Shloka 19
कर्ण–कृष्णसंवादः (Karṇa–Kṛṣṇa-saṃvādaḥ) — Karṇa’s Statement on Lineage, Loyalty, and the ‘Śastra-yajña’ Metaphor
युवराजोस्तु ते राजा धर्मपुत्रो युधिष्ठिर: । गृहीत्वा व्यजन श्वैतं धर्मात्मा संशितव्रत:
yuvarājostu te rājā dharmaputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | gṛhītvā vyajanaśvaitaṃ dharmātmā saṃśitavrataḥ ||
Your heir-apparent is Yudhiṣṭhira, the son of Dharma. That righteous-souled man, steadfast in his vows, has taken up a white fan.
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharmic kingship: true authority is grounded in righteousness, disciplined vows, and dignified conduct. Yudhiṣṭhira’s epithet ‘son of Dharma’ and the image of the white fan together suggest purity, restraint, and the ethical poise expected of a legitimate ruler.
Vāyudeva identifies Yudhiṣṭhira as the rightful heir and portrays him in a royal setting, holding a white fan—an emblem of courtly dignity and service—thereby emphasizing his status and character in the charged context of the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war negotiations.