Shloka 28
मद्विधस्य यशस्यं हि न युक्त प्राणरक्षणम् । युक्त हि यशसा युक्त मरणं लोकसम्मतम्,मेरे-जैसे शूरवीरको प्राण देकर भी यशकी ही रक्षा करनी चाहिये; अपयश लेकर प्राणोंकी रक्षा करनी कदापि उचित नहीं है। सुयशके साथ यदि मृत्यु हो जाय तो वह वीरोचित एवं सम्पूर्ण लोकके लिये सम्मानकी वस्तु है
madvidhasya yaśasyaṃ hi na yuktaṃ prāṇarakṣaṇam | yuktaṃ hi yaśasā yuktaṃ maraṇaṃ lokasammatam ||
Karna declares that for a man of his kind—one who lives for honor—it is not fitting to preserve life at the cost of fame. To die while still joined to good repute is, he says, the proper course and is approved by the world; survival purchased through disgrace is never worthy of a warrior.
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
Honor (yaśas) is treated as a higher value than mere survival: a warrior should not save his life by accepting disgrace, whereas death accompanied by good repute is considered proper and socially esteemed.
Karna is speaking in a context where the choice between self-preservation and maintaining warriorly honor is at stake; he asserts his resolve to uphold reputation even if it leads to death, framing this as the world-approved standard for a hero.