Shloka 31
वृणोमि कीर्ति लोके हि जीवितेनापि भानुमन् । कीर्तिमानश्षुते स्वर्ग हीनकीर्तिस्तु नश्यति,अतः सूर्यदेव! मैं जीवन देकर भी जगतमें कीर्तिका ही वरण करूँगा। कीर्तिमान् पुरुष स्वर्गका सुख भोगता है। जिसकी कीर्ति नष्ट हो जाती है, वह स्वयं भी नष्ट ही है
vṛṇomi kīrtiṃ loke hi jīvitena api bhānuman | kīrtimān aśnute svargaṃ hīnakīrtis tu naśyati ||
Wahai Bhānumān! Sekalipun harus menebusnya dengan nyawaku, di dunia ini aku memilih kemasyhuran. Orang yang beroleh nama baik menikmati sukacita surga; tetapi siapa yang kehilangan nama, seakan-akan binasa pula dirinya. Maka, wahai Dewa Surya, meski hidupku jadi taruhannya, aku tetap memilih kehormatan.
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that kīrti (honorable reputation grounded in valued conduct) is worth more than mere survival: it outlasts the body and is linked to one’s moral and posthumous outcome. A person of good repute ‘attains heaven,’ while loss of honor is portrayed as a kind of existential ruin.
Karna, speaking in the Vana Parva context, addresses the Sun-god (Sūrya) and states his firm resolve: even if life must be sacrificed, he will choose renown and the honor of his name. The statement functions as a self-vow, aligning his actions with a warrior’s ideal of enduring fame.