कुण्डलाहरण पर्व

Vaishampayana said : Beholding the king of the celestials disguised as a Brahmana come (to him), (Karna) said "you are right welcome.” But he could not divine his intentions.

Then the (adopted) son of Adhiratha said to that Brahmana "Between beautiful damsels adorned with golden necklaces and villages full of cows which shall I give you?”

The Brahmana said : I do not wish to have beauteous damsels with gold necklaces or other agreeable things. Give these (things) to those that beg them.

O sinless one, if you truly observe your vow then cut off (from your body) this armour and these ear-rings born with you and bestow them on me.

O tormentor of foes, I wish you will very soon give them to me, as I consider this one gain to be the best of all others.

Karna said: O Brahmana, I will bestow on you homestead lands, beauteous women, cows and (sufficient) plots of land which will enable you to maintain yourself as long as you live.

Vaishampayana said: O best of the Bharatas, though Karna thus entreated that twice-born one with various words, yet he (the Brahmana) did not crave any other boon.

Though he tried his very best to propitiate him and though he worshipped him duly, yet that best of the twice-born ones did not beg any other boon.

When that most exalted of the twice-born ones did not ask for any other boon, the son of Radha then addressed him again with a smile,

“O Brahmana, by virtue of my coat-of-mail, which I have been born with and of the two ear-rings which have sprung from Amrita, I am indestructible by (all) the worlds. I will not, therefore, part with them.

O most exalted of the Brahmanas, may you be in peace. Accept from me the extensive and peaceful empire of the world with its thorns (enemies) weeded out.

Divested of my ear-rings and the armour with which I was born, Obest of the Brahmanas, I shall be liable to be killed by my enemies.

Vaishampayana said : When the exalted chastiser of the (Asura) Paka did not ask for any other boon, then Karna smilingly said to him again these words.

"O lord, O god of gods, I knew before that you (would come). O Shakra, it is not proper for me to bestow on you a boon uselessly.

(Because) you are the very lord of the celestials. It is for you to confer boons on me as you are the creator and lord of all other creators.

If, O god, I give you my ear-rings and armour, I shall be liable to be killed and you, too will be an object of ridicule.

Therefore, O Shakra, take my ear-rings and excellent armour in exchange (for boons to be conferred on me by you). Else I will in no way, give (them to you).

Shakra said: Before I came to you, Ravi (the sun) was aware of my intentions. There is no doubt that he has told you all.

O son, O Karna, let it be what you desire, With the exception of my Vajra (thunderbolt) tell me what you desire.

Vaishampayana said: Thereupon, Karna gladly approached Vasava. And desirous of obtaining an infallible dart, he, with his purposes (nearly) gratified spoke.

Karna said: In exchange for my armour and ear-rings, O Vasava, bestow on me an infallible dart, destructive of hostile forces when drawn up in battle-array.

Thereupon, O lord of the earth, Vasava reflecting a moment with in his mind for the dart, spoke to Karna these words.

Bestow on me your ear-rings and the armour born with your body and (then) O Karna, take the dart under the (following) condition.

This infallible dart, when I am engaged in slaughtering the Daityas, hurled by my hand kills hundreds of enemies and then returns to my hand.

But, O charioteer's son, hurled by your hand, it shall kill one powerful enemy (of yours), roaring and hot as fire and shall then return to me.

Karna said: I am desirous of killing in mighty encounter (only) one enemy, roaring and furious, who may strike terror into me.

Indra said: You will kill one powerful and roaring enemy in battle. But he whom you seek (to kill) is protected by a high-souled being.

He is protected by Krishna who is styled by those learned in the Vedas, the unvanquished Boar and the inconceivable Narayana.

Karna said: Notwithstanding it is so, O adorable one, give me an infallible dart, destructive of a heroic person, wherewith I can kill a mighty (foe).

Cutting the ear-rings and the mail from my body, I will give them to you. But let not my limbs, thus wounded, look ugly.

Indra said: O Karna, since you are are desirous of observing the truth, you will not look ugly nor will there be any scars on your body.

O best of speakers, O Karna, you will be again endued with the complexion and energy of your father.

If you hurl this infallible dart maddened with rage when your life is not in danger and when you have other weapons with you, then it shall fall upon yourself.

Karna said : I tell you truly, O Shakra, that according to your directions I will hurl this Vasavi weapon only when my life is in great jeopardy.

Vaishampayana said : Then, O lord of the earth, accepting that blazing dart, Karna began to cut off his body with sharp weapons.

The gods, the mortals and the Danavas, seeing Karna cut off his own body, began to roar like lions, because no signs of contortions were visible on his face.

Seeing that hero among men, Karna, smile again and again even while cutting off his body, the celestials drums began to sound and celestials flowers were showered (upon his head).

Then Karna cutting off his excellent mail from his body, when it was still wet, gave it to Vasava, And he also cut off his ear-rings from his ear and give them to him. It is on this account that he was styled Karna.

Thus deceiving Karna but making him famous in the world, Shakra smilingly considered that he had accomplished the purpose of the Pandavas. He then soared to the heavens.

Hearing that Karna was thus deceived, all the sons of Dhritarashtra were dejected and became (as dispirited) as if their pride was wounded. The Parthas, (on the other hand) hearing that the son of Suta was reduced to such a state rejoiced (greatly).

Janamejaya said : Where did the heroic Pandavas dwell (at that time) and from whom did they receive this joyful news and what did they do after the twelve years of their exile? O adorable one, relate all this to me.

Vaishampayana said : Those heroic men having rescued Krishna, chastised the chief of the Sindhus, heard from Markandeya the old storied about the celestials and the Rishis and passed the entire period of their painful forest life, returned from their hermitage in Kamyaka to the sacred Dvaiytavana together with the Brahmanas, their cars, followers, charioteers, the citizens (who had followed them to the forest) and their COWS.