Mahabharata, Book 12, Section Vशान्तिपर्व

Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 12.5.

5Sanskrit adhyāya 12.5 · Sanskrit source · English source

Sanskrit

नारद उवाच।
आदित्कृतबलं कर्णं दृष्ट्वा राजा स मागधः।
आह्वयद्द्वैरथेनाजौ जरासन्धो महीपतिः।।
तयोः समभवद्युद्धं दिव्यास्त्रविदुषोर्द्वयोः।
युधि नानाप्रहरणैरन्योन्यमभिवर्षतोः।।
क्षीणबाणौ विधनुषौ भग्नखङ्गौ महीं गतौ।
बाहुभिः समसज्जेतामुभावतिबलान्वितौ।।
[बाहुकण्टकयुद्धेन तस्य कर्णोऽथ युध्यतः।]
विभेदं संधिं देहस्य जरया श्लेषितस्य हि।।
स विकारं शरीरस्य दृष्ट्वा नृपतिरात्मनः।
प्रीतोऽस्मीत्यब्रवीत्कर्णं वैरमुत्सृज्य दूरतः।।
प्रीत्या ददौ स कर्णाय मालिनीं नगरीमनु।
अङ्गेषु नरशार्दूल स राजाऽऽसीत्सपत्नजित्।।
पालयामास वर्णांस्तु कर्णः परबलार्दनः।
दुर्योधनस्यानुमते तवापि विदितं तथा।।
एवं शस्त्रप्रतापेन प्रथितः सोऽभवत्क्षितौ।
त्वद्धितार्थं सुरेन्द्रेण भिक्षितो वर्मकुण्डले।।
स दिव्ये सहजे प्रादात्कुण्डले परमार्चिते।
सहजं कवचं चापि मोहितो देवमायया।।
विमुक्तः कुण्डलाभ्यां च सहजेन च वर्मणा।
निहतो विजयेनाजौ वासुदेवस्य पश्यतः।।
ब्राह्मणस्यापि शापेन रामस्य च महात्मनः।
कुन्त्याश्च वरदानेन मायया च शतक्रतोः।।
भीष्मावमानात्सङ्ख्यायां रथानामर्धकीर्तनात्।
शल्यतेजोवधाच्चापि वासुदेवनयेन च।
रुद्रस्य देवराजस्य यमस्य वरुणस्य च।
कुबेरद्रोणयोश्चैव कृपस्य च महात्मनः।।
अस्त्राणि दिव्यान्यादाय युधि गाण्डीवधन्वना।
हतो वैकर्तनः कर्णो दिवाकरसमद्युतिः।।
एवं शप्तस्तव भ्राता बहुभिश्चापि वञ्चितः।
न शोच्यः पुरुषव्याघ्र युद्धे हि निधनं गतः।।
।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते शान्तिपर्वणि
राजधर्मपर्वणि पञ्चमोऽध्यायः।। 5।।

English Ganguli

"'Narada said, "Hearing of the fame of Karna's might, the ruler of the Magadhas, king Jarasandha, challenged him to a single combat. Both conversant with the celestial weapons, a fierce battle took place between them in which they struck each other with diverse kinds of arms. At last when their arrows were exhausted and bows and swords were broken and they both became carless, they began, possessed of might as they were, to fight with bare arms. While engaged with him in mortal combat with bare arms, Karna was about to sever the two portions of his antagonist's body that had been united together by Jara. The king (of Magadha), then after feeling himself very much pained, cast off all desire of hostility and addressed Karna, saying, 'I am gratified.' From friendship he then gave unto Karna the town Malini. Before this, that tiger among men and subjugator of all foes (viz., Karna) had been king of the Angas only, but from that time the grinder of hostile forces began to rule over Champa also, agreeably to the wishes of Duryodhana, as thou knowest. Thus Karna became famous on earth for the valour of his arms. When, for thy good, the Lord of the celestials begged of him his (natural) coat of mail and ear-rings, stupefied by celestial illusion, he gave away those precious possessions. Deprived of his car-rings and divested of his natural armour, he was slain by Arjuna in Vasudeva's presence. In consequence of a Brahmana's curse, as also of the curse of the illustrious Rama, of the boon granted to Kunti and the illusion practised on him by Indra, of his depreciation by Bhishma as only half a car-warrior, at the tale of Rathas and Atirathas, of the destruction of his energy caused by Salya (with his keen speeches), of Vasudeva's policy, and, lastly of the celestial weapons obtained by Arjuna from Rudra and Indra and Yama and Varuna and Kuvera and Drona and the illustrious Kripa, the wielder of Gandiva succeeded in slaying Vikartana's son Karna of effulgence like that of Surya himself. Even thus had thy brother been cursed and beguiled by many. As, however, he has fallen in battle, thou shouldst not grieve for that tiger among men!"'"