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 |
Dijo Vaiśampāyana: «Cuando reflexiono sobre todo esto, mi corazón se ve oprimido por la tristeza. Bhīṣma, hijo de Śāntanu, el más excelso de los guerreros; Droṇa, el mejor entre maestros y combatientes; y también Karṇa entrarán en el campo de batalla por la causa de Duryodhana. Por ello, su sola participación no hace sino acrecentar mi temor.»
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.