Shloka 24
Kuntī–Karṇa Saṃvāda: Lineage Disclosure and Appeal to Fraternal Dharma
भवेयमिति संचिन्त्य ब्राह्म॒णं तं नमस्य च । कौतूहलात् तु तं लब्ध्वा बालिश्यादाचरं तदा । कन्या सती देवमर्कमासादयमहं ततः
bhaveyam iti saṃcintya brāhmaṇaṃ taṃ namasya ca | kautūhalāt tu taṃ labdhvā bāliśyād ācaran tadā | kanyā satī devam arkam āsādayam ahaṃ tataḥ ||
ヴァイシャンパーヤナは語った。「そうあれ」と思い定め、あのバラモンに礼拝して、彼女は真言を授かった。だが好奇心と若さゆえの浅慮から、それを用い始めてしまった。その結果、なお処女の身でありながら、彼女はアルカ神――太陽神と交わることとなった。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights ethical causality: even actions begun without malicious intent—driven by curiosity and immature judgment—can yield life-altering consequences. It implicitly commends discernment (viveka) and restraint in the use of powerful means (mantra), especially when one is concerned with preserving dharma and social integrity.
The speaker recounts receiving a mantra from a brāhmaṇa and, out of curiosity and youthful folly, testing it. The mantra’s effect brings the Sun-god (Arka/Sūrya) to her, resulting in a divine union while she is still a maiden—setting up the later narrative consequences associated with this event.