Mahabharata 1.136.39 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 136, Shloka 39
जतुगृहदाहः — The Burning of the Lac House and the Pāṇḍavas’ Concealed Escape
(सभाज्यमानो विधप्रैश्न प्रदत्त्वा ह्यमितं वसु ।) उवाच कौरवं राजन् वचनं स वृषस्तदा । अस्य राज्यप्रदानस्य सदृशं कि ददानि ते
sabhājyamāno vidhapraiśnaiḥ pradattvā hy amitaṁ vasu | uvāca kauravaṁ rājan vacanaṁ sa vṛṣas tadā | asya rājyapradānasya sadṛśaṁ kiṁ dadāni te |
ໄວສັມປາຍະນະ ກ່າວວ່າ: ຖືກພຣາຫມັນທັງຫຼາຍຍົກຍ້ອງ ແລະ ຖາມໄຖ່ຕາມພິທີ, ວຣິສະ (ກັນນະ) ໄດ້ມອບຊັບສົມບັດຢ່າງຫາຂອບເຂດບໍ່ໄດ້. ແລ້ວເຂົາໄດ້ກ່າວກັບກະອຸຣະວະ (ດຸຣະໂຍທະນະ) ວ່າ: “ໂອ ພະຣາຊາ, ຂ້າພະອົງຄວນມອບຂອງກຳນັນອັນໃດໃຫ້ທ່ານ ໃຫ້ສົມກັບການທີ່ທ່ານປະທານອານາຈັກນີ້ແກ່ຂ້າພະອົງ? ຈົ່ງບອກ—ທ່ານສັ່ງຢ່າງໃດ ຂ້າພະອົງຈະເຮັດຕາມນັ້ນ.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral psychology of obligation: public honour and royal patronage generate powerful bonds of loyalty. Karna’s desire to repay ‘in proportion’ shows how gifts can create enduring ethical commitments—sometimes stronger than impartial dharma.
After being honoured and giving abundant wealth, Karna turns to Duryodhana and asks what he can give in return for the kingdom granted to him. This sets up Duryodhana’s response (in the continuation) that he seeks unwavering friendship, cementing their alliance.
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