Shloka 24

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मण्य: सत्यवादी च तपस्वी नियतव्रत:ः । रिपुष्वपि दयावांश्व॒ तस्मात्‌ कर्णो वृष: स्मृत:,कर्ण ब्राह्मणभक्त, सत्यवादी, तपस्वी, नियम और व्रतका पालक तथा शत्रुओंपर भी दया करनेवाला है; इसीलिये उसे वृष (धर्मात्मा) कहा गया है

Transliteration

brahmaṇyaḥ satyavādī ca tapasvī niyatavrataḥ | ripuṣv api dayāvāṁś ca tasmāt karṇo vṛṣaḥ smṛtaḥ ||

Translation

Vāyu-deva dit : «Karṇa est dévoué aux brahmanes, véridique, ascète, et il observe ses vœux avec une discipline rigoureuse. Il a de la compassion même pour ses ennemis ; c’est pourquoi Karṇa est célébré sous le nom de “Vṛṣa”, l’homme ferme dans le dharma.»

Word by Word

ब्रह्मण्यःdevoted to Brahmins / pious

सत्यवादीtruth-speaking

चand

तपस्वीascetic; practicing austerity

नियतव्रतःone of restrained/observed vows

रिपुषुamong enemies; towards enemies

अपिeven; also

दयावान्compassionate

तस्मात्therefore; from that reason

कर्णःKarna

वृषःbull; (fig.) righteous man

स्मृतःis called; is remembered as

Speaker

श्रीवायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vāyu-deva

Karna

Brahmins

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in a war setting, true nobility is measured by inner discipline: truthfulness, steadfast vows, reverence for sacred duty, and compassion that does not vanish even toward enemies. Such qualities are presented as marks of dharma and the basis of lasting honor.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu-deva offers a eulogy of Karna’s character, listing his virtues—devotion to Brahmins, truth-speaking, ascetic restraint, vow-keeping, and mercy even toward foes—and concludes that these traits justify his epithet ‘Vṛṣa,’ meaning a foremost, righteous man.