Shloka 5
कर्णपरर्वणि त्रयोचत्वारिंशदध्यायः (Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 43) — Kṛṣṇa’s Battlefield Assessment and the Reversal Around Bhīma
तत्र वृद्ध: पुरावृत्ता: कथा: कश्रिद् द्विजोत्तम: । वाहीकदेशं मद्रांश्न॒ कुत्सयन् वाक्यमब्रवीत्,वहीं किसी वृद्ध एवं श्रेष्ठ ब्राह्मणने बाहीक और मद्रदेशकी निन्दा करते हुए वहाँकी पूर्वघटित बातें कही थीं--
tatra vṛddhaḥ purāvṛttāḥ kathāḥ kaścid dvijottamaḥ | vāhīkadeśaṃ madrāṃś ca kutsayan vākyam abravīt ||
There, an aged and eminent Brahmin recounted tales of events from long ago; while censuring the land of the Vāhīkas and the Madras, he spoke these words—setting forth a moralizing narrative that frames certain regions as examples of blameworthy conduct.
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse introduces a moralizing discourse: an authoritative elder (a respected Brahmin) uses remembered ‘ancient stories’ to censure certain regions, implying that social conduct and ethical reputation are judged collectively and can be invoked rhetorically to persuade or shame.
Karna begins to cite (or frame) an older Brahmin’s speech. The elder recounts past anecdotes and, in the course of doing so, criticizes the Vāhīka country and the Madra people—setting up a longer denunciatory passage that follows.