Shloka 21

Devanagari script

कर्ण उवाच को मामेवं भवान्‌ प्राह दर्शयन्‌ सौहृद॑ परम्‌ । कामया भगवन्‌ ब्रूहि को भवान्‌ द्विजवेषधृक्‌,कर्णने पूछा--भगवन्‌! आप मेरे प्रति अत्यन्त स्नेह दिखाते हुए जो इस प्रकार हितकर सलाह दे रहे हैं इससे मैं जानना चाहता हूँ कि आप कौन हैं? यदि इच्छा हो, तो बताइये। इस प्रकार ब्राह्मणवेष धारण करनेवाले आप कौन हैं?

Transliteration

Karṇa uvāca: ko mām evaṁ bhavān prāha darśayan sauhṛdaṁ param | kāmayā bhagavan brūhi ko bhavān dvijaveṣadhṛk ||

Translation

Karna sprach: „Wer seid Ihr, Herr, dass Ihr in dieser Weise zu mir redet und eine so außergewöhnliche Wohlgesinntheit zeigt? Wenn Ihr es wünscht, Ehrwürdiger, sagt mir: Wer seid Ihr, der Ihr die Gestalt eines Brahmanen tragt?“

Word by Word

• {'ko': 'who?', 'mām': 'to me', 'evaṁ': 'thus, in this manner', 'bhavān': 'you (honorific)', 'prāha': 'said, spoke', 'darśayan': 'showing, displaying', 'sauhṛdam': 'friendliness, goodwill, affectionate regard', 'param': 'supreme, extraordinary', 'kāmayā': 'if (you) wish

• by desire/according to your will', 'bhagavan': 'venerable one

• revered sir', 'brūhi': 'tell (me)', 'dvija': 'twice-born

• brahmin', 'veṣa': 'guise, dress, appearance', 'dhṛk (dhṛk/dhṛt)': 'wearing, bearing', 'dvijaveṣadhṛk': 'one wearing the dress/guise of a brahmin'}

Speaker

कर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Karṇa
• a brahmin-disguised figure (dvijaveṣadhṛk)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even when advice appears beneficial and affectionate, discernment requires knowing the adviser’s identity and intention; ethical counsel is strengthened by transparency and trust.

What is happening in the narrative?

Karna addresses an unknown person who has been giving him well-meaning counsel; noticing the speaker is in brahmin attire, Karna asks directly who he is and why he shows such exceptional goodwill.