Shloka 146
Kuntī–Karṇa Saṃvāda: Lineage Disclosure and Appeal to Fraternal Dharma
कर्णश्न धार्तराष्ट्रार्थ वर्धयन्ति भयं मम । “यह सब सोचकर मेरे हृदयमें बड़ा दुःख हो रहा है। शान्तनुनन्दन पितामह भीष्म
karṇaś ca dhārtarāṣṭrārthaṁ vardhayanti bhayaṁ mama |
Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Wenn ich über all dies nachsinne, wird mein Herz von Kummer beschwert. Bhīṣma, der Sohn Śāntanus, der Vortrefflichste unter den Kriegern; Droṇa, der Beste unter Lehrern und Kämpfern; und auch Karṇa werden für Duryodhanas Sache das Schlachtfeld betreten. Darum vermehrt schon ihre bloße Teilnahme meine Furcht.“
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical weight of allegiance: when great elders and exemplars of martial and moral authority align with an unjust cause, the danger is not only military but also moral—power and prestige can amplify adharma’s reach, intensifying fear and sorrow for those who seek a righteous resolution.
In the lead-up to war, the speaker reflects with distress that formidable figures—especially Karṇa (and, in the broader contextual sense, elders like Bhīṣma and Droṇa)—will fight on Duryodhana’s side. Their commitment to the Kaurava cause signals that conflict is becoming unavoidable and more perilous.