Vaisampayana said, “And it came to pass that at this time a Suta named
Adhiratha, who was a friend of Dhritarashtra, came to the river Ganga,
accompanied by his wife. And, O king, his wife named Radha was
unparalleled on earth for beauty. And although that highly blessed dame
had made great endeavours to obtain a son, yet she had failed, O
represser of foes, to obtain one. And on coming to the river Ganga, she
beheld a box drifting along the current. And containing articles capable
of protecting from dangers and decked with unguents, that box was brought
before her by the waves of the Janhavi. And attracted by curiosity, the
lady caused it to be seized. And she then related all unto Adhiratha of
the charioteer caste. And hearing this Adhiratha took away the box from
the water-side, and opened it by means of instruments. And then he beheld
a boy resembling the morning Sun. And the infant was furnished with
golden mail, and looked exceedingly beautiful with a face decked in
ear-rings. And thereupon the charioteer, together with his wife, was
struck with such astonishment that their eyes expanded in wonder. And
taking the infant on his lap, Adhiratha said unto his wife, ‘Ever since I
was born, O timid lady, I had never seen such a wonder. This child that
hath come to us must be of celestial birth. Surely, sonless as I am, it
is the gods that have sent him unto me!’ Saying this, O lord of earth, he
gave the infant to Radha. And thereat, Radha adopted, according to the
ordinance, that child of celestial form and divine origin, and possessed
of the splendour of the filaments of the lotus and furnished with
excellent grace. And duly reared by her, that child endued with great
prowess began to grow up. And after Karna’s adoption, Adhiratha had other
sons begotten by himself. And seeing the child furnished with bright mail
and golden ear-rings, the twice-born ones named him Vasusena. And thus
did that child endued with great splendour and immeasurable prowess
became the son of the charioteer, and came to be known as Vasusena and
Vrisha. And Pritha learnt through spies that her own son clad in
celestial mail was growing up amongst the Angas as the eldest son of a
charioteer (Adhiratha). And seeing that in process of time his son had
grown up, Adhiratha sent him to the city named after the elephant. And
there Karna put up with Drona, for the purpose of learning arms. And that
powerful youth contracted a friendship with Duryodhana. And having
acquired all the four kinds of weapons from Drona, Kripa, and Rama, he
became famous in the world as a mighty bowman. And after having
contracted a friendship with Dhritarashtra’s son, he became intent on
injuring the sons of Pritha. And he was always desirous of fighting with
the high-souled Falguna. And, O king, ever since they first saw each
other, Karna always used to challenge Arjuna, and Arjuna, on his part,
used to challenge him. This, O foremost of kings, was without doubt, the
secret known to the Sun, viz., begot by himself on Kunti, Karna was being
reared in the race of the Sutas. And beholding him decked with his
ear-rings and mail, Yudhishthira thought him to be unslayable in fight,
and was exceedingly pained at it. And when, O foremost of monarchs, Karna
after rising from the water, used at mid-day to worship the effulgent
Surya with joined hands, the Brahmanas used to solicit him for wealth.
And at that time there was nothing that he would not give away to the
twice-born ones. And Indra, assuming the guise of a Brahmana, appeared
before him (at such a time) and said, ‘Give me!’ And thereupon Radha’s
son replied unto him, ‘Thou art welcome!’”