Chapter 4

“Sanjaya said, ‘Unto him who was talking thus, the aged Kuru grandsirewith a cheerful heart, said these words adapted to both time and place:’Like the ocean unto rivers, like the Sun unto all luminous bodies, likethe righteous unto Truth, like a fertile soil unto seeds, like the cloudsunto all creatures, be thou the refuge of thy relatives and friends! Likethe celestials upon him of a thousand eyes, let thy kinsmen depend onthee. Be thou the humiliator of thy foes, and the enhancer of the joys ofthy friends. Be thou unto the Kauravas as Vishnu unto the dwellers ofheaven. Desirous of doing what was agreeable to Dhritarashtra’s son, thoudidst with the might and prowess of own arms, O Karna, vanquish theKamvojas having proceeded to Rajpura. Many kings, amongst whom Nagnajitwas the foremost, while staying in Girivraja, as also the Amvashthas, theVidehas, and the Gandharvas, were all vanquished by thee. The Kiratas,fierce in battle, dwelling in the fastness of Himavat, were formerly, OKarna, made by thee to own Duryodhana’s sway. And so also, the Utpalas,the Mekalas, the Paundras, the Kalingas, the Andhras, the Nishadas, theTrigartas, and the Valhikas, were all vanquished by thee, O Karna, inbattle. In many other countries, O Karna, impelled by the desire of doinggood to Duryodhana, thou didst, O hero, vanquish many races and kings ofgreat energy. Like Duryodhana, O child, with his kinsmen, and relatives,and friends, be thou also the refuge of all the Kauravas. In auspiciouswords I command thee, go and fight with the enemy. Lead the Kurus inbattle, and give victory unto Duryodhana. Thou art to us our grandsoneven as Duryodhana is. According to the ordinance, all of us also are asmuch thine as Duryodhana’s![7]The wise, O foremost of men, say that thecompanionship of the righteous with the righteous is a superiorrelationship to that born of the same womb. Without falsifying,therefore, thy relationship with Kurus, protect thou the Kaurava hostlike Duryodhana, regarding it as thy own.

“Hearing these words of his, Vikartana’s. son Karna, reverentiallysaluting Bhishma’s feet, (bade him farewell) and came to that spot whereall the Kaurava bowmen were. Viewing that wide and unparalleledencampment of the vast host, he began to cherish (by words ofencouragement) those well-armed and broad-chested warriors. And all theKauravas headed by Duryodhana were filled with joy. And beholding themighty-armed and high-souled Karna come to the field and station himselfat the head of the whole army, for battle, the Kauravas received him withloud shouts and slapping of arm-pits and leonine roars and twang of bowsand diverse other kinds of noise.'”