Shloka 28
पाण्डोः तपः-प्रसङ्गः, ऋण-धर्मः, अपत्य-प्राप्ति-चिन्ता
Pāṇḍu’s Asceticism, the Doctrine of Debts, and Deliberations on Progeny
स्वशरीरात् समुत्कृत्य कवचं स्वं निसर्गजम् । कर्णस्तु कुण्डले छित्त्वा प्रायच्छत् कृताञ्जलि:,तब कर्णने हाथ जोड़कर देवराज इन्द्रको अपने शरीरके साथ ही उत्पन्न हुए कवचको शरीरसे उधेड़कर एवं दोनों कुण्डलोंको भी काटकर दे दिया
svaśarīrāt samutkṛtya kavacaṃ svaṃ nisargajam | karṇas tu kuṇḍale chittvā prāyacchat kṛtāñjaliḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Karṇa, with hands joined in reverence, tore from his own body the natural armor with which he had been born, and, cutting off his two earrings as well, gave them away. The episode underscores the severe ethical cost of generosity when it is demanded through deception, and yet also highlights Karṇa’s unwavering commitment to giving, even at the price of his own protection and life.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds dāna as a powerful virtue—giving even what is most precious—while also inviting ethical reflection: a gift extracted through disguise or manipulation can turn virtue into vulnerability, showing how dharma may be tested under unfair conditions.
Karṇa, approached in a context where his famed generosity is being tested, physically removes his inborn armor and cuts off his earrings, then offers them with folded hands—an act that strips him of divine protection and foreshadows later peril.