Shloka 18
तस्मान्न देये शक्राय त्वयैते कुण्डले शुभे । संग्रामे यदि निर्जेतुं कर्ण कामयसे<र्जुनम्,अतः कर्ण! यदि तुम समरभूमिमें अर्जुनको जीतनेकी अभिलाषा रखते हो तो इन्द्रको ये दोनों शुभ कुण्डल कदापि न देना
tasmān na deye śakrāya tvayaitē kuṇḍale śubhe | saṅgrāme yadi nirjetuṁ karṇa kāmayase 'rjunam ||
“Therefore, O Karṇa, you must not give these two auspicious earrings to Śakra (Indra). If, in battle, you truly desire to defeat Arjuna, then do not part with this divine protection.”
सूर्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even a celebrated virtue like generosity must be guided by discernment (viveka) and responsibility. When a gift would undermine one’s rightful duty and lead to grave harm, restraint becomes an ethical necessity.
Sūrya, Karṇa’s divine father, warns him not to give his auspicious earrings to Śakra (Indra). The warning is tied to Karṇa’s aim of defeating Arjuna in the coming war: surrendering the earrings would weaken his protection and jeopardize his prospects in battle.