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 Phalguna.
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!'"