Aśvatthāman’s Arrow-Screen and the Confrontation with Yudhiṣṭhira (द्रौणि–युधिष्ठिर-संग्रामः)
गायन्ति चाप्यबद्धानि प्रवर्तन्ते च कामतः । कामप्रलापिनो<चन्योन्यं तेषु धर्म: कथं भवेत्
gāyanti cāpy abaddhāni pravartante ca kāmataḥ | kāmapralāpino 'nyonyaṃ teṣu dharmaḥ kathaṃ bhavet ||
Cantan incluso canciones incoherentes y obran únicamente al capricho del deseo. Cuando los hombres se hablan entre sí en el balbuceo de la pasión, ¿cómo podría nacer el dharma entre ellos?
कर्ण उवाच
When desire governs speech and behavior—producing incoherent, passion-driven talk—dharma (right order and ethical conduct) cannot be established; self-restraint is presented as a prerequisite for dharma.
Karna is speaking critically about people whose actions and words are driven by kāma (passion), arguing that such a state of mind undermines the possibility of dharma among them.