[3-304] Vaishampaayan Jee said - "After the Brahman had left, Kuntee pondered over the virtue of the Mantra for some time - "What type of Mantra that Braahman has given to me? I should test their power." As she was thinking in this way, she got the indication of her season and it arrived. She was unmarried and she blushed with shame. She was sitting in her room on her bed, that she saw the Sun rising in the sky. Her both mind and eyes fixed on the rising Sun. She continued to gaze at it and she was not getting satisfied by looking at it. She suddenly became gifted, and she saw that god in his Kavach and with earrings. At the sight of the god, she became curious of that Mantra, so she decided to invoke him. She did some Paaraanaayam and invoked the god. Soorya Dev speedily came there. He was of yellowish color, had mighty arms which were decorated with armlets, and had a diadem on his head. By his power he had divided himself in two - in one form he was giving heat to all, and the other form was standing in front of Kuntee.

As he appeared before Kuntee, he spoke in a very soft and sweet words - "O Maiden, I have come here because of the power of that Mantra and I am obedient to you. As I am under your power, tell me what should I do for you? I will do whatever you command me to do," Hearing this Kuntee said - "You go back to your place where you have come from. I invoked you only for curiosity sake, pardon me for that, O Worshipful One." Soorya Dev said - "I will go back, as you have said to me, but it is not proper to send a celestial without doing anything. Your intention is to have a son from Soorya Dev, who is decorated with earrings and Kavach (armor), and who will be incomparable in future in the world. That is why you surrender to me, and you will have a son of your liking. I will go back after knowing you. If you will not please me by obeying me today, I will curse you, your father and the Braahman. I will destroy all of them because of your fault. I shall punish your foolish father also who does not know about this sin and that Braahman too who has bestowed this Mantra on you without knowing your character. There are many Devtaa and Indra on their head are looking at me with a taunting smile at my being deceived by you. Look at those Devtaa, because now you have Divine Sight. In fact I had given you Divine Sight even before that is why you could see me."

Vaishampaayan Jee continued - "At this Kuntee saw Devtaa standing in the firmament at their own places, even she saw Soorya Dev also there. Seeing them there standing the girl blushed with shyness. She requested Soorya Dev again - "O Lord of Rays, Go back to your place. I am a maiden and because of this it is not proper for you to be angry with me. It is only one's father, mother or her superiors should give the girl away. I shall never give away virtue seeing it as the highest duty of a woman. It was just only to test the Mantra, just for my childishness sake, I called you. Take it as a childish act, please forgive her." Soorya Dev said - "It is because that you are a girl, I am speaking with you so mildly. If it had not been so, I would not have spoken like thus. O Kuntee, Surrender yourself. You will surely attain happiness. Since you have invoked me by Mantra, It is  not proper for me to go away without giving you anything. If I will do so, people and Devtaa will laugh at me, that is why you surrender to me. By this you will have a son like me and you will also be praised a lot in the world."

[3-305] Vaishampaayan Jee said - "Although Kuntee tried to convince Soorya Dev in sweet words, but was unable to do so. So for the fear of curse she thought for a long time - "How can my father, the Braahman and myself save from his curse for my sake? By acting foolishly in this way I have put myself in such a frightful condition. Now I am in his grip, but how can I surrender myself to him?"

Vaishampaayan Jee continued - "So thinking of the fear of curse and about herself she could not decide what to do. She was afraid of curse if she did not obey Soorya Dev, and the insult among her friends if she surrendered to him, so considering all this she said to Soorya Dev trembling with bashfulness - "O God, Since my father, mother and friends are still living this should not take place. And if I commit this sin with you the reputation of my race will be destroyed, just because of me. if you think that this is a meritorious act, I shall fulfill your desire even if my relatives have not given me to you. May I remain chaste after surrendering to you." Soorya replied - "O Beautiful Damsel, Neither your father, your mother, nor your any elders is competent to give you away. You listen to me. It is because a virgin wants the company of everyone, that is why she is called Kanyaa who has the root in Kaam (desire). Therefore a virgin is free in this world. You will not be guilty of any sin by surrendering to me. And how can I who cares for everybody's welfare can commit any unrighteous act? You will remain virgin after pleasing me. And your son will be mighty-armed."

At this Kuntee said - "If I have a son from you, he may be born with earrings and Kavach, and mighty-armed and endued with great strength." Soorya said - "O gentle Maiden, Your son will be born with earrings and Kavach, and mighty-armed and endued with great strength and both his earrings and Kavach will be made of Amrit, and his Kavach will be invulnerable." Kuntee said - "If those earrings and Kavach of the son you will have from me, are made of Amrit, then your desire may be fulfilled. May he be like you - energetic, strong, handsome, virtuous and like you." Soorya Dev said - "Aditi has given me these earrings, and the Kavach also, and I bestow them to your son." Kuntee said - "If my son will be like this, then I will please you."

Vaishampaayan Jee continued - "Hearing these words of Kuntee, Soorya Dev said - "So be it." and the enemy of Swarbhaanu entered into Kuntee, touched her navel. At this touch Kuntee got shocked and fell on the bed unconscious. Soorya then said - "I will now go and you will bring forth a son who will be the foremost among all possessors of weapons. At the same time you will also remain virgin."

Vaishampaayan continued - "Then as Soorya Dev was about to go, Kuntee said - "So be it." Thus the daughter of Kuntibhoj was impregnated by Soorya had a son from him in a fallen down unconscious state on that bed; and it was thus that Deity entered her by Yog after making her unconscious and placed his own self into her womb. After Soorya had gone Kuntee gained her consciousness.

[3-306] Vaishampaayan Jee said - "It was on the Paush Shukla 1 Prithaa conceived a son from Soorya Dev. She hid herself from her friends so that nobody could know about her conception except her nurse. And in due time she gave birth to a son along with earrings and Kavach like Soorya Dev. Immediately the child was born, with the consultation of her nurse, put the child in a box made of wicker covered with wax, on a costly soft bed with a pillow and flowed him in the River Ashwa with tears in her eyes. Although she knew that it was immoral to have a child for an unmarried girl, still with maternal affection she wept bitterly. While flowing him in the waters, she said - "May all who live on Earth and in waters and in sky be good to you. May the Deity who ranges the sky completely protect you. May all paths be auspicious. May your father, the Sun, take care of you in the water. Blessed be that woman who will take you as her son begotten by god; and whbo will give you s uck when you are thirsty. She will see you crawling, smeared with dust and will utter sweet words to you. She will also see you growing you into a man." Thus wailing Prithaa flowed the basket in the river at the dead of night. Although she wanted to see her son again but she could not speak so lest her father knows about her sin.

Meanwhile the basket flowed from the River Ashwa to Charmanvatee, and from Charmanvatee to Yamunaa and so to the Gangaa. The basket came to Champaa city ruled by a Soot. Indeed the earrings and Kavach and his destiny kept him alive for so long."

Adhirath Finds Karn

[3-307] Vaishampaayan Jee said - "It happened so that at this time a Soot named Adhirath, who was a friend of Dhritraashtra, came to the River Gangaa along with his wife Raadhaa. Raadhaa was a beautiful woman but she had no son. She saw a box flowing on the river waters. The currents of Gangaa brought that box to her. She got curious and she asked her husband to catch hold of it. Adhirath brought it out of the waters and opened it by the help of instruments and he saw a boy like a morning Sun. The infant had a golden Kavach on his body and was looking exceedingly beautiful with a faced decked with golden earrings. Adhhirath picked him up in his lap and said to his wife - "For my whole life, I have never seen such a wonder. This child seems to be of celestial birth. Since I am sonless, gods must have sent this child to me. he gave that child to Raadhaa and Raadhaa adopted him of celestial origin, according to the law. The child began to grow. After Adhirath found Karn, he had other sons also from Raadhaa. Seeing his brightness, Braahman named him Vasusen. That is how this boy was known as the son of Soot and Vasusen and Vrish. Prithaa learnt this from her spies, from the earrings and Kavach, that her son was growing among Ang as the eldest son of a charioteer.

When Adhirath found that his son has grown enough, he sent him to Hastinaapur, to Drone to learn the arms. There he became a friend of Duryodhan. After acquiring the education of four kinds of arms from Drone, Kripaa and Parashuraam, he became a mighty bowman. Since he was the friend of Duryodhan, he developed the habit of injuring Paandu's sons. He always desired to fight with Arjun. Whenever they saw each other they always challenged each other. Soorya Dev knew this secret - that he was Soorya's own son from Kuntee and was brought up by a Soot. And whenever Yudhishthir saw him with golden earrings and golden Kavach, he thought that he was unslayable and was exceedingly pained. When Karn, after taking bath, at midday, used to worship Soorya Dev, Braahman used to go to him for wealth. And that time there was nothing he could not give to those Braahman. So Indra appeared before him at such time and said - "Give me." Raadhaa's son said - "You are welcome."

Indra Asks Karn's Earrings and Kavach

[3-308] Vaishampaayan Jee said - "When Indra came to Karn in the guise of a Braahman, Karn immediately said - "Welcome." Karn did not the intention of that Braahman, so he said to him - "What do you need - a golden necklace, beautiful damsels, villages, cows? What shall I give you?" Braamhan replied - "I ask you not the necklace, not the damsels. You can give these to them, who ask for them. If you are sincere in your vow, then give me your Kavach [cutting from your body] and you earrings. I desire them soon, for this gain  will be the best kind of gain for me." Hearing this Karn said - "I will give you land for building house, fair damsels, villages, fields, but I am unable to give you my earrings and kavach."

Vaishampaayan Jee said - "Although Karn requested him in several words, but that Braahman would not ask for any other thing. Although he worshipped him to the best of his power, still that Braahman would not agree for any other thing. When that Braahman did not settle for any other thing, Raadhaa's son again said to him smilingly - "O Braahman, I have been born with my Kavach, and these earrings are born from Amrit and that is why I am unslayable in the world, therefore I cannot separate them from my body. You can accept the whole of my kingdom which has no enemies and is of full of prosperity. If I give you my earrings and Kavach, I will be defeated by my enemies."

Vaishampaayan Jee said - "When Indra did not accept any other thing as his alms, Karn said smilingly - "I have recognized you before, O Lord Sakra, It is not proper for me to give you any ordinary alms as you are the Lord of the celestials. On the contrary, since you are the Lord of all beings, you should also confer a boon on me. O Lord, if I give you my earrings and Kavach, then surely I will die and you will be ridiculed. So O Sakra, You take my earrings and Kavach and in exchange of that you should give me something, otherwise I will not give them to you." Hearing this Sakra said - "Even before I came to you, Soorya had known my intentions and warned you about it. So O Karn, Tell me what do you need, except my Vajra (thunderbolt)."

Vaishampaayan Jee continued - "Hearing this Karn got very happy as his purpose was going to be fulfilled, so he said to him - "Give me a dart which is incapable of being baffled and competent to destroy a host of enemies in battle." Indra concentrated his mind to bring the dart there and said to Karn - "You give me your earrings and Kavach and take this dart. When I encounter the Daitya in battle, this dart works for sure, hurled by my hand it destroys hundreds of them and comes back after killing them. In your hand this powerful dart will slay only one enemy of yours and then it will come back to me." Karn said - "I also wish to kill only one enemy of mine, who roars fiercely and is hot as fire." At this Indra said - "You will be able to kill such an enemy in the battle, but to whom you wish to kill is protected by a high person. People versed in Ved call Him "the Invincible Boar", "the Incomprehensible Naaraayan". The Krishn is protecting him." Karn said - "Still you give me that dart which is capable of killing a powerful enemy. And I will give you my earrings and Kavach. Please grant me that my body thus wounded should not have any scar on it." Indra said - "As you are the person of truth, your body will not be unsightly and there will not be any scar on it. You are the best among who are graced with speech. You are like your father. And if you will use this dart in wrath, while you have other weapons to use or your life is not in grave danger, it will fall on you." Karn answered - "As you have instructed me, I shall hurl this Vaasavee only when I am in great danger."

Vaishampaayan Jee said - "Then taking the dart from Indra, Karn began to peel off his Kavach from his body. Seeing this all celestials and men and Daanav started roaring. Karn's face was not disfigured while he was peeling it. And seeing that hero Celestials started beating the drums and showering flowers on him. After cutting them from his body Karn handed them over to Indra. Indra took the earrings and Kavach and smiling, thinking that Paandav's work is done, he ascended to Heaven. And hearing that Karn had been tricked Dhritraashtra became very distressed and sorrowful. On the other hand Paandav got very happy to hear this."

Janamejaya said - "Where were those heroes when they heard this news. And from whom they heard this news? And what did they do after their 12th year of exile had passed away? Tell me all this." Vaishampaayan Jee said - "After defeating the Saindhav and rescuing Krishnaa, and living in the woods and hearing all these stories about gods and Rishi by Maarkandeya Jee, they came back to Dwait Van from Kaamyak Van with all their chariots and followers."

3-Van Parv - Paativrat Mahaatmya Parv Ends Here