जनमेजय उवाच वसमानेषु पार्थेषु वने तस्मिन् महात्मसु। धार्तराष्ट्रा महेष्वासाः किमकुर्वत सत्तमाः॥

Janamejaya said : When the illustrious sons of Pritha were living in the forest, what did those foremost of men and mighty bow-men, the the sons of Dhritarashtra do?

Vana Parva 253.1

कर्णो वैकर्तनश्चैव शकुनिश्च महाबलः। भीष्मद्रोणकृपाश्चैव तन्मे शंसितुमर्हसि॥

What did the son of the sun, Karna and the powerful Shakuni and Bhishma, Drona and Kripa do. You should narrate all this to me.

Vana Parva 253.2

वैशम्पायन उवाच एवं गतेषु पार्थेषु विसृष्टे च सुयोधने। आगते हास्तिनपुरं मोक्षिते पाण्डुनन्दनैः॥ भीष्मोऽब्रवीन्महाराज धार्तराष्ट्रमिदं वचः।

Vaishampayana said : O great king, when in this manner the Pandavas had gone away leaving Duryodhana and when having been rescued by the Pandavas, he had gone to Hastinapur, Bhishma spoke thus to the son of Dhritarashtra (Duryodhana),

Vana Parva 253.3

उक्तं तात यथा पूर्वं गच्छतस्ते तपोवनम्॥ गमनं मे न रुचितं तव तत्र कृतं च ते।

"O child, I told you before when you intended to go to the forest of the ascetics. That I did not like your journey. But you did go notwithstanding

Vana Parva 253.4

तत: प्राप्तं त्वया वीर ग्रहणं शत्रुभिर्बलात्॥ मोक्षितश्चासि धर्मज्ञैः पाण्डवैर्न च लज्जसे।

O hero, you were forcibly taken captive by the enemy; you were rescued by the virtuous Pandavas, but still you were not ashamed.

Vana Parva 253.5

प्रत्यक्षं तव गान्धारे ससैन्यस्य विशाम्पते॥ सूतपुत्रोऽपयाद् भीतो गन्धर्वाणां तदा रणात्।

O king, O son of Gandhari, even in your presence and also in the presence of your army did the Suta's (Karna) son, struck with panic, fly away from the battle of the Gandharvas.

Vana Parva 253.6

क्रोशतस्तव राजेन्द्र ससैन्यस्य नृपात्मज॥ दृष्टस्ते विक्रमश्चैव पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम्।

O king of kings, O son of a king, while you with your army were crying in great distress, you saw, O mighty armed hero, the prowess of the high-souled Pandavas

Vana Parva 253.7

कर्णस्य च महाबाहो सूतपुत्रस्य दुर्मतेः॥ न चापि पादभाक् कर्णः पाण्डवानां नृपोत्तम। धनुर्वेद च शौर्ये च धर्मे वा धर्मवत्सल॥

And also that of the wicked-minded son of the Suta, Karna. O foremost of kings, O lover of virtue, whether in the science of arms or heroisrm or morality, Karna is not (even) the fourth part of the Pandavas.

Vana Parva 253.8

तस्मादहं क्षमं मन्ये पाण्डवैस्तैर्महात्मभिः। संधिं संधिविदां श्रेष्ठ कुलस्यास्य विवृद्धये॥

Therefore for the welfare of this race, peace is I think most desirable with the sons of Pandu.”

Vana Parva 253.9

एवमुक्तश्च भीष्मेण धार्तराष्ट्रो जनेश्वरः। प्रहस्य सहसा राजन् विप्रतस्थे ससौबलः॥

Having been thus addressed by Bhishma, that lord of men, the son of Dhritarashtra (Duryodhana) laughed aloud and he suddenly went away with the son of Subala (Shakuni).

Vana Parva 253.10

तं तु प्रस्थितमाज्ञाय कर्णदुःशासनादयः। अनुजग्मुर्महेष्वासा धार्तराष्ट्र महाबलम्॥

Then knowing that he was gone, those mighty bowmen with Karna and Dushasana at their head followed that mighty bowman and greatly powerful son of Dhritarashtra.

Vana Parva 253.11

तांस्तु सम्प्रस्थितान् दृष्ट्वा भीष्मः कुरुपितामहः। लज्जया वीडितो राजञ्जगाम स्वं निवेशनम्॥

Having seen them gone, Bhishma, the grandfather of the Kurus, bent down his head in shame. O king, he too then went away to his house,

Vana Parva 253.12

गते भीष्मे महाराज धार्तराष्ट्रो जनेश्वरः। पुनरागम्य तं देशममन्त्रयत मन्त्रिभिः॥

O great king, when Bhishma had gone away, that lord of men, the son of Dhritarashtra (Duryodhana) again came there and consulted with his counsellors.

Vana Parva 253.13

किमस्माकं भवेच्छ्रेयः किं कार्यमवशिष्यते। कथं च सुकृतं तत् स्यान्मन्त्रयामोऽद्य यद्धितम्॥

Duryodhana said : “What is good for me? What remains to be done? How can we most effectually bring about the good that we shall fix upon today?”

Vana Parva 253.14

कर्ण उवाच दुर्योधन निबोधेदं यत् त्वां वक्ष्यामि कौरव। भीष्मोऽस्मान् निन्दति सदा पाण्डवांश्च प्रशंसति॥

Karna said: Odescendant of Kuru, O Duryodhana, lay to your heart the words I say. Bhishma always blames us and praises the Pandavas.

Vana Parva 253.15

त्वद् द्वेषाच्च महाबाहो ममापि द्वेष्टुमर्हति। विगर्हते च मां नित्यं त्वत्समीपे नरेश्वर॥

O mighty-armed hero, from the illness he bears towards you, he insults me; O lord of men, in your presence he always abuses me.

Vana Parva 253.16

सोऽहं भीष्मवचस्तद् वै न मृष्यामीह भारत! त्वत्समक्षं यदुक्तं च भीष्मेणामित्रकर्षण॥ पाण्डवानां यशो राजंस्तव निन्दां च भारता अनुजानीहि मां राजन् सभृत्यबलवाहनम्॥

O descendant of Bharata, O chastiser of focs, I shall never bear the words that Bhishma has said as regards this matter by praising the Pandavas and censuring you. O king, join with me with your attendants, troops and chariots.

Vana Parva 253.17

जेष्यामि पृथिवीं राजन् सशैलवनकाननाम्। जिता च पाण्डवैर्भूमिश्चतुर्भिर्बलशालिभिः॥ तामहं ते विजेष्यामि एक एव न संशयः। सम्पश्यतु सुदुर्बुद्धिर्भीष्मः कुरुकुलाधमः॥

O king, I shall then conquer the earth adorned with mountains, woods and forests. The earth has been conquered by the four mighty Pandavas. I shall certainly conquer it for you single-handed. Let that wretch of the Kuru race, the exceedingly wicked minded Bhishma see it.

Vana Parva 253.18

अनिन्धं निन्दते यो हि अप्रशंस्यं प्रशंसति। स पश्यतु बलं मेऽद्य आत्मानं तु विगर्हतु॥

He abuses those that do not deserve it and praises those that should not be praised. Let hiin today see my prowess and blame himself.

Vana Parva 253.19

अनुजानीहि मां राजन् ध्रुवो हि विजयस्तव। प्रतिजानामि ते सत्यं राजन्नायुधमालभे॥

O king, command me. Victory shall surely be yours. O king, I swear by my weapon.

Vana Parva 253.20

तच्छ्रुत्वा तु वचो राजन् कर्णस्य भरतर्षभ। प्रीत्या परमया युक्तः कर्णमाह नराधिपः॥

Vaishampayana said: O king, O foremost of the Bharata race, having heard these words of Karna, that lord of men became exceedingly delighted and he thus spoke to Karna.

Vana Parva 253.21

धन्योऽस्म्यनुगृहीतोऽस्मि यस्य मे त्वं महाबलः हितेषु वर्तसे नित्यं सफलं जन्म चाद्य मे॥

"I am blessed, for I have been favoured by you. When you who possess the greatest prowess are eager to look after my welfare, my life has borne fruit today.

Vana Parva 253.22

यदा च मन्यसे वीर सर्वशत्रुनिबर्हणम्। तदा निर्गच्छ भद्रं ते ह्यनुशाधि च मामिति॥

O hero, you desire to vanquish all my foes. Go. May good come to you. Command me what I am to do."

Vana Parva 253.23

एवमुक्तस्तदा कर्णो धार्तराष्ट्रेण धीमता। सर्वमाज्ञापयामास प्रायात्रिकमरिंदम॥

O chastiser of foes, having been thus addressed by the intelligent son of Dhritarashtra, Karna ordered (to be ready) all the necessaries for expedition.

Vana Parva 253.24

प्रययौ च महेष्वासो नक्षत्रे शुभदैवते। शुभे तिथौ मुहूर्ते च पूज्यमानो द्विजातिभिः॥ मङ्गलैश्च शुभैः स्नातो वाग्भिश्चापि प्रपूजितः। नादयन् रथघोषेण त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम्॥

On an auspicious lunar day and at an auspicious moment and under the influence of a star presided over by an auspicious deity, that mighty bowman, having been honoured by the Brahmanas and bathed with auspicious and holy substances and also worshipped by all, started, filling with the rattle of his car the three worlds with all mobile and immobile objects.

Vana Parva 253.25