संजय उवाच तस्य लालप्यतः श्रुत्वा कुरुवृद्धः पितामहः। देशकालोचितं वाक्यमब्रवीत् प्रीतमानसः॥
Sanjaya said When he had been thus speaking, the venerable grandsire of the Kurus, pleased with him, addressed to him these words suitable to season and place.
समुद्र इव सिन्धूनां ज्योतिषामिव भास्करः। सत्यस्य च यथा सन्तो बीजानामिव चोर्वरा॥ पर्जन्य इव भूतानां प्रतिष्ठा सुहृदां भव। बान्धवास्त्वानुजीवन्तु सहस्राक्षमिवामराः॥
May you be the refuge of your friends, even as the ocean is the refuge of the rivers, the sun of the other planets, the pious of the truth, fertile soil of the seeds and Parjanya of the created beings. May your relations depend on you even as the immortals depend upon the thousand-eyed Indra.
मानहा भव शत्रूणां मित्राणां नन्दिवर्धनः। कौरवाणां भव गतिर्यथा विष्णुर्दिवौकसाम्॥
May you be the humiliator of the pride of your enemies, and may you be the enhancer of the delight of your friends, the Kauravas, as Vishnu is of the denizens of heaven.
स्वबाहुबलवीर्येण धार्तराष्ट्रजयैषिणा। कर्ण राजपुरं गत्वा काम्बोजा निर्जितास्त्वया॥
( Karna, ever anxious to perform the pleasures of the son of Dhritarashtra, you, with the strength and vigour of your arms, did defeat the Kambojas, having goue to their country, namely Rajapura.
गिरिव्रजगताश्चापि नग्नजित्प्रमुखा नृपाः। अम्बष्ठाश्च विदेहाश्च गान्धाराश्च जितास्त्वया॥
You also vanquished the monarchs who was stopping at Girivraja and who was headed by Nagnajit, as also the Ambasthas, the Vidchas and the Gandharvas.
हिमवदुर्गनिलयाः किराता रणकर्कशाः। दुर्योधनस्य वशगास्त्वया कर्ण पूरा कृताः॥
O Karna, in days gone by, you brought under the authority of Duryodhana the Kiratas obstinate in battle and peopling the strongholds of the Himavat.
उत्कला मेकला: पौण्ड्राः कलिङ्गान्ध्राश्च संयुगे। निषादाश्च त्रिगर्ताश्च बाह्रीकाश्च जितास्त्वया॥
The Utkalas, the Mekhalas, the Paundras, the Kalingas, the Nishadhas, the Trigarttas and the Valhikas, were also worsted in battle by you.
तत्र तत्र च संग्रामे दुर्योधनहितैषिणा। बहवश्च जिताः कर्ण त्वया वीरा महौजसा॥
O Karna, desirous of doing good to Duryodhana, you defeated in battle in various lands, O hero, numerous highly vigorous clans.
यथा दुर्योधनस्तात सज्ञातिकुलवान्धवः। तथा त्वमपि सर्वेषां कौरवाणां गतिर्भव॥
May you, O son, be the shelter of all the Kauravas, even as Duryodhana is, with his friends, relatives and kinsmen.
शिवेनाभिवदामि त्वां गच्छ युध्यस्व शत्रुभिः। अनुशाधि कुरून् संख्ये धत्स्व दुर्योधने जयम्॥
I do bid you farewell in benedictory language; go and fight with enemy; command the Kurus in battle and secure victory for Duryodhana.
भवान् पौत्रसमोऽस्माकं यथा दुर्योधनस्तथा। तवापि धर्मतः सर्वे यथा तस्य वयं तथा॥
Like Duryodhana, you are to us our grandson. Therefore, by the ordinances, we are the same to you as we are to him.
यौनात् सम्बन्धकाल्लोके विशिष्टं संगतं सताम्। सद्भिः सह नरश्रेष्ठ प्रवदन्ति मनीषिणः॥
O foremost of men, the intelligent hold that in this world the connection of the pious with the pious is more closer in respect of relationship than that through the uterus.
स सत्यसंगतो भूत्वा ममेदमिति निश्चितः। कुरूणां पालय बलं यथा दुर्योधनस्तथा॥
Therefore being faithfully united with the Kurus and believing their army to be your own, do you, like Duryodhana himself, protect it."
निशम्य वचनं तस्य चरणावभिवाद्य च। ययौ वैकर्तनः कर्णः समीपं सर्वधन्विनाम्॥
Having heard these words of him (Bhishma) and having bowed down to his feet, Karna, the son of Vikartana, went to the place where all the bowmen were assembled.
सोऽभिवीक्ष्य नरौघाणां स्थानमप्रतिमं महत्। व्यूढप्रहरणोरस्कं सैन्यं तत् समबृंहयत्॥
Beholding that matchless and extensive encampment of the innumerable army, Karna encouraged that host of well-accoutered and broad-chested soldiers.
षिताः कुरवः सर्वे दुर्योधनपुरोगमाः। उपागतं महाबाहुं सर्वानीकपुरःसरम्॥ कर्णे दृष्ट्वा महात्मानं युद्धाय समुपस्थितम्। क्ष्वेडितास्फोटितरवैः सिंहनादरवैरपि। धनुःशब्दैश्च विविधैः कुरुः समपूजयन्॥
All the Kurus, having Duryodhana at their head, were greatly delighted; and seeing that mighty-armed and high-souled Karna come with the intent of battle and place himself at the command of the whole host, the Kurus welcomed him, with sounds produced by the striking of the arm-pits, with rending shouts, twang of bow-strings, roars like that of lions and diverse other kinds of sounds.