Shloka 31
जतुगृहदाहः — The Burning of the Lac House and the Pāṇḍavas’ Concealed Escape
अयं पृथायास्तनय: कनीयान् पाण्डुनन्दन: । कौरवो भवता सार्ध द्वन्डयुद्धं करिष्यति,“कर्ण! ये कुन्तीदेवीके सबसे छोटे पुत्र पाण्डु-नन्दन अर्जुन कुरुवंशके रत्न हैं, जो तुम्हारे साथ इन्द्र-युद्ध करेंगे। महाबाहो! इसी प्रकार तुम भी अपने माता-पिता तथा कुलका परिचय दो और उन नरेशके नाम बताओ, जिनका वंश तुमसे विभूषित हुआ है
ayaṃ pṛthāyās tanayaḥ kanīyān pāṇḍunandanaḥ | kauravo bhavatā sārdha dvandvayuddhaṃ kariṣyati ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “This is the younger son of Pṛthā (Kuntī), Arjuna, the beloved son of Pāṇḍu and a jewel of the Kuru line. He will engage you in a single combat. O Karṇa, in the same way, you too should declare your parentage and lineage, and name the kings whose dynasties have been ennobled through you.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights kṣatriya norms of honor: before a formal duel, one’s identity and lineage should be declared. Social legitimacy and accountability in battle are tied to known parentage and clan, making the combat ethically framed rather than merely violent.
Arjuna is introduced as Kuntī’s younger son and a Kuru prince who will fight Karṇa in single combat. Karṇa is then pressed to state his own parentage and lineage and to identify the royal lineages associated with him—an issue that becomes crucial because Karṇa’s birth and status are contested.