Chapter 145

“Karna said, ‘I am Karna, son of Radha and Adhiratha. For what, O lady,hast thou come here? Tell me what I am to do for thee?’

“Kunti said, ‘Thou art Kunti’s son, and not Radha’s. Nor is Adhiratha thyfather. Thou, O Karna, art not born in the Suta order. Believe what Isay. Thou wert brought forth by me while a maiden. I held thee first inmy womb. O son, thou wert born in the palace of Kuntiraja. O Karna, thatdivine Surya who blazeth forth in light and maketh everything visible, Oforemost of all wielders of weapons, begat thee upon me. O irresistibleone, thou, O son, wert brought forth by me in my father’s abode, deckedwith (natural) ear-rings and accoutred in a (natural) coat of mail, andblazing forth in beauty. That thou, without knowing thy brothers,shouldst, therefore, from ignorance, wait upon Dhritarashtra’s son, isnot proper. It is improper in thee especially, O son. The gratificationof one’s father and one’s mother, who is the sole displayer of affection(for her child), hath, O son, in the matter of ascertaining the duties ofmen, been declared to be the highest of all duties. Acquired formerly byArjuna, the prosperity of Yudhishthira hath, from avarice, been wrestedby wicked persons. Snatching it back from Dhritarashtra’s sons, do thouenjoy that prosperity. Let the Kurus behold today the union of Karna andArjuna. Beholding thee and thy brother united together in bonds ofbrotherly love, let those wicked persons bow down unto ye. Let Karna andArjuna be named in the same breath as Rama and Janardana. If you two areunited together, what cannot be accomplished in the world? O Karna,surrounded by thy brothers, thou wilt, without doubt, blaze forth likeBrahma Himself, surrounded by the gods on the platform of a greatsacrifice. Endued with every virtue, thou art the first of all myrelations. Let not the epithet Suta’s son attach to thee. Thou art aPartha, endued with great energy.'”