Karna Learns Archery and Is Cursed by a Brahmin

Verse 1 (12.2.1)

स एवमुक्तस्तु तदा नारदो वदतांवरः । कथयामास तत्सर्वं यथा शप्तः स सूतजः ॥

sa evamuktastu tadā nārado vadatāṃvaraḥ | kathayāmāsa tatsarvaṃ yathā śaptaḥ sa sūtajaḥ

Spoken to thus, Narada, the best of speakers, told him all of it: how the charioteer's son had been cursed.

Verse 2 (12.2.2)

एवमेतन्महाबाहो यथा वदसि भारत । न कर्णार्जुनयोः किंचिदविषह्यं भवेद्रणे ॥

evametanmahābāho yathā vadasi bhārata | na karṇārjunayoḥ kiṃcidaviṣahyaṃ bhavedraṇe

It is just as you say, mighty-armed Bharata: nothing in battle would have been too much for Karna and Arjuna to withstand.

Verse 3 (12.2.3)

गुह्यमेतत्तु देवानां कथयिष्यामि ते नृप । तन्निबोध महाबाहो यथावृत्तमिदं पुरा ॥

guhyametattu devānāṃ kathayiṣyāmi te nṛpa | tannibodha mahābāho yathāvṛttamidaṃ purā

This is a secret of the gods, king, and I shall tell it to you. Listen to it, mighty-armed one, as it happened long ago.

Verse 4 (12.2.4)

क्षत्रं स्वर्गं कथं गच्छेच्छस्त्रपूतमिति प्रभो । संघर्षजननस्तस्मात्कन्यागर्भो विसर्जितः ॥

kṣatraṃ svargaṃ kathaṃ gacchecchastrapūtamiti prabho | saṃgharṣajananastasmātkanyāgarbho visarjitaḥ

'How may the kshatriya order reach heaven, purified by weapons?' it was thought, lord. For that reason a son of a maiden's womb, a begetter of strife, was sent into the world.

Note on the text: Wikisource कन्यागर्भो विसर्जितः (footnote variant विनिर्मित) against CE kanyāgarbho vinirmitaḥ is a recension variant, kept.

Verse 5 (12.2.5)

स बालस्तेजसा युक्तः सूतपुत्रत्वमागतः । चकाराङ्गिरसां श्रेष्ठे धनुर्वेदं गुरौ तव ॥

sa bālastejasā yuktaḥ sūtaputratvamāgataḥ | cakārāṅgirasāṃ śreṣṭhe dhanurvedaṃ gurau tava

That radiant boy became a charioteer's son and practised the science of the bow under your teacher, the best of the Angirases.

Verse 6 (12.2.6)

स बलं भीमसेनस्य फल्गुनस्यास्त्रलाघवम् । बुद्धिं च तव राजेन्द्र यमयोर्विनयं तथा ॥

sa balaṃ bhīmasenasya phalgunasyāstralāghavam | buddhiṃ ca tava rājendra yamayorvinayaṃ tathā

Brooding on the strength of Bhimasena, on the quickness of Phalguna with weapons, on your own intelligence, O king of kings, and on the modesty of the twins,

Verse 7 (12.2.7)

सख्यं च वासुदेवेन बाल्ये गाण्डीवधन्वनः । राजानामनुरागं च चिन्तयानो व्यदह्यत ॥

sakhyaṃ ca vāsudevena bālye gāṇḍīvadhanvanaḥ | rājānāmanurāgaṃ ca cintayāno vyadahyata

on the friendship of the wielder of the Gandiva with Vasudeva from boyhood, and on the kings' devotion to them, he burned inwardly.

Verse 8 (12.2.8)

स सख्यमगमद्बाल्ये राज्ञा दुर्योधनेन च । युष्माभिर्नित्यसंघृष्टो दैवाच्चापि स्वभावतः ॥

sa sakhyamagamadbālye rājñā duryodhanena ca | yuṣmābhirnityasaṃghṛṣṭo daivāccāpi svabhāvataḥ

In boyhood he became the friend of King Duryodhana; and, both by fate and by his own nature, he was constantly at odds with you all.

Verse 9 (12.2.9)

विद्याधिकमथालक्ष्य धनुर्वेदे धनञ्जयम् । द्रोणं रहस्युपागम्य कर्णो वचनमब्रवीत् ॥

vidyādhikamathālakṣya dhanurvede dhanañjayam | droṇaṃ rahasyupāgamya karṇo vacanamabravīt

Seeing that Dhananjaya excelled in the science of the bow, Karna went to Drona in secret and said:

Verse 10 (12.2.10)

ब्रह्मास्त्रं वेत्तुमिच्छामि सरहस्यनिवर्तनम् । अर्जुनेन समो युद्धे भवेयमिति मे मतिः ॥

brahmāstraṃ vettumicchāmi sarahasyanivartanam | arjunena samo yuddhe bhaveyamiti me matiḥ

I wish to learn the brahma weapon, with its secrets and its recall. My aim is to become the equal of Arjuna in battle.

Note on the text: Speaker supplied: Karna's direct speech to Drona, with no printed heading; it fills the whole verse.

Verse 11 (12.2.11)

समः पुत्रेषु च स्नेहः शिष्येषु च तव ध्रुवम् । त्वत्प्रसादान्न मा ब्रूयुरकृतास्त्रं विचक्षणाः ॥

samaḥ putreṣu ca snehaḥ śiṣyeṣu ca tava dhruvam | tvatprasādānna mā brūyurakṛtāstraṃ vicakṣaṇāḥ

Your affection is surely equal toward sons and toward pupils; by your favour let the wise not call me untrained in weapons.

Note on the text: Speaker supplied: Karna's direct speech to Drona, with no printed heading; it fills the whole verse.

Verse 12 (12.2.12)

द्रोणस्तथोक्तः कर्णेन सापेक्षः फल्गुनं प्रति । दौरात्म्यं चैव कर्णस्य विदित्वा तमुवाच ह ॥

droṇastathoktaḥ karṇena sāpekṣaḥ phalgunaṃ prati | daurātmyaṃ caiva karṇasya viditvā tamuvāca ha

Drona, spoken to thus by Karna, being partial to Phalguna and knowing Karna's wickedness too, said to him:

Verse 13 (12.2.13)

ब्रह्मास्त्रं ब्राह्मणो विद्याद्यथावच्चरितव्रतः । क्षत्रियो वा तपस्वी यो नान्यो विद्यात्कथंचन ॥

brahmāstraṃ brāhmaṇo vidyādyathāvaccaritavrataḥ | kṣatriyo vā tapasvī yo nānyo vidyātkathaṃcana

The brahma weapon may be learned by a brahmin who keeps his vows as prescribed, or by a kshatriya who is an ascetic; no one else may ever learn it.

Note on the text: Speaker supplied: Drona's direct speech to Karna, with no printed heading; it fills the whole verse.

Verse 14 (12.2.14)

इत्युक्तोऽङ्गिरसां श्रेष्ठमामन्त्र्य प्रतिपूज्य च । जगाम सहसा राजन्महेन्द्रं पर्वतं प्रति ॥

ityukto'ṅgirasāṃ śreṣṭhamāmantrya pratipūjya ca | jagāma sahasā rājanmahendraṃ parvataṃ prati

So told, he took leave of the best of the Angirases and paid him honour, and went at once, O king, to the Mahendra mountain.

Verse 15 (12.2.15)

स तु राममुपागम्य शिरसाऽभिप्रणम्य च । ब्राह्मणो भार्गवोऽस्मीति गौरवेणाभ्यवन्दत ॥

sa tu rāmamupāgamya śirasā'bhipraṇamya ca | brāhmaṇo bhārgavo'smīti gauraveṇābhyavandata

Coming to Rama and bowing his head to him, he saluted him with reverence, saying, 'I am a brahmin, a Bhargava.'

Verse 16 (12.2.16)

रामस्तं प्रतिजग्राह पृष्ट्वा गोत्रादि सर्वशः । उष्यतां स्वागतं चेति प्रीतिमांश्चाभवद्भृशम् ॥

rāmastaṃ pratijagrāha pṛṣṭvā gotrādi sarvaśaḥ | uṣyatāṃ svāgataṃ ceti prītimāṃścābhavadbhṛśam

Rama received him, asking about his lineage and the rest in full, and said, 'Stay, you are welcome,' and was greatly pleased.

Verse 17 (12.2.17)

तत्र कर्णस्य वसतो महेन्द्रे स्वर्गसंमिते । गन्धर्वै राक्षसैर्यक्षैर्देवैश्चासीत्समागमः ॥

tatra karṇasya vasato mahendre svargasaṃmite | gandharvai rākṣasairyakṣairdevaiścāsītsamāgamaḥ

While Karna lived there on Mahendra, a mountain like heaven, he met with gandharvas, rakshasas, yakshas and gods.

Verse 18 (12.2.18)

स तत्रेष्वस्त्रमकरोद्भृगुश्रेष्ठाद्यथाविधि । प्रियश्चाभवदत्यर्थं देवदानवरक्षसाम् ॥

sa tatreṣvastramakarodbhṛguśreṣṭhādyathāvidhi | priyaścābhavadatyarthaṃ devadānavarakṣasām

There, in due form, he practised the weapons of the bow under the best of the Bhrigus, and became exceedingly dear to gods, danavas and rakshasas.

Verse 19 (12.2.19)

स कदाचित्समुद्रान्ते विचरन्नाश्रमान्तिके । एकः खड्गधनुष्पाणिः परिचक्राम सूतजः ॥

sa kadācitsamudrānte vicarannāśramāntike | ekaḥ khaḍgadhanuṣpāṇiḥ paricakrāma sūtajaḥ

Once, roaming near a hermitage at the edge of the sea, the charioteer's son wandered about alone, with sword and bow in hand.

Note on the text: Corrected खङ्गधनुष्पाणिः → खड्गधनुष्पाणिः (misprint in Wikisource; ङ् for ड्; the word is खड्ग; the critical edition reads khaḍgadhanuṣpāṇiḥ).

Verse 20 (12.2.20)

सोऽग्निहोत्रप्रसक्तस्य कस्यचिद्ब्रह्मवादिनः । जघानाज्ञानतः पार्थ होमधेनुं यदृच्छया ॥

so'gnihotraprasaktasya kasyacidbrahmavādinaḥ | jaghānājñānataḥ pārtha homadhenuṃ yadṛcchayā

There, O Partha, unknowing and by chance, he killed the sacrificial cow of a certain brahmin, a speaker of Vedic truth, who was absorbed in the fire-offering.

Verse 21 (12.2.21)

तदज्ञानकृतं मत्वा ब्राह्मणाय न्यवेदयत् । कर्णः प्रसादयंश्चैनमिदमित्यब्रवीद्वचः ॥

tadajñānakṛtaṃ matvā brāhmaṇāya nyavedayat | karṇaḥ prasādayaṃścainamidamityabravīdvacaḥ

Taking it as done in ignorance, he told the brahmin, and Karna, seeking to appease him, spoke these words:

Verse 22 (12.2.22)

अबुद्धिपूर्वं भगवन्धेनुरेषा हता तव । मया तत्र प्रसादं मे कुरुष्वेति पुनः पुनः ॥

abuddhipūrvaṃ bhagavandhenureṣā hatā tava | mayā tatra prasādaṃ me kuruṣveti punaḥ punaḥ

'Venerable sir, this cow of yours was killed by me unintentionally. Be gracious to me for it,' he said again and again.

Note on the text: Speaker supplied: Karna's direct speech to the brahmin, with no printed heading; it fills the whole verse (the closing 'he said again and again' belongs to the speech's frame).

Verse 23 (12.2.23)

तं स विप्रोऽब्रवीत्क्रुद्धो वाचा निर्भर्त्सयन्निव । दुराचार वधार्हस्त्वं फलं प्राप्स्यसि दुर्मते ॥

taṃ sa vipro'bravītkruddho vācā nirbhartsayanniva | durācāra vadhārhastvaṃ phalaṃ prāpsyasi durmate

Furious, that brahmin said to him, as if rebuking him with his words: 'Wicked wretch, you deserve to be killed; evil-minded man, you will reap the fruit.'

Verse 24 (12.2.24)

येन विस्पर्धसे नित्यं यदर्थं घटसेऽनिशम् । युध्यतस्तेन ते पाप भूमिश्चक्रं ग्रसिष्यति ॥

yena vispardhase nityaṃ yadarthaṃ ghaṭase'niśam | yudhyatastena te pāpa bhūmiścakraṃ grasiṣyati

The man with whom you always compete, for whose sake you strive without ceasing, when you fight him, sinner, the earth will swallow your wheel.

Note on the text: Speaker supplied: the brahmin's direct speech, with no printed heading; it fills the whole verse.

Verse 25 (12.2.25)

ततश्चक्रे महीग्रस्ते मूर्धानं ते विचेष्टतः । पातयिष्यति विक्रम्य शत्रुर्गच्छ नराधम ॥

tataścakre mahīgraste mūrdhānaṃ te viceṣṭataḥ | pātayiṣyati vikramya śatrurgaccha narādhama

Then, when the wheel is seized by the earth and you are struggling, your enemy will strike off your head by force. Go, lowest of men.

Note on the text: Speaker supplied: the brahmin's direct speech, with no printed heading; it fills the whole verse.

Verse 26 (12.2.26)

यथेयं गौर्हता मूढ प्रमत्तस्य त्वया मम । प्रमत्तस्यैव मे वाचा शिरस्ते पातयिष्यति ॥

yatheyaṃ gaurhatā mūḍha pramattasya tvayā mama | pramattasyaiva me vācā śiraste pātayiṣyati

As this cow of mine was killed by you in your carelessness, fool, so by my word another will strike off your head when you are careless.

Note on the text: Speaker supplied: the brahmin's direct speech, with no printed heading; it fills the whole verse.

Verse 27 (12.2.27)

शप्तः प्रसादयामास कर्णस्तं द्विजसत्तमम् । गोभिर्धनैश्च रत्नैश्च स चैनं पुनरब्रवीत् ॥

śaptaḥ prasādayāmāsa karṇastaṃ dvijasattamam | gobhirdhanaiśca ratnaiśca sa cainaṃ punarabravīt

Cursed, Karna tried to appease that best of brahmins with cattle, wealth and jewels; and the brahmin answered him again:

Verse 28 (12.2.28)

नेदमव्याहृतं कुर्याद्ब्रह्मलोकेऽपि केवलम् । गच्छ वा तिष्ठ वा यद्वा कार्यं यत्तत्समाचर ॥

nedamavyāhṛtaṃ kuryādbrahmaloke'pi kevalam | gaccha vā tiṣṭha vā yadvā kāryaṃ yattatsamācara

Not even in the world of Brahma could anyone make this word unspoken. Go, or stay, or do whatever you must.

Note on the text: Speaker supplied: the brahmin's direct speech, with no printed heading; it fills the whole verse. Line 1 is a variant of CE 12.2.28a (nedaṃ madvyāhṛtaṃ kuryāt sarvaloko 'pi vai mṛṣā; footnote variant नेदं मद्वचनं कुर्याद्ब्रह्मलोकेऽपि चान्यथा) and line 2 of CE 28c (…kāryaṃ te tat samācara); recension variants, kept.

Verse 29 (12.2.29)

इत्युक्तो ब्राह्मणेनाथ कर्णो दैन्यादधोमुखः । राममभ्यागमद्भीतस्तदेव मनसा स्मरन् ॥

ityukto brāhmaṇenātha karṇo dainyādadhomukhaḥ | rāmamabhyāgamadbhītastadeva manasā smaran

Told this by the brahmin, Karna, downcast in dejection, went back to Rama in fear, with that very thing in his mind.