Shloka 38
स्वर्गारोहणपर्व — तृतीयोऽध्यायः
Indra and Dharma’s Consolation; Celestial Gaṅgā Purification
न सव्यसाची भीमो वा यमौ वा पुरुषर्षभौ | कर्णो वा सत्यवाक् शूरो नरकार्ह श्चिरं नृप
na savyasācī bhīmo vā yamau vā puruṣarṣabhau | karṇo vā satyavāk śūro narakārhaś ciraṃ nṛpa ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “Neither Savyasācī (Arjuna), nor Bhīma, nor the twin sons (Nakula and Sahadeva)—those best of men—nor Karṇa, the heroic speaker of truth, O king, remained fit for hell for long.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even great heroes may briefly experience the consequences of moral complexity, but enduring merit and truthfulness prevent prolonged suffering; the narrative underscores karma’s precision and the ultimate vindication of dharma.
Vaiśampāyana explains to the king that Arjuna, Bhīma, the twins, and Karṇa did not remain in hell for long—implying their stay was temporary and not their final destiny.