Shloka 56
उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय १४० (कृष्णेन कर्णं प्रति पाण्डवबल-वैशिष्ट्यप्रदर्शनम्) / Udyoga Parva, Chapter 140
Krishna’s appraisal of Pandava advantage and war portents
जनार्दन! जबतक ये पर्वत और सरिताएँ रहेंगी, तबतक इस युद्धकी कीर्ति-कथा अक्षय बनी रहेगी ।।
janārdana! yāvat ime parvatāḥ saritaś ca sthāsyanti tāvat asya yuddhasya kīrti-kathā akṣayā bhaviṣyati. brāhmaṇāḥ kathayiṣyanti mahābhāratam āhavam samāgameṣu vārṣṇeya kṣatriyāṇāṃ yaśodhanam.
カルナは言った。「おおジャナールダナよ。これらの山々と河川が存続するかぎり、この戦の名声と物語は朽ちることなく残り続けよう。おおヴァールシュネーヤよ。集いの場において婆羅門たちは、この偉大なるバーラタの戦いを語り継ぐであろう――それは刹帝利たちの名誉の宝庫となる出来事なのだ。」
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how deeds—especially those of public, moral consequence like war—become enduring through collective memory and learned recitation. It frames fame (yaśas) as a lasting ‘wealth’ for Kṣatriyas, preserved by Brahmin narrators in assemblies, suggesting that reputation and legacy outlive physical events.
Karna addresses Kṛṣṇa (Janārdana/Vārṣṇeya), predicting that the coming conflict will become an imperishable epic. He foresees Brahmins recounting the Mahābhārata battle in social gatherings, where the warriors’ renown will be remembered and evaluated.