Shloka 37
Nara-Nārāyaṇa Precedent and Bhīṣma’s Counsel on Kṛṣṇa–Arjuna; Karṇa’s Reply
कि चाप्येतेन तत्कर्म कृतपूर्व सुदुष्करम् । तैर्यथा पाण्डवै: सर्वैरैकैकेन कृतं पुरा,“आजसे पहले समस्त पाण्डवोंने मिलकर अथवा उनमेंसे एक-एकने अलग-अलग जैसे-जैसे दुष्कर पराक्रम किये हैं, वैसा कौन-सा कठिन पुरुषार्थ इस सूतपुत्रने पहले कभी किया है?
kiṃ cāpy etena tat karma kṛtapūrvaṃ suduṣkaram | tair yathā pāṇḍavaiḥ sarvair aikaikena kṛtaṃ purā ||
«ហើយតើគេនេះធ្លាប់បានធ្វើកិច្ចការណាដ៏លំបាកយ៉ាងខ្លាំងមុនមកដែរ ឲ្យស្មើនឹងស្នាដៃដែលបណ្ឌវទាំងអស់បានធ្វើរួមគ្នា ឬម្នាក់ៗបានធ្វើដោយឡែកៗ កាលពីមុន?»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores an ethical measure of worth: claims to greatness should be grounded in prior proven deeds. It implicitly contrasts demonstrated valor and responsibility (ascribed to the Pāṇḍavas) with mere assertion or partisan elevation (implied in the reference to the sūta’s son).
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war tensions, the narrator’s line frames a pointed comparison: it asks what exceptionally hard exploit the sūtaputra (Karṇa) has ever achieved that could match the earlier difficult feats performed by the Pāṇḍavas collectively or individually—thereby questioning his standing in the unfolding conflict.