Shloka 18
यदि दास्यसि कर्ण त्वं सहजे कुण्डले शुभे । आयुष: प्रक्षयं गत्वा मृत्योर्वशमुपैष्यसि,“कर्ण! यदि तुम अपने जन्मके साथ ही उत्पन्न हुए ये सुन्दर कुण्डल इन्द्रको दे दोगे तो तुम्हारी आयु क्षीण हो जायगी और तुम मृत्युके अधीन हो जाओगे
yadi dāsyasi karṇa tvaṁ sahaje kuṇḍale śubhe | āyuṣaḥ prakṣayaṁ gatvā mṛtyor vaśam upaiṣyasi ||
Waiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai Karṇa, jika engkau memberikan kepada Indra anting-anting indah yang lahir bersamamu itu, maka umurmu akan berkurang, dan engkau akan jatuh ke dalam kekuasaan maut.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension between extraordinary generosity (dāna) and self-preservation: a gift made from one’s own vital protection can be morally admirable yet materially ruinous, showing how virtue may be tested by consequences and by the intentions of those who request the gift.
A warning is voiced to Karna: if he gives away his inborn, beautiful earrings to Indra, his life-span will be reduced and he will become subject to death—foreshadowing that the requested ‘gift’ is not ordinary charity but a decisive loss of his natural safeguard.