वैशम्पायन उवाच जित्वा तु पृथिवीं राजन् सूतपुत्रो जनाधिप। अब्रवीत् परवीरघ्नो दुर्योधनमिदं वचः॥
Vaishampayana said : O king, O lord of men, that slayer of hostile heroes, the Suta's son (Karna) then spoke these words to Duryodhana.
कर्ण उवाच दुर्योधन निबोधेदं यत् त्वां वक्ष्यामि कौरव। श्रुत्वा वाचं तथा सर्वं कर्तुमर्हस्यरिंदम॥ तवाद्य पृथिवी वीर नि:सपत्ना नृपोत्तम। तां पालय यथा शक्रो हतशत्रुर्महामनाः॥
"O descendant of Kuru, O Duryodhana, lay into your heart the words that I shall tell you. O chastiser of foes, after having heard my words, you should act accordingly. O foremost of kings, O hero, the earth has been now got rid of all our enemies. Now rule over the earth like the illustrious Indra."
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्तस्तु कर्णेन कर्णं राजाब्रवीत् पुनः। न किंचिद् दुर्लभं तस्य यस्य त्वं पुरुषर्षभ॥ सहायश्चानुरक्तश्च मदर्थं च समुद्यतः। अभिप्रायस्तु मे कश्चित् तं वै शृणु यथातथम्॥
Having been thus addressed by Karna, the king again thus spoke to him, “O foremost of men, nothing is unattainable to him who has you as a protector and to whom you are attached and on whose welfare you are entirely intent. Now I shall speak to you something which you should listen to.
राजसूयं पाण्डवस्य दृष्ट्वा क्रतुवरं महत्। मम स्पृहा समुत्पन्ना तां सम्पादय सूतज॥
O Suta's son, seeing the great sacrifice Rajasuya of the Pandavas, I desire to perform the same. Fulfill my this desire."
एवमुक्तस्ततः कर्णो राजानमिदमब्रवीत्। तवाद्य पृथिवीपाला वश्याः सर्वे नृपोत्तम॥ आहूयन्तां द्विजवराः सम्भाराश्च यथाविधि। सम्भ्रियन्तां कुरुश्रेष्ठ यज्ञोपकरणानि च॥
Having been thus addressed, Karna thus spoke to the king, “Now as all the chief monarchs of the earth have been brought under your subjection, you summon the Brahmanas, O foremost of Kurus and then duly procure the articles required for the sacrifice.
ऋत्विजश्च समाहूता यथोक्ता वेदपारगाः। क्रियां कुर्वन्तु ते राजन् यथाशास्त्रमरिंदम॥
O king, O chastiser of foes, let Ritvijas, learned in the Vedas, celebrate your rites according to the ordinance.
बन्नपानसंयुक्तः सुसमृद्धगुणान्वितः। प्रवर्ततां महायज्ञस्तवापि भरतर्षभ॥
O foremost of the Bharata race, let your great sacrifice also abound in meats and drink and be grand in every thing."
एवमुक्तस्तु कर्णेन धार्तराष्ट्रो विशाम्पते। पुरोहितं समानाय्य वचनं चेदमब्रवीत्॥ राजसूयं क्रतुश्रेष्ठं समाप्तवरदक्षिणम्। आहर त्वं मम कृते यथान्यायं यथाक्रमम्॥
O king, having been thus addressed by Karna, Dhritarashtra's son summoned the priest and spoke to him him these words, “Celebrate duly and in proper order the foremost of all sacrifices the Rajasuya abounding in large Dakshinas."
स एवमुक्तो नृपतिमुवाच द्विजसत्तमः। न स शक्यः क्रतुश्रेष्ठो जीवमाने युधिष्ठिरे॥ आहर्तुं कौरवश्रेष्ठ कुले तव नृपोत्तमा दीर्घायुर्जीवति च ते धृतराष्ट्र: पिता नृप।॥ अतश्चापि विरुद्धस्ते क्रतुरेष नृपोत्तम।
Having been thus addressed that foremost of Brahmanas spoke thus to the king, “You cannot perform that great sacrifice, so long Yudhishthira is alive. O best of the Kurus, O feremost of kings, your long-lived father Dhritarashtra is still alive. For this reason also you cannot perform it. There is.
अस्ति त्वन्यन्महत् सत्रं राजसूयसमं प्रभो॥
O lord, another great sacrifice resembling the Rajasuya.
तेन त्वं यज राजेन्द्र शृणु चेदं वचो मम। य इमे पृथिवीपालाः करदास्तव पार्थिव॥ ते करान् सम्प्रयच्छन्तु सुवर्णं च कृताकृतम्। तेन ते क्रियतामद्य लागलं नृपसत्तम॥
O foremost of kings, perform this sacrifice. Listen to me. All those rulers of earth, O king, who have come to your subjection will pay you tribute in pure and impure gold. O best of kings, with that gold make a (sacrificial) plough.
यज्ञवाटस्य ते भूमिः कृष्यतां तेन भारत। तत्र यज्ञो नृपश्रेष्ठ प्रभूतान्नः सुसंस्कृतः॥ प्रवर्ततां यथान्यायं सर्वतो ह्यनिवारितः।
O descendant of Bharata, with it plough the sacrificial ground. At that spot let there commence, O foremost of kings, with due rites and without any disturbance, the sacrifice sanctified with Mantra and abounding in eatables.
एष ते वैष्णवो नाम यज्ञः सत्पुरुषोचितः॥ एतेन नेष्टवान् कश्चिदृते विष्णुं पुरातनम्। राजसूयं क्रतुश्रेष्ठं स्पर्धत्येष महाक्रतुः॥
This sacrifice worthy to be performed by virtuous men is called Vaishnava. No person except the ancient Vishnu has ever performed it. This great sacrifice vies with that foremost of sacrifices, the Rajasuya.
अस्माकं रोचते चैव श्रेयश्च तव भारत। निर्विघ्नश्च भवत्येष सफला स्यात् स्पृहा तव॥
It is desired by us and it is also for your good It is capable of being performed without any disturbance. Your desire also will be fulfilled.”
एवमुक्तस्तु तैविप्रैर्धारिष्ट्रो महीपतिः। कर्णं च सौबलं चैव भ्रातूंश्चैवेदमब्रवीत्॥
Having been thus addressed by those Brahmanas, the son of Dhritarashtra, the king (Duryodhana), thus spoke to Karna, his brothers and the son of Subala (Shakuni).
रोचते मे वचः कृत्स्नं ब्राह्मणानां न संशयः। रोचते यदि युष्माकं तस्मात् प्रब्रूत मा चिरम्॥
"The words of the Brahmanas are certainly very much liked by me. If they are liked by you, express it without delay."
एवमुक्तास्तु ते सर्वे तथेत्यूचुर्नराधिपम्। संदिदेश ततो राजा व्यापारस्थान् यथाक्रमम्॥ हलस्य करणे चापि व्यादिष्टाः सर्वशिल्पिनः। यथोक्तं च नृपश्रेष्ठ कृतं सर्वं यथाक्रमम्॥
Having been thus addressed, they all said to the king, "So be it.” Then the king one by one appointed persons to the respective posts in the sacrifice). He desired the artizans to construct the plough. O foremost of kings, all that was commanded by the king was gradually executed.