Krishna Tells Karna the Secret of His Birth

Verse 1 (5.140.1)

राजपुत्रैः परिवृतस्तथा भृत्यैश्च सत्तम । उपारोप्य रथे कर्णं निर्यातो मधुसूदनः ॥

rājaputraiḥ parivṛtastathā bhṛtyaiśca sattama | upāropya rathe karṇaṃ niryāto madhusūdanaḥ

"O best of men, surrounded by princes and by attendants, Madhusudana took Karna up onto his chariot and drove out of the city.

Note on the text: The page heads verses 1–3 as Janamejaya's question and verses 4–5 as Vaishampayana's reply; in the critical edition (5.138.1–5) Dhritarashtra asks Sanjaya, who answers (भृत्यैश्च सत्तम for tathāmātyaiś ca saṃjaya).

Verse 2 (5.140.2)

किमब्रवीद्रथोपस्थे राधेयं परवीरहा । कानि सान्त्वानि गोविन्दः सूतपुत्रे प्रयुक्तवान् ॥

kimabravīdrathopasthe rādheyaṃ paravīrahā | kāni sāntvāni govindaḥ sūtaputre prayuktavān

What did that slayer of enemy heroes say to Radha's son on the chariot? What words of conciliation did Govinda use with the charioteer's son?

Verse 3 (5.140.3)

उद्यन्मेघस्वनः काले यत्कृष्णः कर्णमब्रवीत् । मृदु वा यदि वा तीक्ष्णं तन्ममाचक्ष्व सर्वशः ॥

udyanmeghasvanaḥ kāle yatkṛṣṇaḥ karṇamabravīt | mṛdu vā yadi vā tīkṣṇaṃ tanmamācakṣva sarvaśaḥ

Tell me in full what Krishna, whose voice was like a rising thundercloud, said to Karna at that time, whether it was gentle or harsh."

Verse 4 (5.140.4)

आनुपूर्व्येण वाक्यानि तीक्ष्णानि च मृदूनि च । प्रियाणि धर्मयुक्तानि सत्यानि च हितानि च ॥

ānupūrvyeṇa vākyāni tīkṣṇāni ca mṛdūni ca | priyāṇi dharmayuktāni satyāni ca hitāni ca

Words in due order, both sharp and gentle, pleasing and in accord with dharma, true and beneficial,

Verse 5 (5.140.5)

हृदयग्रहणीयानि राधेयं मधुसूदनः । यान्यब्रवीदमेयात्मा तानि मे शृणु भारत ॥

hṛdayagrahaṇīyāni rādheyaṃ madhusūdanaḥ | yānyabravīdameyātmā tāni me śṛṇu bhārata

words that took hold of the heart: hear from me, O Bharata, what Madhusudana of immeasurable soul said to Radha's son.

Note on the text: Corrected श्रृणु → शृणु (misprint in Wikisource; the critical edition reads śṛṇu).

Verse 6 (5.140.6)

उपासितास्ते राधेय ब्राह्मणा वेदपारगाः । तत्त्वार्थं परिपृष्टाश्च नियतेनानसूयया ॥

upāsitāste rādheya brāhmaṇā vedapāragāḥ | tattvārthaṃ paripṛṣṭāśca niyatenānasūyayā

"Radheya, you have waited upon brahmins who have mastered the Vedas, and with self-control and without malice you have questioned them about the truth of things.

Verse 7 (5.140.7)

त्वमेव कर्ण जानासि वेदवादान्सनातनान् । त्वमेव धर्मशास्त्रेषु सूक्ष्मेषु परिनिष्ठितः ॥

tvameva karṇa jānāsi vedavādānsanātanān | tvameva dharmaśāstreṣu sūkṣmeṣu pariniṣṭhitaḥ

You yourself, Karna, know the eternal teachings of the Veda; you are well grounded in the subtle points of the treatises on dharma.

Verse 8 (5.140.8)

कानीनश्च सहोढश्च कन्यायां यश्च जायते । वोढारं पितरं तस्य प्राहुः शास्त्रविदो जनाः ॥

kānīnaśca sahoḍhaśca kanyāyāṃ yaśca jāyate | voḍhāraṃ pitaraṃ tasya prāhuḥ śāstravido janāḥ

Those learned in the treatises say that of a son born to an unmarried girl, whether a kanina or a sahodha, the father is the man who marries her.

Verse 9 (5.140.9)

सोऽसि कर्ण तथाजातः पाण्डोः पुत्रोऽसि धर्मतः । निश्चयाद्धर्मशास्त्राणामेहि राजा भविष्यसि ॥

so'si karṇa tathājātaḥ pāṇḍoḥ putro'si dharmataḥ | niścayāddharmaśāstrāṇāmehi rājā bhaviṣyasi

You were born in just that way, Karna: by dharma you are Pandu's son. Come, by the settled rule of the treatises on dharma you shall be king.

Note on the text: Corrected पुत्रोसि → पुत्रोऽसि (missing avagraha in Wikisource; the critical edition reads putro 'si). निश्चयाद् (critical edition nigrahād) kept as a variant.

Verse 10 (5.140.10)

पितृपक्षे च ते पार्था मातृपक्षे च वृष्णयः । द्वौ पक्षावभिजानीहि त्वमेतौ पुरुषर्षभ ॥

pitṛpakṣe ca te pārthā mātṛpakṣe ca vṛṣṇayaḥ | dvau pakṣāvabhijānīhi tvametau puruṣarṣabha

On your father's side you have the Parthas, on your mother's side the Vrishnis. Know these two sides as your own, bull among men.

Verse 11 (5.140.11)

मया सार्धमितो यातमद्य त्वां तात पाण्डवाः । अभिजानन्तु कौन्तेयं पूर्वजातं युधिष्ठिरात् ॥

mayā sārdhamito yātamadya tvāṃ tāta pāṇḍavāḥ | abhijānantu kaunteyaṃ pūrvajātaṃ yudhiṣṭhirāt

Come away from here with me today, my son, and let the Pandavas know you as a son of Kunti born before Yudhishthira.

Verse 12 (5.140.12)

पादौ तव ग्रहीष्यन्ति भ्रातरः पञ्च पाण्डवाः । द्रौपदेयास्तथा पञ्च सौभद्रश्चापराजितः ॥

pādau tava grahīṣyanti bhrātaraḥ pañca pāṇḍavāḥ | draupadeyāstathā pañca saubhadraścāparājitaḥ

The five Pandava brothers will clasp your feet, and so will Draupadi's five sons and the unconquered son of Subhadra.

Verse 13 (5.140.13)

राजानो राजपुत्राश्च पाण्डवार्थे समागताः । पादौ तव ग्रहीष्यन्ति सर्वे चान्धकवृष्णयः ॥

rājāno rājaputrāśca pāṇḍavārthe samāgatāḥ | pādau tava grahīṣyanti sarve cāndhakavṛṣṇayaḥ

The kings and princes who have gathered for the Pandavas' cause, and all the Andhakas and Vrishnis, will clasp your feet.

Verse 14 (5.140.14)

हिरण्मयांश्च ते कुम्भान्राजतान्पार्थिवांस्तथा । ओषध्यः सर्वबीजानि सर्वरत्नानि वीरुधः ॥

hiraṇmayāṃśca te kumbhānrājatānpārthivāṃstathā | oṣadhyaḥ sarvabījāni sarvaratnāni vīrudhaḥ

Golden jars, silver and earthen ones, herbs, seeds of every kind, every kind of jewel and creeping plants —

Verse 15 (5.140.15)

राजन्या राजकन्याश्चाप्यानयन्त्वाभिषेचनम् । षष्ठे त्वां च तथा काले द्रौपद्युपगमिष्यति ॥

rājanyā rājakanyāścāpyānayantvābhiṣecanam | ṣaṣṭhe tvāṃ ca tathā kāle draupadyupagamiṣyati

let Kshatriya men and princesses bring these for your consecration. And at the sixth turn, Draupadi too will come to you.

Verse 16 (5.140.16)

अग्निं जुहोतु वै धौम्यः संशितात्मा द्विजोत्तमः । अद्य त्वामभिषिञ्चन्तु चातुर्वैद्या द्विजातयः ॥

agniṃ juhotu vai dhaumyaḥ saṃśitātmā dvijottamaḥ | adya tvāmabhiṣiñcantu cāturvaidyā dvijātayaḥ

Let Dhaumya, the best of brahmins, whose soul is disciplined, pour offerings into the fire, and today let brahmins versed in the four Vedas consecrate you —

Note on the text: Line 1 (Dhaumya's fire-offering) is not in the critical edition's text (found in the vulgate recension); it is recorded in its apparatus as 5.138.15d*0521. Line 2 is the critical edition's 5.138.16ab. Because of this extra line, Wikisource's verses 16–24 run half a verse out of step with the critical edition's 5.138.16–23; ce_ref names the critical-edition verse that holds each verse's last line.

Verse 17 (5.140.17)

पुरोहितः पाण्डवानां ब्रह्मकर्मण्यवस्थितः । तथैव भ्रातरः पञ्च पाण्डवाः पुरुषर्षभाः ॥

purohitaḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ brahmakarmaṇyavasthitaḥ | tathaiva bhrātaraḥ pañca pāṇḍavāḥ puruṣarṣabhāḥ

the Pandavas' family priest, intent on the brahmin's rites, and likewise the five Pandava brothers, bulls among men,

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 5.138.16cd (ब्रह्मकर्मण्यवस्थितः for vyāghracarmaṇy avasthitam); line 2 is its 5.138.17ab.

Verse 18 (5.140.18)

द्रौपदेयास्तथा पञ्च पाञ्चालाश्चेदयस्तथा । अहं च त्वाऽभिषेक्ष्यामि राजानं पृथिवीपतिम् ॥

draupadeyāstathā pañca pāñcālāścedayastathā | ahaṃ ca tvā'bhiṣekṣyāmi rājānaṃ pṛthivīpatim

Draupadi's five sons, the Panchalas and the Chedis. I myself will consecrate you as king and lord of the earth.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 5.138.17cd; line 2 is its 5.138.18ab.

Verse 19 (5.140.19)

युवराजोऽस्तु ते राजा धर्मपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः । गृहीत्वा व्यजनं श्वेतं धर्मात्मा संशितव्रतः ॥

yuvarājo'stu te rājā dharmaputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | gṛhītvā vyajanaṃ śvetaṃ dharmātmā saṃśitavrataḥ

Let King Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma, be your heir-apparent. Holding a white fan, that righteous man of firm vows,

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 5.138.18cd (धर्मपुत्रो for kuntīputro); line 2 is its 5.138.19ab. The page ends this row with a single danda; it is kept as a separate verse, as the page numbers it.

Verse 20 (5.140.20)

उपान्वारोहतु रथं कुन्तीपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः । छत्रं च ते महाश्वेतं भीमसेनो महाबलः ॥

upānvārohatu rathaṃ kuntīputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | chatraṃ ca te mahāśvetaṃ bhīmaseno mahābalaḥ

Kunti's son Yudhishthira, will mount the chariot behind you. And the mighty Bhimasena

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 5.138.19cd; line 2 is its 5.138.20ab (महाश्वेतं for mahac chvetaṃ).

Verse 21 (5.140.21)

अभिषिक्तस्य कौन्तेयो धारयिष्यति मूर्धनि । किङ्किणीशतनिर्घोषं वैयाघ्रपरिवारणम् ॥

abhiṣiktasya kaunteyo dhārayiṣyati mūrdhani | kiṅkiṇīśatanirghoṣaṃ vaiyāghraparivāraṇam

will hold the great white umbrella over your head once you are consecrated, son of Kunti. Your chariot, ringing with hundreds of little bells and covered with tiger skins,

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 5.138.20cd (कौन्तेयो धारयिष्यति मूर्धनि for kaunteya kaunteyo dhārayiṣyati); line 2 is its 5.138.21ab.

Verse 22 (5.140.22)

रथं श्वेतहयैर्युक्तमर्जुनो वाहयिष्यति । अभिमन्युश्च ते नित्यं प्रत्यासन्नो भविष्यति ॥

rathaṃ śvetahayairyuktamarjuno vāhayiṣyati | abhimanyuśca te nityaṃ pratyāsanno bhaviṣyati

yoked to white horses, Arjuna will drive. Abhimanyu will always stay close at your side.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 5.138.21cd; line 2 is its 5.138.22ab.

Verse 23 (5.140.23)

नकुलः सहदेवश्च द्रौपदेयाश्च पञ्च ये । पञ्चालाश्चानुयास्यन्ति शिखण्डी च महारथः ॥

nakulaḥ sahadevaśca draupadeyāśca pañca ye | pañcālāścānuyāsyanti śikhaṇḍī ca mahārathaḥ

Nakula and Sahadeva, Draupadi's five sons, the Panchalas and the great chariot-warrior Shikhandin will follow you.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 5.138.22cd; line 2 is its 5.138.23ab. The page ends this row with a single danda; it is kept as a separate verse, as the page numbers it.

Verse 24 (5.140.24)

अहं च त्वाऽनुयास्यामि सर्वे चान्धकवृष्णयः । दाशार्हाः परिवारास्ते दाशार्णाश्च विशांपते ॥

ahaṃ ca tvā'nuyāsyāmi sarve cāndhakavṛṣṇayaḥ | dāśārhāḥ parivārāste dāśārṇāśca viśāṃpate

I too will follow you, and all the Andhakas and Vrishnis; the Dasharhas and the Dasharnas will be your retinue, lord of the people.

Note on the text: The critical edition's 5.138.23cd–ef (the last two lines of its six-line verse).

Verse 25 (5.140.25)

भुङ्क्ष्व राज्यं महाबाहो भ्रातृभिः सह पाण्डवैः । जपैर्होमैश्च संयुक्तो मङ्गलैश्च पृथग्विधैः ॥

bhuṅkṣva rājyaṃ mahābāho bhrātṛbhiḥ saha pāṇḍavaiḥ | japairhomaiśca saṃyukto maṅgalaiśca pṛthagvidhaiḥ

Enjoy the kingdom, mighty-armed one, together with your brothers the Pandavas, attended by prayers, fire-offerings and auspicious rites of many kinds.

Verse 26 (5.140.26)

पुरोगमाश्च ते सन्तु द्रविडाः सहकुन्तलैः । आन्ध्रास्तालचराश्चैव चूचुपा वेणुपास्तथा ॥

purogamāśca te santu draviḍāḥ sahakuntalaiḥ | āndhrāstālacarāścaiva cūcupā veṇupāstathā

Let the Dravidas with the Kuntalas, the Andhras, the Talacharas, the Chuchupas and the Venupas march before you.

Verse 27 (5.140.27)

स्तुवन्तु त्वां च बहुभिः स्तुतिभिः सूतमागधाः । विजयं वसुषेणस्य घोषयन्तु च पाण्डवाः ॥

stuvantu tvāṃ ca bahubhiḥ stutibhiḥ sūtamāgadhāḥ | vijayaṃ vasuṣeṇasya ghoṣayantu ca pāṇḍavāḥ

Let bards and minstrels praise you with many hymns, and let the Pandavas proclaim the victory of Vasushena.

Verse 28 (5.140.28)

स त्वं परिवृतः पार्थैर्नक्षत्रैरिव चन्द्रमाः । प्रशाधि राज्यं कौन्तेय कुन्तीं च प्रतिनन्दय ॥

sa tvaṃ parivṛtaḥ pārthairnakṣatrairiva candramāḥ | praśādhi rājyaṃ kaunteya kuntīṃ ca pratinandaya

Surrounded by the Parthas like the moon by the stars, rule the kingdom, son of Kunti, and gladden Kunti's heart.

Verse 29 (5.140.29)

मित्राणि ते प्रहृष्यन्तु व्यथन्तु रिपवस्तथा । सौभ्रात्रं चैव तेऽद्यास्तु भ्रातृभिः सह पाण्डवैः ॥

mitrāṇi te prahṛṣyantu vyathantu ripavastathā | saubhrātraṃ caiva te'dyāstu bhrātṛbhiḥ saha pāṇḍavaiḥ

Let your friends rejoice and your enemies tremble; and from today let there be brotherhood between you and your brothers, the Pandavas."