Kunti Resolves to Go to Karna

Verse 1 (5.144.1)

असिद्धानुनये कृष्णे कुरुभ्यः पाण्डवान्गते । अभिगम्य पृथां क्षत्ता शनैः शोचन्निवाब्रवीत् ॥

asiddhānunaye kṛṣṇe kurubhyaḥ pāṇḍavāngate | abhigamya pṛthāṃ kṣattā śanaiḥ śocannivābravīt

When Krishna had gone from the Kurus to the Pandavas without winning the Kurus over, Kshattri (Vidura) approached Pritha and spoke slowly, as though grieving:

Verse 2 (5.144.2)

जानासि मे जीवपुत्रे भावं नित्यमविग्रहे । क्रोशतो न च गृह्णीते वचनं मे सुयोधनः ॥

jānāsi me jīvaputre bhāvaṃ nityamavigrahe | krośato na ca gṛhṇīte vacanaṃ me suyodhanaḥ

"You know, mother of living sons, that my heart is always set against strife; yet though I cry out, Suyodhana does not accept my words.

Note on the text: Corrected जीवपुत्री → जीवपुत्रे (misprint in Wikisource; a long ī is not a valid vocative here, critical edition jīvaputre) and separated नच → न च (word-division slip; critical edition na ca).

Verse 3 (5.144.3)

उपपन्नो ह्यसौ राजा चेदिपाञ्चालकेकयैः । भीमार्जुनाभ्यां कृष्णेन युयुधानयमैरपि ॥

upapanno hyasau rājā cedipāñcālakekayaiḥ | bhīmārjunābhyāṃ kṛṣṇena yuyudhānayamairapi

That king (Yudhishthira) is well supported by the Chedis, the Panchalas and the Kekayas, by Bhima and Arjuna, by Krishna, and by Yuyudhana and the twins.

Verse 4 (5.144.4)

उपप्लाव्ये निविष्टोऽपि धर्ममेव युधिष्ठिरः । काङ्क्षते ज्ञातिसौहार्दाद्बलवान्दुर्बलो यथा ॥

upaplāvye niviṣṭo'pi dharmameva yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | kāṅkṣate jñātisauhārdādbalavāndurbalo yathā

Though encamped at Upaplavya, Yudhishthira still longs only for dharma, out of affection for his kin, like a weak man though he is strong.

Verse 5 (5.144.5)

राजा तु धृतराष्ट्रोऽयं वयोवृद्धो न शाम्यति । मत्तः पुत्रमदेनैव विधर्मे पथि वर्तते ॥

rājā tu dhṛtarāṣṭro'yaṃ vayovṛddho na śāmyati | mattaḥ putramadenaiva vidharme pathi vartate

But this King Dhritarashtra, old as he is, does not grow calm; drunk with pride in his son, he keeps to the unrighteous path.

Verse 6 (5.144.6)

जयद्रथस्य कर्णस्य तथा दुःशासनस्य च । सौबलस्य च दुर्बुद्ध्या मिथो भेदः प्रपत्स्यते ॥

jayadrathasya karṇasya tathā duḥśāsanasya ca | saubalasya ca durbuddhyā mitho bhedaḥ prapatsyate

Through the folly of Jayadratha, Karna, Duhshasana and the son of Subala, a breach between the two sides will come about.

Verse 7 (5.144.7)

अधर्मेण हि धर्मिष्ठं ह्रियते राज्यमीदृशम् । येषां तेषामयं धर्मः सानुबन्धो भविष्यति ॥

adharmeṇa hi dharmiṣṭhaṃ hriyate rājyamīdṛśam | yeṣāṃ teṣāmayaṃ dharmaḥ sānubandho bhaviṣyati

For such a kingdom, belonging to one most devoted to dharma, is being seized by unrighteousness; those whose "dharma" this is will reap all that follows from it.

Note on the text: Corrected अधर्मेम → अधर्मेण (misprint in Wikisource; म for ण, critical edition adharmeṇa).

Verse 8 (5.144.8)

क्रियमाणे बलाद्धर्मे कुरुभिः को न संज्वरेत् । असाम्ना केशवे याते समुद्योक्ष्यन्ति पाण्डवाः ॥

kriyamāṇe balāddharme kurubhiḥ ko na saṃjvaret | asāmnā keśave yāte samudyokṣyanti pāṇḍavāḥ

When dharma is being violated by force by the Kurus, who would not burn with anguish? Now that Keshava has gone away without peace, the Pandavas will make ready for war.

Verse 9 (5.144.9)

ततः कुरूणामनयो भविता वीरनाशनः । चिन्तयन्न लभे निद्रामहःसु च निशासु च ॥

tataḥ kurūṇāmanayo bhavitā vīranāśanaḥ | cintayanna labhe nidrāmahaḥsu ca niśāsu ca

Then the misconduct of the Kurus will bring the destruction of heroes. Brooding on this, I find no sleep by day or by night."

Verse 10 (5.144.10)

श्रुत्वा तु कुन्ती तद्वाक्यमर्थकामेन भाषितम् । सा निःश्वसन्ती दुःखार्ता मनसा विममर्श ह ॥

śrutvā tu kuntī tadvākyamarthakāmena bhāṣitam | sā niḥśvasantī duḥkhārtā manasā vimamarśa ha

Hearing these words, spoken by one who wished her well, Kunti, sighing and stricken with grief, reflected in her mind:

Verse 11 (5.144.11)

धिगस्त्वर्थं यत्कृतेयं सुमहाञ्ज्ञातिसंक्षयः । वर्त्स्यते सुहृदां चैव युद्धेऽस्मिन्वै पराभवः ॥

dhigastvarthaṃ yatkṛteyaṃ sumahāñjñātisaṃkṣayaḥ | vartsyate suhṛdāṃ caiva yuddhe'sminvai parābhavaḥ

"Cursed be wealth, for whose sake this vast slaughter of kinsmen is to take place! In this war there will be the ruin of friends as well.

Verse 12 (5.144.12)

पाण्डवाश्चेदिपञ्चाला यादवाश्च समागताः । भारतैः सह योत्स्यन्ति किं नु दुःखमतःपरम् ॥

pāṇḍavāścedipañcālā yādavāśca samāgatāḥ | bhārataiḥ saha yotsyanti kiṃ nu duḥkhamataḥparam

The Pandavas, the Chedis and Panchalas, and the Yadavas, joined together, will fight the Bharatas; what sorrow could be greater than this?

Verse 13 (5.144.13)

पश्ये दोषं ध्रुवं युद्धे तथाऽयुद्धे पराभवम् । अधनस्य मृतं श्रेयो न हि ज्ञातिक्षयो जयः । इति मे चिन्तयन्त्या वै हृदि दुःखं प्रवर्तते ॥

paśye doṣaṃ dhruvaṃ yuddhe tathā'yuddhe parābhavam | adhanasya mṛtaṃ śreyo na hi jñātikṣayo jayaḥ | iti me cintayantyā vai hṛdi duḥkhaṃ pravartate

I see certain evil in war, and humiliation in not fighting. For one without wealth, death is better; yet in the slaughter of kinsmen there is no victory. As I think on this, sorrow wells up in my heart.

Note on the text: Lines 1–2 are the critical edition's 5.142.13; line 3 is its star passage 5.142.13d*0531_01.

Verse 14 (5.144.14)

पितामहः शान्तनव आचार्यश्च युधां पतिः । कर्णश्च धार्तराष्ट्रार्थं वर्धयन्ति भयं मम ॥

pitāmahaḥ śāntanava ācāryaśca yudhāṃ patiḥ | karṇaśca dhārtarāṣṭrārthaṃ vardhayanti bhayaṃ mama

The grandsire, Shantanu's son, the teacher who is lord of warriors, and Karna, all on the side of Dhritarashtra's son, increase my fear.

Verse 15 (5.144.15)

नाचार्यः कामवाञ्शिष्यैर्द्रोणो युद्ध्येत जातुचित् । पाण्डवेषु कथं हार्दं कुर्यान्न च पितामहः ॥

nācāryaḥ kāmavāñśiṣyairdroṇo yuddhyeta jātucit | pāṇḍaveṣu kathaṃ hārdaṃ kuryānna ca pitāmahaḥ

Yet the teacher Drona would never willingly fight his pupils, and how could the grandsire fail to feel affection for the Pandavas?

Note on the text: Corrected शिष्यैद्रौणोयुद्ध्येत → शिष्यैर्द्रोणो युद्ध्येत (misprint in Wikisource; dropped repha and ौ for ो in द्रोणो, with a word-division slip; critical edition śiṣyair droṇo yudhyeta).

Verse 16 (5.144.16)

अयं त्वेको वृथादृष्टिर्धार्तराष्ट्रस्य दुर्मतेः । मोहानुवर्ती सततं पापो द्वेष्टि च पाण्डवान् ॥

ayaṃ tveko vṛthādṛṣṭirdhārtarāṣṭrasya durmateḥ | mohānuvartī satataṃ pāpo dveṣṭi ca pāṇḍavān

This one alone, of false vision, follows the folly of the evil-minded son of Dhritarashtra, and the wicked man always hates the Pandavas.

Verse 17 (5.144.17)

महत्यनर्थे निर्बन्धी बलवांश्च विशेषतः । कर्णः सदा पाण्डवानां तन्मे दहति संप्रति ॥

mahatyanarthe nirbandhī balavāṃśca viśeṣataḥ | karṇaḥ sadā pāṇḍavānāṃ tanme dahati saṃprati

Karna is ever bent on doing the Pandavas great harm, and he is mighty above all; that is what burns me now.

Verse 18 (5.144.18)

आशंसे त्वद्य कर्णस्य मनोऽहं पाण्डवान्प्रति । प्रसादयितुमासाद्य दर्शयन्ती यथातथम् ॥

āśaṃse tvadya karṇasya mano'haṃ pāṇḍavānprati | prasādayitumāsādya darśayantī yathātatham

Yet today I hope to win Karna's heart over to the Pandavas, by going to him and showing him the truth as it is.

Note on the text: Corrected ग्रसादयितुम् → प्रसादयितुम् (misprint in Wikisource; ग for प्र, critical edition prasādayitum).

Verse 19 (5.144.19)

तोषितो भगवान्यत्र दुर्वासा मे वरं ददौ । आह्वानं मन्त्रसंयुक्तं वसन्त्याः पितृवेश्मनि ॥

toṣito bhagavānyatra durvāsā me varaṃ dadau | āhvānaṃ mantrasaṃyuktaṃ vasantyāḥ pitṛveśmani

When I was living in my father's house, the blessed Durvasas, pleased with me, granted me a boon: a summons joined to a mantra.

Verse 20 (5.144.20)

साहमन्तःपुरे राज्ञः कुन्तिभोजपुरस्कृता । चिन्तयन्ती बहुविधं हृदयेन विदूयता ॥

sāhamantaḥpure rājñaḥ kuntibhojapuraskṛtā | cintayantī bahuvidhaṃ hṛdayena vidūyatā

Honoured by Kuntibhoja, I lived in the king's inner apartments, pondering many things with an anxious heart —

Verse 21 (5.144.21)

बलाबलं च मन्त्राणां ब्राह्मणस्य च वाग्बलम् । स्त्रीभावाद्बालभावाच्च चिन्तयन्ती पुनः पुनः ॥

balābalaṃ ca mantrāṇāṃ brāhmaṇasya ca vāgbalam | strībhāvādbālabhāvācca cintayantī punaḥ punaḥ

the strength or weakness of mantras and the power of a brahmin's word — turning it over again and again, being a woman and a child.

Verse 22 (5.144.22)

धात्र्या विस्रब्धया गुप्ता सखीजनवृता तदा । दोषं परिहरन्ती च पितुश्चारित्र्यरक्षिणी ॥

dhātryā visrabdhayā guptā sakhījanavṛtā tadā | doṣaṃ pariharantī ca pituścāritryarakṣiṇī

I was guarded then by a trusted nurse and surrounded by my companions, avoiding every fault and protecting my father's good name.

Verse 23 (5.144.23)

कथं नु सुकृतं मे स्यान्नापराधवती कथम् । भवेयमिति संचिन्त्य ब्राह्मणं तं नमस्य च ॥

kathaṃ nu sukṛtaṃ me syānnāparādhavatī katham | bhaveyamiti saṃcintya brāhmaṇaṃ taṃ namasya ca

Thinking, 'How may I do right, and how may I keep from wrongdoing?', and having bowed to that brahmin,

Verse 24 (5.144.24)

कौतूहलात्तु तं लब्ध्वा बालिश्यादाचरं तदा । कन्या सती देवमर्कमासादयमहं ततः ॥

kautūhalāttu taṃ labdhvā bāliśyādācaraṃ tadā | kanyā satī devamarkamāsādayamahaṃ tataḥ

having received it, out of curiosity and childish folly I then made use of it; and so, while still a maiden, I drew the god Surya to me.

Note on the text: Corrected लब्धा → लब्ध्वा (misprint in Wikisource; the gerund "having obtained", critical edition labdhvā).

Verse 25 (5.144.25)

योऽसौ कानीनगर्भो मे पुत्रवत्परिरक्षितः । कस्मान्न कुर्याद्वचनं पथ्यं भ्रातृहितं तथा ॥

yo'sau kānīnagarbho me putravatparirakṣitaḥ | kasmānna kuryādvacanaṃ pathyaṃ bhrātṛhitaṃ tathā

That child I bore as a maiden, guarded as a son — why should he not heed words that are wholesome and good for his brothers?"

Verse 26 (5.144.26)

इति कुन्ती विनिश्चित्य कार्यनिश्चयमुत्तमम् । कार्यार्थमभिनिश्चित्य ययौ भागीरथीं प्रति ॥

iti kuntī viniścitya kāryaniścayamuttamam | kāryārthamabhiniścitya yayau bhāgīrathīṃ prati

Having thus settled on the best course, Kunti, firmly resolved on her purpose, set out towards the Bhagirathi.

Verse 27 (5.144.27)

आत्मजस्य ततस्तस्य घृणिनः सत्यसङ्गिनः । गङ्गातीरे पृथापश्यज्जपस्थानमनुत्तमम् ॥

ātmajasya tatastasya ghṛṇinaḥ satyasaṅginaḥ | gaṅgātīre pṛthāpaśyajjapasthānamanuttamam

Then, on the bank of the Ganga, Pritha saw the matchless place where her son, compassionate and devoted to truth, recited his prayers.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 5.142.27ab; line 2 differs from both 5.142.27cd (gaṅgātīre pṛthāśṛṇvad upādhyayananisvanam) and the star passage 5.142.27b*0532_01 (gaṅgātīre pṛthāpaśyad upasthānagataṃ vṛṣam). Corrected पृथापश्यञ्जपस्थानम् → पृथापश्यज्जपस्थानम् (misprint in Wikisource; ञ्ज for ज्ज in the sandhi of अपश्यत् + जप°, the verb the sentence needs).

Verse 28 (5.144.28)

प्राङ्मुखस्योर्ध्वबाहोः सा पर्यतिष्ठत पृष्ठतः । जप्यावसानं कार्यार्थं प्रतीक्षन्ती तपस्विनी ॥

prāṅmukhasyordhvabāhoḥ sā paryatiṣṭhata pṛṣṭhataḥ | japyāvasānaṃ kāryārthaṃ pratīkṣantī tapasvinī

The ascetic lady stood behind him as he faced east with arms raised, waiting for his prayers to end, for the sake of her purpose.

Verse 29 (5.144.29)

अतिष्ठत्सूर्यतापार्ता कर्णस्योत्तरवाससि । कौरव्यपत्नी वार्ष्णेयी पद्ममालेव शुष्यती ॥

atiṣṭhatsūryatāpārtā karṇasyottaravāsasi | kauravyapatnī vārṣṇeyī padmamāleva śuṣyatī

The Vrishni princess, wife of the Kuru, tormented by the sun's heat, stood in the shade of Karna's upper garment, wilting like a garland of lotuses.

Note on the text: Corrected मद्ममालेव → पद्ममालेव (misprint in Wikisource; म for प, "like a garland of lotuses", critical edition padmamāleva).

Verse 30 (5.144.30)

आपृष्ठतापाज्जप्त्वा स परिवृत्य यतव्रतः । दृष्ट्वा कुन्तीमुपातिष्ठदभिवाद्य कृताञ्जलिः ॥

āpṛṣṭhatāpājjaptvā sa parivṛtya yatavrataḥ | dṛṣṭvā kuntīmupātiṣṭhadabhivādya kṛtāñjaliḥ

He, firm in his vows, prayed until the sun burned on his back; then, turning round and seeing Kunti, he saluted her with joined palms and came to her

Note on the text: The critical edition's 5.142.30ab–cd. Corrected आपृष्ठतापाञ्जप्त्वा → आपृष्ठतापाज्जप्त्वा (misprint in Wikisource; ञ्ज for ज्ज in the sandhi of °तापात् + जप्त्वा, critical edition ā pṛṣṭhatāpāj japtvā) and परिवृत्त्य → परिवृत्य (misprint; doubled त, critical edition parivṛtya).

Verse 31 (5.144.31)

यथान्यायं महातेजा मानी धर्मभृतां वरः । उत्स्मयन्प्रणतः प्राह कुन्तीं वैकर्तनो वृषः ॥

yathānyāyaṃ mahātejā mānī dharmabhṛtāṃ varaḥ | utsmayanpraṇataḥ prāha kuntīṃ vaikartano vṛṣaḥ

as was fitting; and the proud and splendid Vaikartana Vrisha, best of those who uphold dharma, bowing low and smiling, spoke to Kunti.

Note on the text: Line 1 is the critical edition's 5.142.30ef; line 2 is its star passage 5.142.30f*0533_01.