Shloka 40
इत्युक्तास्ते ततः सर्वे समन््तादवभाषिरे | कर्णो5हं भीमसेनो5हमर्जुनो5हमिति प्रभो
ity uktās te tataḥ sarve samantād avabhāṣire | karṇo 'haṃ bhīmaseno 'ham arjuno 'ham iti prabho ||
Begitu ditanya demikian, mereka semua berseru dari segala arah: “Wahai tuan, akulah Karṇa; akulah Bhīmasena; akulah Arjuna”—demikian masing-masing menyatakan jati dirinya.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical and existential weight of identity and accountability: at decisive moments, individuals seek recognition and affirmation of who they are. In the Mahābhārata’s closing movement, this insistence on naming oneself also reflects the human desire for moral and narrative acknowledgment—being ‘counted’ and ‘known’ as one faces the consequences of life and war.
After being addressed (and effectively prompted to identify themselves), the assembled figures call out from all directions, each declaring, “I am Karṇa,” “I am Bhīmasena,” “I am Arjuna,” etc. The passage depicts a loud, many-voiced scene of self-identification, including Draupadī and her sons, emphasizing the confusion and urgency of recognition in the Svargārohaṇa episode.