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 said: “When I reflect on all this, my heart is weighed down with sorrow. Bhīṣma, the son of Śāntanu, foremost among warriors; Droṇa, the best among teachers and fighters; and Karṇa too will enter the battlefield for Duryodhana’s cause. Therefore, their very participation only increases my fear.”
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.