Coronation of Karṇa

vaiśampāyana uvāca
datte ̍ vakāśe puruṣairvismayotphullocanaiḥ
viveśa raṅgaṁ vistīrṇaṁ karṇaḥ parapuraṁjayaḥ

Vaiśampāyanas said: When spectators, with eyes expanded with wonder, made way for that subjugator of hostile cities, Karṇa, he entered the spacious arena.

sahajaṁ kavacaṁ bibhrat kuṇloddyotitānanaḥ
sadhanurvaddhanistriṁśaḥ pādacārīva parvataḥ

He was dressed in his natural coat of armour, his face was grightened with his earrings, his bow was in his hand and his sword in his lions. He entered like a walking cliff.

kanyāgarbhaḥ pṛthuyaśāḥ pṛthāyāḥ pṛthulocanaḥ
tīkṣṇāṁśorbhāskarasyāṁśaḥ karṇo ̍ rigaṇasūdanaḥ

Illustrious destroyer of enemies, large eyed Karṇa, was born of Kuntī in her maidenhood. He was a portion of hot beamed sun.

siṁharṣabhagajendrāṇāṁ balavīryaparākramaḥ
dīptikantidyutiguṇaiḥ sūryendujvalanopamaḥ

His power and energy were like those of lions, bulls or the best of elephants. He was like sun in splendour, moon in loveliness and fire in effulgence.

prāṁśuḥ kanakatālābhaḥ siṁhasaṁhanano yuvā
asaṁkhyeyaguṇaḥ śrīmān bhāskarasyātmasambhavaḥ

Being born of the sun, he was tall like a golden palm. He was a youth who could slay lions. He was handsome and possessed countless accomplishments.

sa nirīkṣya mahābāhuḥ sarvato raṅgamaṇḍalam
praṇāmaṁ droṇakṛpayornātyādṛtamivākarot

Migty armed hero looked all around arena and bowed rather with indifference to Droṇa and Kṛpa.

sa samājajanaḥ sarvo niścalaḥ sthiralocanaḥ
ko ̍ yamityāgatakṣobhaḥ kautūhalaparo ̍ bhavat

Entire assembly of people remain emotionless and stared in steadfast gaze. They were filled with great curiosity and asked one another: Who is he?

so ̍ bravīnmeghagambhagambhīrasvareṇa vadatāṁ varaḥ
bhrātā bhrātaramajñātaṁ sāvitraḥ pākaśāsanim

That foremost of eloquent men, son of sun Karṇa in a voice deep as the roars of clouds, addressed his unknown brother thus:

pārtha yat te kṛtaṁ karma viśeṣavadahaṁ tataḥ
kariṣye paśyātaṁ nṛṇāṁ mā ātmanā vismayaṁ gamah

O Pārtha! I shall perform feats before this assembly excelling all that you have done. Behold them and will be amazed.

asamāpte tatastasya vacane vadatāṁ vadatāṁ vara
yantrotkṣipta ivottasthau kṣipraṁ vai sarvato janaḥ

O best of all eloquent men! When he had hardly finished his words,spectators stood up all at once as if uplifted by some instrument.

prītiśca manujavyāghra duryodhanamupāviśat
hrīśca kroddhaśca bībhatsu kṣaṇenānvāviveśa ha

O best of men! Duryodhana was delighted, while Arjuna was filled with abashment and anger.

tato droṇābhyanujñātaḥ karṇaḥ priyaraṇaḥ sadā
yat kṛtaṁ tatra pārthena taccakāra mahābalaḥ

Greatly powerful Karṇa, ever fond of battle, displayed with permission of Droṇa, all that Pārtha had displayed before.

atha dṛuryodhanastatra bhrātṛbhiḥ saha bhārata
karṇaṁ pariṣvajya mudā tato vacanamabravīt

O descendant of Bharata! Duryodhana with his brothers thereupon embraced Karṇa with delight and spoke to him thus:

duryodhana uvāca
svāgataṁ te mahābāho diṣṭyā prāpto ̍ si mānada
ahaṁ ca kururājyaṁ ca yatheṣṭamupabhhujyatām

Duryodhana said: O mighty armed hero! Welcome to you! O man deserving politeness! I have got you by good fortune! Command me and Kuru kingdom at your pleasure!

karṇa uvāca
kṛtaṁ sarvamahaṁ manye sakhitvaṁ ca tvayā vṛṇe
dvandvayuddhaṁ ca pārthena kartumicchāmyahaṁ prabho

Karṇa said: When you have said this, I consider it as already accomplished. I only desire your friendship. O lord! I long for a single combat with Arjuna.

duryodhana uvāca
bhuṅkṣva bhogān mayā sārdhaṁ bandhūnāṁ priyakṛd bhava
durhṛdāṁ kuru sarveṣāṁ mūrdhni pādamariṁdama

Duryodhana said: Enjoy with me good things of life! Be benefactor of your friends! O oppressor of enemies! Place your feet on the heads of all foes!

vaiśampāyana uvāca
tataḥ kṣiptamivātmānaṁ matvā pārtho ̍ bhyabhāṣata
karṇaṁ bhrātṛsamūhasya madhye ̍ calamiva sthitam

Vaiśampāyana said: Thereupon Pārtha considered himself disgraced and spoke to Karṇa, who stood amidst Kuru brothers like a hill.

arjuna uvāca
anāhūtopasṛṣṭānāmanāhūtopajalpinām
ye lokāstān hataḥ karṇa mayā tvaṁ pratipatsyase

Arjuna said: O karṇa! Path which unwelcome intruder and uninvited talker comes to will be yours.

karṇa uvāca
raṅgo ̍ yaṁ sarvasāmānyaḥ kimatra tava phalguna
vīryaśreṣṭhāśca rājāno balaṁ dharmo ̍ nuvartate

Karṇa said: This arena is meant for all. It is not for you alone. O Arjuna! There are kings who are superior in power. Kṣatriya Dharma depends on prowess alone.

kiṁ kṣepairdurbalāyāsaiḥ śaraiḥ kathaya bhārata
guroḥ samakṣaṁ yāvat te harāmyadya śaraḥ śaraiḥ

O descendant of Bharata! What need is there of altercation which is the habit of the weak! Speak with arrows, until I cut off your head today in the presence of Guru.

vaiśampāyana uvāca
tato droṇābhyanujñātaḥ pārthaḥ parapuraṁjayaḥ
bhrātṛbhistvarayā āśliṣṭo raṇāyojagāmātam

Vaiśampāyana said: Subduer of hostile cities, Pārtha, was embraced by his brothers and with permission of Droṇa advanced for the combat.

tato duryodhanenāpi sabhrātrā samarodyataḥ
pariṣvaktaḥ sthitaḥ karṇaḥ pragṛhya saśaraṁ dhanuḥ

Thereupon Karṇa was embraced by Duryodhana and his brothers. Taking up his bow and arrows he stood ready for fight.

tataḥ savidyutstanitaiḥ sendrāyudhapurogamaiḥ
āvṛtaṁ gaganaṁ meghairbalākāpaṅktisibhiḥ

Sky was covered with clouds emitting flashes of lightning and coloured bow of Indra appeared shedding its effulgent rays. Clouds seemed to be laughing on account of the presence of white cranes that were then flying.

tataḥ snehāddharihayaṁ dṛṣṭvā raṅgāvalokinam
bhāskaro ̍ ṣyanannāśaṁ samīpopagatān ghanān

Seeing that Indra was thus showing his affection towards Arjuna, sun displeased the clouds over his son.

meghacchāyopagūḍhastu tato ̍ dṛśyata phālgunaḥ
sūryātapaparikṣiptaḥ karn-o ̍ pi samadṛśyata

Arjuna was invisible under the cover of the clouds, but Karṇa was visible on account of the clouds being dispersed from him by the sun.

dhārtarāṣṭrā yataḥ karṇastasmin deśe vyavasthitāḥ
bhāradvājaḥ kṛpo bhīṣmo yataḥ pārthastato ̍ bhavan

Sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra stood by Karṇa and son of Bharadvāja, Droṇa, Kṛpa and Bhīṣma stood by Arjuna.

dvidhā raṅgaḥ samabhavat strīṇāṁ dvaidhamajāyata
kuntībhojasutā mohaṁ vijñātārthā jagāma ha

Assembly was also divided into two parties, so were the ladies. On learning the affair the daughter of Bhoja, Kuntī fainted away.

tataḥ tathā mohamāpannāṁ viduraḥ sarvadharmavit
kuntīmāśvāsayāmāsa preṣyābhiścandanodakaiḥ

Learned in all the percepts of virtue, Vidura revived insensible Kuntī by sprinkling over her face water mixed with sandal paste.

tataḥ pratyāgataprāṇā tāvubhau paridaṁśitau
putrau dṛṣṭvā susambhrāntā nānvapadyata kiṁcana

On being revived, she was seized with fear on seeing her two sons clad in armour, but she could not do anything.

tāvudyatamahācāpau kṛpaḥ śāradvato ̍ bravīt
dvdndvayuddhasamācāre kuśalaḥ sarvadharmavit

When two heroes were ready with their great bows raised up, son of Śaradvata, Kṛpa, well versed in all the precents of virtue and expert in rules of duels, said:

ayaṁ pṛthāyāstanayaḥ kanīyān pāṇḍunandanaḥ
kauravo bhavatā sārdhaṁ kariṣyati
tvamapyasva narendrāṇāṁ yeṣāṁ tvaṁ kulabhūṣaṇam

Kṛpa said: This Pāṇḍava is the youngest child of Kuntī. He is Kuru and he will fight a duel with you. O mighty armed hero, you should also tell us the linege of your father and mother and royal line in which you are an ornament.

Knowing this, Pārtha will fight with you, or he will not fight as he will think proper. Sons of kings never fight a duel with men of inferior lineage.

vaiśampāyana uvāca
evamuktasya karṇasya vrīḍāvanatamānanam
babhau varṣambuviklinnaṁ padmamāgalitaṁ yathā

Vaiśampāyana said: Thus addressed, Karṇa ̍ s face was flushed with the blushes of shame and it looked like the pale lotus torn and disfigured by the showers of rains.

duryodhana uvāca
ācārya trividhā yonī rājñāṁ śāstraviniścaye
satkulīnaśca śūraśca yaśca senāṁ prakarṣti

Duryodhana said: It is said in Śāstras that 3 classes of men can claim royalty, namely persons of noble birth, heroes and those that lead soldiers.

yadyayaṁ phālguno yuddhe nārājñā yoddhumicchati
tasmādeṣo ̍ ṅgaviṣaye mayā rājye ̍ bhiṣicyate

But if Arjuna is unvilling to fight with one who is not a king, I shall install Karṇa as the king of Aṅga.

vaiśampāyana uvāca
tatastasmin kṣaṇe karṇaḥ salājakusumairghaṭaiḥ
kāñcanaiḥ kāñcane pīdde mantravidbhirmahārathaḥ
abhiṣikto ̍ ṅgarājye sa śriyā yukto mahābalaḥ
sacchatravālavyajano jayaśabdottareṇa ca

Vaiśampāyana said: When cheers cease at that very moment greatly powerful car warrior Karṇa, seated on a golden seat, royal umbrella over his head and yak tails waved by his side, was installed as a king of Aṅga by Brāhmaṇas, learned in Mantras, in proper form, with paddy, flowers, Ghaṭas - water pots and much fold.

uvāca kauravaṁ rājan vacanaṁ sa vṛṣastadā
asya rājyapradānasya sadṛśaṁ kiṁ dadāni te
prabrūhi rājaśārdūla kartā hyasmi tathā nṛpa
atyantaṁ sakhyamicchāmītyāhaṁ taṁ sa suyodhanaḥ

O king! Karṇa said to Duryodhana: What shall I give to you compared your gift of a kingdom? O king! O best of men! I shall do all what you will command me to do! Suyodhana replied: I long for your friendship!

evamuktastataḥ karṇastatheti pratyuvāca tam
harṣāccobhau samāśliṣya parāṁ mudamavāpatuḥ

Having been thus addressed, Karṇa replied: Be it so!
They thereupon embraced each other in joy and felt great happiness.

vaiśampāyana uvāca
tataḥ srastottarapaṭaḥ saprasvedaḥ savepathuḥ
viveśādhiratho raṅgaṁ yaṣṭiprāṇo hvayanniva

Vaiśampāyana said: Thereupon Adhiratha, father of Karṇa, with his sheet loosely hanging down, trembling and perspiring, supporting himself on a stuff, entered arena.

tamālokya dhanustyaktvā pitṛgauravayastritaḥ
karṇo ̍ bhiṣekārdraśirāḥ śirasā samavandata

Seeing him, Karṇa left his bow and impelled by filial regard bowed his head, wet with the water of his coronation.

tataḥ pādāvavacchādya paṭāntena sasamambhramaḥ
putreti paripūrṇārthamabravīt rathasārathiḥ

Charioteer Adhiratha hurriedly covered his feet with the end of his sheet and addressed successful Karṇa as his son.

pariṣvajya ca tasyātha mūrdhānaṁ snehaviklavaḥ
aṅgarāryābhiṣekārdramaśrubhiḥ siṣice punaḥ

Adhiratha embraced Karṇa and wetted his head with tears. His head, which was still wet with the water sprinkled over it at his coronation as king of Aṅga.

taṁ dṛṣṭvā sūtaputro ̍ yamiti saṁcintya pāṇḍavaḥ
bhīmasenastadā vākyamabravīt prahasanniva

Seeing Adhiratha, Pāṇḍavas considered him to be a son of a charioteer and Bhīma jeeringly said:

na tvamarhasi pārthena sūtaputra raṇe vadham
kulasya sadṛśastūrṇaṁ pratodo gṛhyatāṁ tvayā

O son of charioteer! You deserve not to be killed by Pārtha in battle! Ypu should better take up the whip instead of the sword which befits your race.

aṅgarājyaṁ ca nārhastvamupabhoktuṁ narādhama
śvā hutāśamīpasthaṁ puroḍāśamivādhvare

O worst of men! You are not worthy of enjoying the kingdom of Aṅga, as dog deserves not the ghee placed before sacrificial fire.

evamuktastataḥ karṇaḥ kiṁcitprasphuritādharaḥ
gaganasthaṁ viniḥśvasya divākaramudaikṣata

Thus addressed, Karṇa looked at the sun in the sky and with slightly quivering lips heaved a deep sigh.

tato duryodhanaḥ kopādutpapāta mahābalaḥ
bhrātṛpadmavanāt tasmānmadotkaṭa iva dvipaḥ

Like a mad elephant greatly strong Duryodhana rose in anger from amongst his brothers, who were like an assemblage of lotuses.

so ̍ bravīd bhīmakarmāṇaṁ bhīmasenamavasthitam
vṛkodara na yuktaṁ te vacanaṁ vaktumīdṛśam

He said to that doer of fearful deeds, Bhīmasena: O Vṛkodara! You should not speak such a words.

kṣatriyāṇāṁ balaṁ jyeṣṭhaṁ yoddhavyaṁ kṣatrabandhanā
śūrāṇāṁ ca nadīnāṁ ca durvidāḥ prabhavāḥ kila

Strength is cardinal virtue of Kṣatriyas. Even a man of inferior birth deserves to be fought with. Sources of heroes and rivers are the same, both always unknown.

salilādutthito vahniryena vyaptaṁ carācaram
dadhīcasyāsthito vavraṁ kṛtaṁ dānavasūdanam

Fire that covers whole world rises from water. Dānavas destroying thunder was made of the bones of Dadhīci.

āgneyaḥ kṛttikāputro raudro gāṅgeya ityapi
śrūyate bhagavān devaḥ sarvaguhyamayo guhaḥ

It is heard that birth of illustrious Kārttikeya is full of mysteries. Some say that he is son of Agni, some say that he is son of Kṛttikā, some say that he is son of Rudra and still others say that he is the son of Gaṅgā.

kṣatriyebhyaśca ye jātā brāhmaṇāste ca te śrutāḥ
viṣvāmitraprabhṛtayaḥ prāptā brahmatvamavyayam

It is heard that those who were born Kṣatriyas became a Brāhmaṇas. Viśvāmitra and other attained to eternal Brahman.

ācāryaḥ kalaśājjāto droṇaḥ śastrabhṛtaṁ varaḥ
gautamasyānvavāye ca śarastambācca gautamaḥ

Foremost of all wielders of arms, Droṇa, was born in a water vessel and son of Gautama Kṛpa sprung from the clump of heath.

bhavatāṁ ca yathā janma tadapyāgamitiṁ mayā
sakuṇḍalaṁ sakavacaṁ sarvalakṣaṇakakṣitam
kathamādityasadṛśaṁ mṛgī vyāghraṁ janiṣyati

I know also about your birth. Can a deer give birth to a tiger, as effulgent as the sun, born with natural armour and earrings and possessing all auspicious marks?

pṛthivīrājyamarho ̍ yaṁ nāṅgarājyaṁ nareśvaraḥ
anena bāhuvīryeṇa mayā cājñānuvartinā

This king deserves sovereignty of not only Aṅga, but whole world by the prowess of his arms and by my obedience to him.

yasya vā manujasyedaṁ na kṣāntaṁ madviceṣṭitam
rathamāruhya padbhyāṁ sa vināmayatu kārmukam

If there is anyone to whom all that I have done to Karṇa has become intolerable, let him ascend his car and bend his bow with the help of his feet.

tataḥ sarvasya raṅgasya hāhākāro mahānabhūt
sādhuvādānusambaddhaḥ sūryaścāstamupāgamat

Thereupon there arose loud cheer among all spectators, approving speech of Duryodhana. At this time sun went down.

yasya vā manujasyedaṁ na kṣāntaṁ madviceṣṭitam
rathamāruhya padbhyāṁ sa vināmayatu kārmukam

If there is anyone to whom all that I have done to Karṇa has become intolerable, let him ascend his car and bend his bow with the help of his feet.

tataḥ sarvasya raṅgasya hāhākāro mahānabhūt
sādhuvādānusambaddhaḥ sūryaścāstamupāgamat

Thereupon there arose a loud cheer amongst all the spectatotrs, approwing the speech of Duryodhana. At this time sun went down.

tato duryodhanaḥ karṇamālambyāgrakare nṛpaḥ
dīpikāgnikṛtālokastasmād raṅgād viniryayau

Then Duryodhana took the hand of Karṇa and led him out of the arena lighted with countless lamps.

pāṇḍavāśca sahadroṇāḥ sakṛpāśca viśāmpate
bhīṣmeṇa sahitāḥ sarve yayuḥ svaṁ svaṁ niveśanam

Pāṇḍavas also with Droṇa, Kṛpa and Bhīṣma returned to their own homes. All the people also went to their respective houses.

arjuneti janaḥ kaścit kaścit karṇeti bhārata
kaścid duryodhanetyevaṁ bruvantaḥ prasthitāstadā

O descendant of Bharata race! Arjuna, Karṇa, Duryodhana, as the victor of the day, went away.

kuntyāśca pratyabhijñāya divyalakṣaṇasūcitam
putramaṅgeśvaraṁ snehācchannā prītirajāyata

Kuntī was also much pleased out of her motherly love towards her son Karṇa, for he had various auspicious marks on him and for he was installed as king of Aṅga.

duryodhanasyāpi tadā karṇamāsādya pārthiva

bhayamarjunasaṁjātaṁ kṣipramantaradhīyata

O king! Duryodhana, having obtained Karṇa, banished his fears arising out of Arjuna ̍ s proficiency in arms.

sa cāpi vīraḥ kṛtaśastraniśramaḥ
pareṇa sāmnābhyavadat suyodhanam
yudhiṣṭhirasyāpyabhavat tadā mati-
rna karṇatulyo ̍ sti dhanurdharaḥ kṣitau

And Karṇa, accomplished in weapons, also began to gratify Duryodhdana with sweet speeches. Yudhiṣṭhira was impressed with belief that there was no warrior like Karṇa on Earth.