004c. CE 004a ('sa me varam adāt prītaḥ …') is not in Wikisource.

Verse 5 (15.32.5)

ततः शापभयाद्विप्रमवोचं पुनरेव तम् । एवमस्त्विति च प्राह पुनरेव स मे द्विजः ॥

tataḥ śāpabhayādvipramavocaṃ punareva tam | evamastviti ca prāha punareva sa me dvijaḥ

Then, in fear of his curse, I spoke to that brahmin once more, and that twice-born said to me again, "So be it."

Verse 6 (15.32.6)

धर्मस्य जननी भद्रे भवित्री त्वं शुभानने । वशे स्थास्यन्ति ते देवा यांस्त्वमावाहयिष्यसि ॥

dharmasya jananī bhadre bhavitrī tvaṃ śubhānane | vaśe sthāsyanti te devā yāṃstvamāvāhayiṣyasi

"Fair lady of lovely face, you shall be a mother of dharma, and the gods whom you summon shall come under your sway."

Verse 7 (15.32.7)

इत्युक्त्वाऽन्तर्हितो विप्रस्ततोऽहं विस्मिताऽभवम् । न च सर्वास्ववस्थासु स्मृतिर्मे विप्रणश्यति ॥

ityuktvā'ntarhito viprastato'haṃ vismitā'bhavam | na ca sarvāsvavasthāsu smṛtirme vipraṇaśyati

Having said this, the brahmin vanished, and I was left amazed; and in no circumstance did my memory of it fade.

Verse 8 (15.32.8)

अथ हर्म्यतलस्थाऽहं रविमुद्यन्तमीक्षती । संस्मृत्य तदृषेर्वाक्यं स्पृहयन्ती दिवाकरम् ॥

atha harmyatalasthā'haṃ ravimudyantamīkṣatī | saṃsmṛtya tadṛṣervākyaṃ spṛhayantī divākaram

Then, standing on the roof of the palace, I watched the sun rising, and remembering the sage's words, I longed for the maker of day.

Verse 9 (15.32.9)

स्थिताऽहं बालभावेन तत्र दोषमबुद्ध्यती । अथ देवः सहस्रांशुर्मत्समीपगतोऽभवत् ॥

sthitā'haṃ bālabhāvena tatra doṣamabuddhyatī | atha devaḥ sahasrāṃśurmatsamīpagato'bhavat

In my childish way I stood there, not seeing the fault in it. Then the thousand-rayed god came near me.

Note on the text: Line a = CE 15,038.008e; line b = CE 15,038.009a.

Verse 10 (15.32.10)

द्विधा कृत्वाऽऽत्मनो देहं भूमौ च गगनेऽपि च । तताप लोकानेकेन द्वितीयेनागमत्स माम् ॥

dvidhā kṛtvā''tmano dehaṃ bhūmau ca gagane'pi ca | tatāpa lokānekena dvitīyenāgamatsa mām

Dividing his body in two, one on earth and one in the sky, he scorched the worlds with the one and came to me with the other.

Note on the text: Line a = CE 15,038.009c; line b = CE 15,038.009e (CE: 'tatāpa lokān ekena dvitīyenāgamac ca mām').

Verse 11 (15.32.11)

स मामुवाच वेपन्तीं वरं मत्तो वृणीष्व ह । गम्यतामिति तं चाहं प्रणम्य शिरसाऽवदम् ॥

sa māmuvāca vepantīṃ varaṃ matto vṛṇīṣva ha | gamyatāmiti taṃ cāhaṃ praṇamya śirasā'vadam

Seeing me tremble, he said, "Ask me for a boon." And I, bowing my head, said to him, "Please go."

Note on the text: Corrected सिरसा → शिरसा (misprint in Wikisource; स for श; CE reads 'śirasā').

Verse 12 (15.32.12)

स मामुवाच तिग्मांशुर्वृथाऽऽह्वानं न मे क्षमम् । धक्ष्यामि त्वां च विप्रं च येन दत्तो वरस्तव ॥

sa māmuvāca tigmāṃśurvṛthā''hvānaṃ na me kṣamam | dhakṣyāmi tvāṃ ca vipraṃ ca yena datto varastava

The sharp-rayed god said to me, "Calling me in vain is not fitting for me. I shall burn you, and the brahmin by whom the boon was given to you."

Verse 13 (15.32.13)

तमहं रक्षती विप्रं शापादनपकारिणम् । पुत्रो मे त्वत्समो देव भवेदिति ततोऽब्रवम् ॥

tamahaṃ rakṣatī vipraṃ śāpādanapakāriṇam | putro me tvatsamo deva bhavediti tato'bravam

Wanting to protect that blameless brahmin from the curse, I then said, "O god, let me have a son equal to you."

Verse 14 (15.32.14)

ततो मां तेजसाऽऽविश्य मोहयित्वा च भानुमान् । उवाच भविता पुत्रस्तवेत्यभ्यगमद्दिवम् ॥

tato māṃ tejasā''viśya mohayitvā ca bhānumān | uvāca bhavitā putrastavetyabhyagamaddivam

Then the radiant one entered me with his energy and bewildered me, and saying, "You shall have a son," he went up to heaven.

Verse 15 (15.32.15)

ततोऽहमन्तर्भवने पितुश्चित्तानुरक्षिणी । गूढोत्पन्नं सुतं बालं जले कर्णमवासृजम् ॥

tato'hamantarbhavane pituścittānurakṣiṇī | gūḍhotpannaṃ sutaṃ bālaṃ jale karṇamavāsṛjam

Then, in the inner chambers, guarding my father's peace of mind, I set the child, born in secret, Karna, afloat on the water.

Verse 16 (15.32.16)

नूनं तस्यैव देवस्य प्रसादात्पुनरेव तु । कन्याऽहमभवं विप्र यथा प्राह स मामृषिः ॥

nūnaṃ tasyaiva devasya prasādātpunareva tu | kanyā'hamabhavaṃ vipra yathā prāha sa māmṛṣiḥ

Surely it was by that same god's grace that I became a maiden again, O brahmin, just as the sage had told me.

Verse 17 (15.32.17)

स मया मूढया पुत्रो ज्ञायमानोऽप्युपेक्षितः । तन्मां दहति विप्रर्षे यथा सुविदितं तव ॥

sa mayā mūḍhayā putro jñāyamāno'pyupekṣitaḥ | tanmāṃ dahati viprarṣe yathā suviditaṃ tava

That son, though I knew who he was, was abandoned by me in my folly. That burns me, O brahmin sage, as is well known to you.

Note on the text: Corrected सूढया → मूढया (misprint in Wikisource; स for म; CE reads 'mūḍhayā').

Verse 18 (15.32.18)

यदि पापमपापं वा यदेतद्विवृतं मया । तं द्रष्टुमिच्छामि भगवन्व्यपनेतुं त्वमर्हसि ॥

yadi pāpamapāpaṃ vā yadetadvivṛtaṃ mayā | taṃ draṣṭumicchāmi bhagavanvyapanetuṃ tvamarhasi

Whether it be a sin or no sin, I have now laid this open. I wish to see him, venerable one; you ought to remove my torment.

Note on the text: Second line differs from CE 15,038.017c-d (vulgate recension).

Verse 19 (15.32.19)

यच्चास्य राज्ञो विदितं हृदिस्थं भवतोऽनघ । तं चायं लभतां काममद्यैव मुनिसत्तम ॥

yaccāsya rājño viditaṃ hṛdisthaṃ bhavato'nagha | taṃ cāyaṃ labhatāṃ kāmamadyaiva munisattama

And whatever is in this king's heart, which is known to you, sinless one, let him obtain that wish this very day, O best of sages."

Verse 20 (15.32.20)

इत्युक्तः प्रत्युवाचेदं व्यासो वेदविदांवरः । साधु सर्वमिदं भाव्यमेवमेतद्यथाऽऽत्थ माम् ॥

ityuktaḥ pratyuvācedaṃ vyāso vedavidāṃvaraḥ | sādhu sarvamidaṃ bhāvyamevametadyathā''ttha mām

Thus addressed, Vyasa, best of those who know the Vedas, replied: "Well said. All this was bound to be, and it is just as you tell me.

Note on the text: The page prints the whole adhyaya under Kunti's heading, but this verse is narration and the opening of Vyasa's reply; given to the narrator, with Vyasa speaking from verse 21 (the CE has 'vyāsa uvāca' at 15,039.001).

Verse 21 (15.32.21)

अपराधश्च ते नास्ति कन्याभावं गता ह्यसि । देवाश्चैश्वर्यवन्तो वै शरीराण्याविशन्ति वै ॥

aparādhaśca te nāsti kanyābhāvaṃ gatā hyasi | devāścaiśvaryavanto vai śarīrāṇyāviśanti vai

You have committed no offence, for you were a maiden. Gods, who are possessed of power, do enter bodies.

Note on the text: Spoken by Vyasa (no heading on the page; the page's Kunti heading is carried over).

Verse 22 (15.32.22)

सन्ति देवनिकायाश्च संकल्पाज्जनयन्ति ये । वाचा दृष्ट्या तथा स्पर्शात्संघर्षेणेति पञ्चधा ॥

santi devanikāyāśca saṃkalpājjanayanti ye | vācā dṛṣṭyā tathā sparśātsaṃgharṣeṇeti pañcadhā

There are orders of gods who beget by mere intent, and in five ways in all: by will, by word, by sight, by touch, and by union.

Note on the text: Spoken by Vyasa (no heading on the page).

Verse 23 (15.32.23)

मनुष्यधर्मो दैवेन धर्मेण हि न दुष्यति । इति कुन्ति विजानीहि व्येतु ते मानसो ज्वरः ॥

manuṣyadharmo daivena dharmeṇa hi na duṣyati | iti kunti vijānīhi vyetu te mānaso jvaraḥ

Human law is not violated by divine law. Know this, Kunti, and let the fever of your mind pass.

Note on the text: Spoken by Vyasa (no heading on the page).

Verse 24 (15.32.24)

सर्वं बलवतां पथ्यं सर्वं बलवतां शुचि । सर्वं बलवतां धर्मः सर्वं बलवतां स्वकम् ॥

sarvaṃ balavatāṃ pathyaṃ sarvaṃ balavatāṃ śuci | sarvaṃ balavatāṃ dharmaḥ sarvaṃ balavatāṃ svakam

Everything is wholesome for the mighty; everything is pure for the mighty; everything is dharma for the mighty; everything is their own for the mighty."

Note on the text: Spoken by Vyasa (no heading on the page; his speech continues in adhyaya 33).