Shloka 31
Kuntī–Karṇa Saṃvāda: Lineage Disclosure and Appeal to Fraternal Dharma
यथान्यायं महातेजा मानी धर्मभूतां वर: । उत्स्मयन् प्रणत: प्राह कुन्तीं वैकर्तनो वृष:
yathānyāyaṃ mahātejā mānī dharmabhūtāṃ varaḥ | utsmayan praṇataḥ prāha kuntīṃ vaikartano vṛṣaḥ ||
Then Karṇa—radiant with great splendor, proud in bearing, and foremost among the righteous—approached Kuntī in the proper manner. Having bowed to her with due respect and smiling, Vaikartana (also called Vṛṣa) began to speak.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even amid grave conflict, dharma is expressed through proper conduct—humility, respectful speech, and honoring relationships. Karṇa’s courteous bow and composed smile highlight the ideal that ethical demeanor should not collapse under the pressure of political and martial crisis.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that Karṇa (Vaikartana/Vṛṣa) approaches Kuntī, offers a formal salutation in accordance with propriety, and then begins speaking to her—setting the stage for a morally charged conversation about kinship, loyalty, and the coming war.