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, योद्धाओंमें श्रेष्ठ आचार्य द्रोण तथा कर्ण भी दुर्योधनके लिये ही युद्धभूमिमें उतरेंगे; अतः ये मेरे भयकी ही वृद्धि कर रहे हैं
karṇaś ca dhārtarāṣṭrārthaṁ vardhayanti bhayaṁ mama |
Waiśampāyana berkata: “Ketika kupikirkan semua ini, hatiku tertindih duka yang berat. Bhīṣma, putra Śāntanu, yang terunggul di antara para kesatria; Droṇa, guru dan pejuang terbaik; dan Karṇa juga—mereka semua akan turun ke medan perang demi perkara Duryodhana. Karena itu, keikutsertaan mereka justru menambah ketakutanku.”
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.