Chapter 5

“Narada said, ‘Hearing of the fame of Karna’s might, the ruler of theMagadhas, king Jarasandha, challenged him to a single combat. Bothconversant with the celestial weapons, a fierce battle took place betweenthem in which they struck each other with diverse kinds of arms. At lastwhen their arrows were exhausted and bows and swords were broken and theyboth became carless, they began, possessed of might as they were, tofight with bare arms. While engaged with him in mortal combat with barearms, Karna was about to sever the two portions of his antagonist’s bodythat had been united together by Jara. The king (of Magadha), then afterfeeling himself very much pained, cast off all desire of hostility andaddressed Karna, saying, ‘I am gratified.’ From friendship he then gaveunto Karna the town Malini. Before this, that tiger among men andsubjugator of all foes (viz., Karna) had been king of the Angas only, butfrom that time the grinder of hostile forces began to rule over Champaalso, agreeably to the wishes of Duryodhana, as thou knowest. Thus Karnabecame 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 andear-rings, stupefied by celestial illusion, he gave away those preciouspossessions. Deprived of his car-rings and divested of his naturalarmour, he was slain by Arjuna in Vasudeva’s presence. In consequence ofa Brahmana’s curse, as also of the curse of the illustrious Rama, of theboon granted to Kunti and the illusion practised on him by Indra, of hisdepreciation by Bhishma as only half a car-warrior, at the tale of Rathasand Atirathas, of the destruction of his energy caused by Salya (with hiskeen speeches), of Vasudeva’s policy, and, lastly of the celestialweapons obtained by Arjuna from Rudra and Indra and Yama and Varuna andKuvera and Drona and the illustrious Kripa, the wielder of Gandivasucceeded in slaying Vikartana’s son Karna of effulgence like that ofSurya himself. Even thus had thy brother been cursed and beguiled bymany. As, however, he has fallen in battle, thou shouldst not grieve forthat tiger among men!'”