SECTION CXLV
"Karna said, 'I am Karna, son of Radha and Adhiratha. For what, O lady,
hast you come here? Tell me what I am to do for thee?'
"Kunti said, 'Thou are Kunti's son, and not Radha's. Nor is Adhiratha thy
father. Thou, O Karna, are not born in the Suta order. Believe what I
say. Thou wert brought forth by me while a maiden. I held you first in
my womb. O son, you wert born in the palace of Kuntiraja. O Karna, that
divine Surya who blazeth forth in light and maketh everything visible, O
foremost of all wielders of weapons, begat you upon me. O irresistible
one, thou, O son, wert brought forth by me in my father's abode, decked
with (natural) ear-rings and accoutred in a (natural) coat of mail, and
blazing forth in beauty. That thou, without knowing your brothers,
shouldst, therefore, from ignorance, wait upon Dhritarashtra's son, is
not proper. It is improper in you especially, O son. The gratification
of 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 of
men, been declared to be the highest of all duties. Acquired formerly by
Arjuna, the prosperity of Yudhishthira hath, from avarice, been wrested
by wicked persons. Snatching it back from Dhritarashtra's sons, do thou
enjoy that prosperity. Let the Kurus behold today the union of Karna and
Arjuna. Beholding you and your brother united together in bonds of
brotherly love, let those wicked persons bow down unto ye. Let Karna and
Arjuna be named in the same breath as Rama and Janardana. If you two are
united together, what cannot be accomplished in the world? O Karna,
surrounded by your brothers, you wilt, without doubt, blaze forth like
Brahma Himself, surrounded by the gods on the platform of a great
sacrifice. Endued with every virtue, you are the first of all my
relations. Let not the epithet Suta's son attach to thee. Thou are a
Partha, endued with great energy.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 5 : UPA-PARVA 145 ---------------------
