Shloka 56
उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय १४० (कृष्णेन कर्णं प्रति पाण्डवबल-वैशिष्ट्यप्रदर्शनम्) / Udyoga Parva, Chapter 140
Krishna’s appraisal of Pandava advantage and war portents
जनार्दन! जबतक ये पर्वत और सरिताएँ रहेंगी, तबतक इस युद्धकी कीर्ति-कथा अक्षय बनी रहेगी ।।
janārdana! yāvat ime parvatāḥ saritaś ca sthāsyanti tāvat asya yuddhasya kīrti-kathā akṣayā bhaviṣyati. brāhmaṇāḥ kathayiṣyanti mahābhāratam āhavam samāgameṣu vārṣṇeya kṣatriyāṇāṃ yaśodhanam.
Karna sprach: „O Janārdana! Solange diese Berge und Flüsse bestehen, wird Ruhm und Erzählung dieses Krieges unvergänglich bleiben. O Vārṣṇeya! In den Versammlungen werden die Brahmanen diese große Bhārata-Schlacht berichten—ein Ereignis, das den Kṣatriyas zum Schatz des Ruhmes wird.“
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how deeds—especially those of public, moral consequence like war—become enduring through collective memory and learned recitation. It frames fame (yaśas) as a lasting ‘wealth’ for Kṣatriyas, preserved by Brahmin narrators in assemblies, suggesting that reputation and legacy outlive physical events.
Karna addresses Kṛṣṇa (Janārdana/Vārṣṇeya), predicting that the coming conflict will become an imperishable epic. He foresees Brahmins recounting the Mahābhārata battle in social gatherings, where the warriors’ renown will be remembered and evaluated.