भीष्मस्य दुर्योधनं प्रति कुलहितोपदेशः | Bhīṣma’s Counsel to Duryodhana on Dynastic Welfare
उपनहा परैवरं ये मां नित्यमुपासते । नमस्कुर्वन्ति च सदा वसवो वासवं यथा
upanahā paraivaraṁ ye māṁ nityam upāsate | namaskurvanti ca sadā vasavo vāsavaṁ yathā |
カルナは言った。「我が敵に対して怨みを結び、常に私を頼みとして仕える者たち、ヴァスたちがヴァーサヴァ(インドラ)に礼拝するように、いつも私に頭を垂れる者たち、そして私の生命の力にすがって敵前に踏みとどまる勇を得、かかる望みをもって私を敬う者たち——その切なる願いを、どうして私が打ち砕けようか。」
कर्ण उवाच
Karna frames an ethical obligation of a protector: when people place their trust, honor, and courage in a leader’s strength, it becomes morally difficult for that leader to betray their expectations. Loyalty and responsibility to dependents are presented as binding duties.
In Udyoga Parva, Karna is speaking about those who align themselves with him against his enemies and continually honor him. He argues that since they rely on him for courage and success, he cannot bring himself to frustrate their hopes—implying his resolve to stand by his side and commitments in the coming conflict.