The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3 by or: Kisari Mohan Ganguli

o >> or: Kisari Mohan Ganguli >> The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 3

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 | 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89 | 90 | 91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 100 | 101 | 102 | 103 | 104 | 105 | 106 | 107 | 108 | 109 | 110 | 111 | 112 | 113 | 114 | 115 | 116 | 117 | 118 | 119 | 120 | 121 | 122 | 123 | 124 | 125 | 126 | 127 | 128 | 129 | 130 | 131 | 132 | 133 | 134 | 135 | 136 | 137 | 138 | 139 | 140 | 141 | 142 | 143 | 144 | 145 | 146 | 147 | 148 | 149 | 150 | 151 | 152 | 153 | 154 | 155 | 156 | 157 | 158 | 159 | 160 | 161 | 162 | 163 | 164 | 165 | 166 | 167 | 168 | 169 | 170 | 171 | 172

Vaishampayana continued, "Having said these words, Gandhari, deprived of
her senses by grief, fell down on the earth! Casting off her fortitude,
she suffered her senses to be stupefied by grief. Filled with wrath and
with sorrow at the death of her sons, Gandhari, with agitated heart,
ascribed every fault to Keshava.

"Gandhari said, The Pandavas and the Dhartarashtras, O Krishna, have both
been burnt. Whilst they were thus being exterminated, O Janardana, why
wert thou indifferent to them? Thou wert competent to prevent the
slaughter, for thou hast a large number of followers and a vast force.
Thou hadst eloquence, and thou hadst the power (for bringing about
peace). Since deliberately, O slayer of Madhu, thou wert indifferent to
this universal carnage, therefore, O mighty-armed one, thou shouldst reap
the fruit of this act. By the little merit I have acquired through
waiting dutifully on my husband, by that merit so difficult to attain, I
shall curse thee, O wielder of the discus and the mace! Since thou wert
indifferent to the Kurus and the Pandavas whilst they slew each other,
therefore, O Govinda, thou shalt be the slayer of thy own kinsmen! In the
thirty-sixth year from this, O slayer of Madhu, thou shalt, after causing
the slaughter of thy kinsmen and friends and sons, perish by disgusting
means in the wilderness. The ladies of thy race, deprived of sons,
kinsmen, and friends, shall weep and cry even as these ladies of the
Bharata race!"

Vaishampayana continued, "Hearing these words, the high-souled Vasudeva,
addressing the venerable Gandhari, said unto her these words, with a
faint smile, There is none in the world, save myself, that is capable of
exterminating the Vrishnis. I know this well. I am endeavouring to bring
it about. In uttering this curse, O thou of excellent vows, thou hast
aided me in the accomplishment of that task. The Vrishnis are incapable
of being slain by others, be they human beings or gods or Danavas. The
Yadavas, therefore shall fall by one anothers hand. After he of Dasharhas
race had said these words, the Pandavas became stupefied. Filled with
anxiety all of them became hopeless of life!"

26

"The holy one said, Arise, arise, O Gandhari, do not set thy heart on
grief! Through thy fault, this vast carnage has taken place! Thy son
Duryodhana was wicked-souled, envious, and exceedingly arrogant.
Applauding his wicked acts, thou regardest them to be good. Exceedingly
cruel, he was the embodiment of hostilities, and disobedient to the
injunctions of the old. Why dost thou wish to ascribe thy own faults to
me? Dead or lost, the person that grieves for what has already occurred,
obtaineth more grief. By indulging in grief, one increases it two-fold. A
woman of the regenerate class bears children for the practice of
austerities; the cow brings forth offspring for bearing burdens; the mare
brings forth her young for acquiring speed of motion; the Shudra woman
bears a child for adding to the number of servitors; the Vaishya woman
for adding to the number of keepers of cattle. A princess, however, like
thee, brings forth sons for being slaughtered!"

Vaishampayana said, "Hearing these words of Vasudeva that were
disagreeable to her, Gandhari, with heart exceedingly agitated by grief,
remained silent. The royal sage Dhritarashtra, however, restraining the
grief that arises from folly, enquired of Yudhishthira the just, saying,
If, O son of Pandu, thou knowest it, tell me the number of those that
have fallen in this battle, as also of those that have escaped with life!

"Yudhishthira answered, One billion 660 million and 20,000 men have
fallen in this battle. Of the heroes that have escaped, the number is
240,165.

"Dhritarashtra said, Tell me, O mighty-armed one, for thou art conversant
with everything, what ends have those foremost of men attained.

"Yudhishthira said, Those warriors of true prowess that have cheerfully
cast off their bodies in fierce battle have all attained regions like
those of Indra. Knowing death to be inevitable, they that have
encountered it cheerlessly have attained the companionship of the
gandharvas. Those warriors that have fallen at the edge of weapons, while
turning away from the field or begging for quarter, have attained the
world of the guhyakas. Those high-souled warriors who, observant of the
duties of kshatriya-hood and regarding flight from battle to be shameful,
have fallen, mangled with keen weapons, while advancing unarmed against
fighting foes, have all assumed bright forms and attained the regions of
Brahman. The remaining warriors, that have in anyhow met with death on
the precincts of the field of battle, have attained the region of the
Uttara-Kurus."

"Dhritarashtra said, By the power of what knowledge, O son, thou seest
these things like one crowned with ascetic success? Tell me this, O
mighty-armed one, if thou thinkest that I can listen to it without
impropriety!

"Yudhishthira said, While at thy command I wandered in the forest, I
obtained this boon on the occasion of sojourning to the sacred places. I
met with the celestial rishi Lomasa and obtained from him the boon of
spiritual vision. Thus on a former occasion I obtained second sight
through the power of knowledge!

"Dhritarashtra said, It is necessary that our people should burn, with
due rites, the bodies of both the friendless and the friended slain. What
shall we do with those that have none to look after them and that have no
sacred fires? The duties that await us are many. Who are those whose
(last) rites we should perform? O Yudhishthira, will they obtain regions
of blessedness by the merit of their acts, they whose bodies are now
being torn and dragged by vultures and other birds?"

Vaishampayana continued, "Thus addressed, Kuntis son Yudhishthira of
great wisdom commanded Sudharma (the priest of the Kauravas) and Dhaumya,
and Sanjaya of the suta order, and Vidura of great wisdom, and Yuyutsu of
Kurus race, and all his servants headed by Indrasena, and all the other
sutas that were with him, saying, Cause the funeral rites of the slain,
numbering by thousands, to be duly performed, so that nobody may perish
for want of persons to take care of them! At this command of king
Yudhishthira the just, Vidura and Sanjaya and Sudharma and Dhaumya and
Indrasena and others, procuring sandal, aloe and other kinds of wood used
on such occasions, as also clarified butter and oil and perfumes and
costly silken robes and other kinds of cloth, and large heaps of dry
wood, and broken cars and diverse kinds of weapons, caused funeral pyres
to be duly made and lighted and then without haste burnt, with due rites
the slain kings in proper order. They properly burned upon those fires
that blazed forth with libations of clarified butter in torrents over
them, the bodies of Duryodhana and his hundred brothers, of Shalya, and
king Bhurishrava; of king Jayadratha and Abhimanyu, O Bharata; of
Duhshasanas son and Lakshmana and king Dhrishtaketu; of Vrihanta and
Somadatta and the hundreds of Srinjayas; of king Kshemadhanva and Virata
and Drupada; of Shikhandi the prince of Pancalas, and Dhrishtadyumna of
Prishatas race; of the valiant Yudhamanyu and Uttamauja; of the ruler of
the Kosalas, the sons of Draupadi, and Shakuni the son of Subala; of
Acala and Vrishaka, and king Bhagadatta; of Karna and his son of great
wrath; of those great bowmen, the Kekaya princes, and those mighty
car-warriors, the Trigartas; of Ghatotkaca the prince of rakshasas, and
the brother of Vaka, of Alambusha, the foremost of rakshasas, and king
Jalasandha; and of hundreds and thousands of other kings. The pitri-medha
rites in honour of some of the illustrious dead were performed there,
while some sang Samas, and some uttered lamentations for the dead. With
the loud noise of Samas and Riks, and the lamentations of the women, all
creatures became stupefied that night. The funeral fires, smokeless and
blazing brightly (amid the surrounding darkness), looked like luminous
planets in the firmament enveloped by clouds. Those among the dead that
had come from diverse realms and were utterly friendless were piled
together in thousands of heaps and, at the command of Yudhishthira, were
caused to be burnt by Vidura through a large number of persons acting
coolly and influenced by good-will and affection, on pyres made of dry
wood. Having caused their last rites to be performed, the Kuru king
Yudhishthira, placing Dhritarashtra at his head, proceeded towards the
river Ganga."

27

Vaishampayana said, "Arrived at the auspicious Ganga full of sacred
water, containing many lakes, adorned with high banks and broad shores,
and having a vast bed, they cast off their ornaments, upper garments, and
belts and girdles. The Kuru ladies, crying and afflicted with great
grief, offered oblations of water unto their sires and grandsons and
brothers and kinsmen and sons and reverend seniors and husbands.
Conversant with duties, they also performed the water-rite in honour of
their friends. While those wives of heroes were performing this rite in
honour of their heroic lords, the access to the stream became easy,
although the paths (made by the tread of many feet) disappeared
afterwards. The shores of the stream, though crowded with those spouses
of heroes, looked as broad as the ocean and presented a spectacle of
sorrow and cheerlessness. Then Kunti, O king, in a sudden paroxysm of
grief, weepingly addressed her sons in these soft words, That hero and
great bowman, that leader of leaders of car-divisions, that warrior
distinguished by every mark of heroism, who hath been slain by Arjuna in
battle, that warrior whom, ye sons of Pandu, ye took forth, Sutas child
born of Radha, that hero who shone in the midst of his forces like the
lord Surya himself, who battled with all of you and your followers, who
looked resplendent as he commanded the vast force of the Duryodhana, who
had no equal on earth for energy, that hero who preferred glory to life,
that unretiring warrior firm in truth and never fatigued with exertion,
was your eldest brother. Offer oblations of water unto that eldest
brother of yours who was born of me by the god of day. That hero was born
with a pair of earrings and clad in armour, and resembled Surya himself
in splendour! Hearing these painful words of their mother, the Pandavas
began to express their grief for Karna. Indeed, they became more
afflicted than ever. Then that tiger among men, the heroic Yudhishthira,
sighing like a snake, asked his mother, That Karna who was like an ocean
having shafts for his billows, his tall standard for his vortex, his own
mighty arms for a couple of huge alligators, his large car for his deep
lake, and the sound of his palms for his tempestuous roar, and whose
impetuosity none could withstand save Dhananjaya, O mother, wert thou the
authoress of that heroic being? How was that son, resembling a very
celestial, born of thee in former days? The energy of his arms scorched
all of us. How, mother, couldst thou conceal him like a person concealing
a fire within the folds of his cloth? His might of arms was always
worshipped by the Dhartarashtras even as we always worship the might of
the wielder of gandiva! How was that foremost of mighty men, that first
of car-warriors, who endured the united force of all lords of earth in
battle, how was he a son of thine? Was that foremost of all wielders of
weapons our eldest brother? How didst thou bring forth that child of
wonderful prowess? Alas, in consequence of the concealment of this affair
by thee, we have been undone! By the death of Karna, ourselves with all
our friends have been exceedingly afflicted. The grief I feel at Karnas
death is a hundred times greater than that which was caused by the death
of Abhimanyu and the sons of Draupadi, and the destruction of the
Pancalas and the Kurus. Thinking of Karna, I am burning with grief, like
a person thrown into a blazing fire. Nothing could have been unattainable
by us, not excepting things belonging to heaven. Alas, this terrible
carnage, so destructive of the Kurus, would not have occurred. Copiously
indulging in lamentations like these, king Yudhishthira the just uttered
loud wails of woe. The puissant monarch then offered oblations of water
unto his deceased elder brother. Then all the ladies that crowded the
shores of the river suddenly sent up a loud wail of grief. The
intelligent king of the Kurus, Yudhishthira, caused the wives and members
of Karnas family to be brought before him. Of righteous soul, he
performed, with them, the water-rite in honour of his eldest brother.
Having finished the ceremony, the king with his senses exceedingly
agitated, rose from the waters of Ganga."

The end of Stri-parva.

The Mahabharata

of

Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa

BOOK 12

SANTI PARVA

Translated into English Prose from the Original Sanskrit Text

by

Kisari Mohan Ganguli

[1883-1896]

Scanned at sacred-texts.com, 2004. Proofed by John Bruno Hare, November
2004.

THE MAHABHARATA

SANTI PARVA

SECTION I

(Rajadharmanusasana Parva)

OM! HAVING BOWED down to Narayana, and Nara, the foremost of male beings,
and unto the goddess Saraswati, must the word Jaya be uttered.

"Vaisampayana said, 'Having offered oblations, of water unto all their
friends and kinsmen, the sons of Pandu, and Vidura, and Dhritarashtra,
and all the Bharata ladies, continued to dwell there (on the banks of the
sacred stream). The high-souled sons of Pandu desired to pass the period
of mourning,[1] which extended for a month, outside the Kuru city. After
king Yudhishthira the just had performed the water-rites, many
high-souled sages crowned with ascetic success and many foremost of
regenerate Rishis came there to see the monarch. Among them were the
Island-born (Vyasa), and Narada, and the great Rishi Devala, and
Devasthana, and Kanwa. They were all accompanied by best of their pupils.
Many other members of the regenerate order, possessed of wisdom and
accomplished in the Vedas, leading lives of domesticity or belonging to
the Snataka class, came to behold the Kuru king. Those high-souled ones,
as they came, were duly worshipped by Yudhishthira. The great Rishis then
took their seats on costly carpets. Accepting the worship suited to that
period (of mourning and impurity) that was offered them, they sat in due
order around the king. Thousands of Brahmanas offered consolation and
comfort to that king of kings residing on the sacred banks of the
Bhagirathi with heart exceedingly agitated by grief. Then Narada, after
having accosted the Rishis with the Island-born for their first, in due
time, addressed Yudhishthira, the son of Dharma, saying, 'Through the
might of thy arms and the grace of Madhava, the whole Earth, O
Yudhishthira, hath been righteously won by thee. By good luck, thou hast
escaped with life from this dreadful battle. Observant as thou art o f
the duties of a Kshatriya, dost thou not rejoice, O son of Pandu? Having
slain all thy foes, shalt thou not gratify thy friends, O king? Having
obtained this prosperity, I hope, grief doth not afflict thee still.'

"Yudhishthira said, 'Indeed the whole Earth hath been subjugated by me
through my reliance on the might of Krishna's arms, through the grace of
the Brahmanas, and through the strength of Bhima and Arjuna. This heavy
grief, however, is always sitting in my heart, viz., that through
covetousness I have caused this dreadful carnage of kinsmen. Having
caused the death of the dear son of Subhadra, and of the sons of
Draupadi, this victory, O holy one, appears to me in the light of a
defeat. What wilt Subhadra of Vrishni's race, that sister-in-law of mine,
say unto me? What also will the people residing in Dwaraka say unto the
slayer of Madhu when he goes thither from this place? This Draupadi,
again, who is ever engaged in doing what is agreeable to us, bereaved of
sons and kinsmen, is paining me exceedingly. This is another topic, O
holy Narada, about which I will speak to thee. In consequence of Kunti
having kept her counsels close in respect of a very important matter,
great has been my grief. That hero who had the strength of ten thousand
elephants, who in this world was an unrivalled car-warrior, who was
possessed of leonine pride and gait, who was endued with great
intelligence and compassion, whose liberality was very great, who
practised many high vows, who was the refuge of the Dhartarashtras, who
was sensitive about his honour, whose prowess was irresistible, who was
ready to pay off all injuries and was always wrathful (in battle), who
overthrew us in repeated encounters, who was quick in the use of weapons,
conversant with every mode of warfare, possessed of great skill, and
endued with wonderful valour (that Karna) was a son of Kunti, born
secretly of her, and therefore, a uterine brother of ours. Whilst we were
offering oblations of water unto the dead, Kunti spoke of him as the son
of Surya. Possessed of every virtue, that child had been cast into the
water. Having placed him in a basket made of light materials, Kunti
committed him to the current of Ganga. He who was regarded by the world
as a Suta's child born of Radha, was really the eldest son of Kunti and,
therefore, our uterine brother. Covetous of kingdom, alas, I have
unwittingly caused that brother of mine to be slain. It is this that is
burning my limbs like a fire burning a heap of cotton. The white-steeded
Arjuna knew him not for a brother. Neither I, nor Bhima, nor the twins,
knew him for such. He, however, of excellent bow, knew us (for his
brothers). We have heard that on one occasion Pritha went to him for
seeking our good and addressed him, saying, 'Thou art my son!' That
illustrious hero, however, refused to obey Pritha's wishes. Subsequently,
we are informed, he said unto his mother these words, 'I am unable to
desert Duryodhana in battle! If I do so, it would be a dishonourable,
cruel, and ungrateful act. If, yielding to thy wishes, I make peace with
Yudhishthira, people will say that I am afraid of the white-steeded
Arjuna. Having vanquished Arjuna with Kesava, therefore, in battle, I
will subsequently make peace with Dharma's son.' Even these were his
words as we have heard. Thus answered, Pritha once more addressed her son
of broad chest and said, 'Fight Phalguna then, but spare my four other
sons.' The intelligent Karna, with joined hands, then replied unto his
trembling mother, saying, 'If I get thy four other sons even under my
power, I will not slay them. Without doubt, O goddess, thou shalt
continue to have five sons. If Karna be slain with Arjuna, thou shalt
have five! If, on the other hand, Arjuna be slain, thou shalt have five,
numbering me.' Desirous of the good of her children, his mother once more
said unto him, 'Go, O Karna, do good unto those brothers of thine whose
good thou always seekest.' Having said these words, Pritha took his leave
and came back to her abode. That hero has been slain by Arjuna,--the
uterine brother by the brother! Neither Pritha, nor he, had ever
disclosed the secret, O lord! That hero and great bowman was therefore
slain by Arjuna in battle. Subsequently I have come to know, O best of
regenerate ones, that he was my uterine brother. Indeed, at Pritha's
words I have come to know that Karna was the eldest born! Having caused
my brother to be slain, my heart is burning exceedingly. If I had both
Karna and Arjuna for aiding me, I could have vanquished Vasudeva himself.
Whilst I was tortured in the midst of the assembly by the wicked-souled
sons of Dhritarashtra, my wrath, suddenly provoked, became cooled at
sight of Karna. Even while listening to the harsh and bitter words of
Karna himself on that occasion of our match at dice, to the words, that
Karna uttered from desire of doing what was agreeable to Duryodhana, my
wrath became cooled at sight of Karna's feet. It seemed to me that
Karna's feet resembled the feet of our mother Kunti. Desirous of finding
out the reason of that resemblance between him and our mother, I
reflected for a long time. With even my best exertions I failed to find
the cause. Why, indeed, did the earth swallow up the wheels of his car at
the time of battle? Why was my brother cursed? It behoveth thee to recite
all this to me. I desire to hear everything from thee, O holy one! Thou
art acquainted with everything in this world and thou knowest both the
past and the future!'

SECTION II

"Vaisampayana said, 'That foremost of speakers, the sage Narada, thus
questioned, narrated everything about the manner in which he who was
believed to be a Suta's son had been cursed (in former days).'

"Narada said, 'It is even so, O mighty armed one, as thou sayest, O
Bharata! Nothing could resist Karna and Arjuna in battle. This, O sinless
one, that I am about to tell thee is unknown to the very gods. Listen to
me, O mighty-armed one, as it befell in former days. How all the
Kshatriyas, cleansed by weapons should attain to regions of bliss, was
the question. For this, a child was conceived by Kunti in her maidenhood,
capable of provoking a general war. Endued with great energy, that child
came to have the status of a Suta. He subsequently acquired the science
of weapons from the preceptor (Drona), that foremost descendant of
Angirasa's race. Thinking of the might of Bhimasena, the quickness of
Arjuna in the use of weapons, the intelligence of thyself, O king, the
humility of the twins, the friendship, from earliest years, between
Vasudeva and the wielder of Gandiva, and the affection of the people for
you all, that young man burnt with envy. In early age he made friends
with king Duryodhana, led by an accident and his own nature and the hate
he bore towards you all. Beholding that Dhananjaya was superior to every
one in the science of weapons, Karna. one day approached Drona in private
and said these words unto him, 'I desire to be acquainted with the Brahma
weapon, with all its mantras and the power of withdrawing it, for I
desire to fight Arjuna. Without doubt, the affection thou bearest to
every one of thy pupils is equal to what thou bearest to thy own son. I
pray that all the masters of the science of weapons may, through thy
grace, regard me as one accomplished in weapons!' Thus addressed by him,
Drona, from partiality for Phalguna, as also from his knowledge of the
wickedness of Karna, said, 'None but a Brahmana, who has duly observed
all vows, should be acquainted with the Brahma weapon, or a Kshatriya
that has practised austere penances, and no other.' When Drona had
answered thus, Karna, having worshipped him, obtained his leave, and
proceeded without delay to Rama then residing on the Mahendra mountains.
Approaching Rama, he bent his head unto him and said, 'I am a Brahmana of
Bhrigu's race.' This procured honour for him. With this knowledge about
his birth and family, Rama received him kindly and said, 'Thou art
welcome!' at which Karna became highly glad. While residing on the
Mahendra mountains that resembled heaven itself, Karna met and mixed with
many Gandharvas, Yakshas, and gods. Residing there he acquired all the
weapons duly, and became a great favourite of the gods, the Gandharvas,
and the Rakshasas. One day he roved on the sea-coast by the side of that
asylum. Indeed, Surya's son, armed with bow and sword, wandered alone,
While thus employed, O Partha, he inadvertently slew, without witting it,
the Homa cow of a certain utterer of Brahma who daily performed his
Agnihotra rite. Knowing that he had perpetrated that act from
inadvertence, he informed the Brahmana of it. Indeed Karna, for the
object of gratifying the owner, repeatedly said, 'O holy one, I have
killed this thy cow without wilting it. Forgive me the act!' Filled with
wrath, the Brahmana, rebuking him, said these words, 'O thou of wicked
conduct, thou deservest to be killed. Let the fruit of this act be thine,
O thou of wicked soul. While fighting him, O wretch whom thou always
challengest, and for whose sake thou strivest so much every day, the
earth shall swallow the wheel of thy car! And while the wheel of thy car
shall thus be swallowed up by the earth, thy foe, putting forth his
prowess, will cut off thy head, thyself being stupefied the while! Leave
me, O vile man! As thou hast heedlessly slain this my cow, even so wilt
thy foe cut off thy head while thou shalt be heedless!' Though cursed,
Karna still sought to gratify that foremost of Brahmanas by offering him
kine and wealth and gems. The latter, however, once more answered him,
'All the words will not succeed in falsifying the words spoken by me! Go
hence or remain, do whatever thou likest.' Thus addressed by the
Brahmana, Karna, hanging down his head from cheerlessness, returned
timidly to Rama, reflecting on that matter.'

SECTION III

"Narada said, 'That tiger of Bhrigu's race (viz., Rama), was well-pleased
with the might of Karna's arms, his affection (for him), his
self-restraint, and the services he did unto his preceptor. Observant of
ascetic penances, Rama cheerfully communicated, with due forms, unto his
penance-observing disciple, everything about the Brahma weapon with the
mantras for withdrawing it. Having acquired a knowledge of that weapon,
Karna began to pass his days happily in Bhrigu's retreat, and endued with
wonderful prowess, he devoted himself with great ardour to the science of
weapons. One day Rama of great intelligence, while roving with Karna in
the vicinity or his retreat, felt very weak in consequence of the fasts
he had undergone. From affection begotten by confidence, the tired son of
Jamadagni placing his head on Karna's lap, slept soundly, White his
preceptor was thus sleeping (with head) on his lap, a frightful worm,
whose bite was very painful and which subsisted on phlegm and fat and
flesh and blood, approached the presence of Karna. That blood-sucking
worm, approaching Karna's thigh, began to pierce it. Through fear of
(awaking) his preceptor, Karna became unable to either throw away or kill
that worm. Though his limb was bored through by that worm, O Bharata, the
son of Surya, lest his preceptor should awake, suffered it to do its
pleasure. Though the pain was intolerable, Karna bore it with heroic
patience, and continued to hold Bhrigu's son on his lap, without
quivering in the least and without manifesting any sign of pain. When at
last Karna's blood touched the body of Rama of great energy, the latter
awoke and said these words in fear, 'Alas, I have been made impure! What
is this that thou art doing, Tell me, casting off all fear, what is the
truth of this matter!' Then Karna informed him of that worm's bite. Rama
saw that worm which resembled a hog in shape. It had eight feet and very
keen teeth, and it was covered with bristles that were all pointed like
needles. Called by the name of Alarka, its limbs were then shrunk (with
fear). As soon as Rama cast his, eyes on it, the worm gave up its
life-breath, melting in that blood which it had drawn. All this seemed
wonderful. Then in the welkin was seen a Rakshasa of terrible form, dark
in hue, of a red neck, capable of assuming any form at wilt, and staying
on the clouds,--his object fulfilled, the Rakshasa, with joined hands,
addressed Rama, saying, 'O best of ascetics, thou hast rescued me from
this hell! Blessed be thou, I adore thee, thou hast done me good!'
Possessed of great energy, the mighty-armed son of Jamadagni said unto
him, 'Who art thou? And why also didst thou fall into hell? Tell me all
about it.' He answered, 'Formerly I was a great Asura of the name of
Dansa. In the Krita period, O sire, I was of the same age with Bhrigu. I
ravished the dearly-loved spouse of that sage. Through his curse I felt
down on the earth in the form of a worm. In anger thy ancestors said unto
me, 'Subsisting on urine and phlegm, O wretch, thou shalt lead a life of
hell.' I then besought him, saying, 'When, O Brahmana, shall this curse
end?' Bhrigu replied unto me, saying. 'This curse shall end through Rama
of my race. It was for this that I had obtained such a course of life
like one of uncleansed soul. O righteous one, by thee, however, I have
been rescued from that sinful life.' Having said these words, the great
Asura, bending his head unto Rama went away. Then Rama wrathfully
addressed Karna, saying, 'O fool, no Brahmana could endure such agony.
Thy patience is like that of a Kshatriya. Tell me the truth, without
fear.' Thus asked, Karna, fearing to be cursed, and seeking to gratify
him, said these words, 'O thou of Bhrigu's race, know me for a Suta, a
race that has sprung from the intermixture of Brahmanas with Kshatriyas.
People call me Karna the son of Radha. O thou of Bhrigu's race, be
gratified with my poor self that has acted from the desire of obtaining
weapons. There is no doubt in this that a reverend preceptor in the Vedas
and other branches of knowledge is one's father. It was for this that I
introduced myself to thee as a person of thy own race.' Unto the
cheerless and trembling Karna, prostrated with joined hands upon earth,
that foremost one of Bhrigu's race, smiling though filled with wrath,
answered, 'Since thou hast, from avarice of weapons, behaved here with
falsehood, therefore, O wretch, this Brahma weapon shalt not dwell in thy
remembrance[2]. Since thou art not a Brahmana, truly this Brahma weapon
shall not, up to the time of thy death, dwell in thee when thou shalt be
engaged with a warrior equal to thyself![3] Go hence, this is no place
for a person of such false behaviour as thou! On earth, no Kshatriya will
be thy equal in battle.' Thus addressed by Rama, Karna came away, having
duty taken his leave. Arriving then before Duryodhana, he informed him,
saying, 'I have mastered all weapons!'"