Shloka 74
कर्णनिधनवृत्तान्तनिवेदनम् | Reporting Karṇa’s Fall to Yudhiṣṭhira
त॑ हन्यां चेत् केशव जीवलोके स्थाता नाहं कालमप्यल्पमात्रम् । ध्यात्वा नूनं होनसा चापि मुक्तो वध राज्ञो भ्रष्टवीर्यो विचेता:
taṁ hanyāṁ cet keśava jīvaloke sthātā na ahaṁ kālam api alpamātram | dhyātvā nūnaṁ hīnasā cāpi mukto vadhaṁ rājño bhraṣṭavīryo vicetāḥ ||
ອາຣະຈຸນກ່າວວ່າ: «ໂອ ເກສະວະ! ຖ້າຂ້າຂ້າພຣະອົງນັ້ນ ຂ້າຈະຢູ່ຮອດໃນໂລກນີ້ບໍ່ໄດ້ແມ່ນແຕ່ຊົ່ວຂະນະ. ແມ່ນວ່າຂ້າຈະຫຼຸດພົ້ນຈາກບາບໄດ້ດ້ວຍວິທີໃດກໍຕາມ ຂ້າກໍຢູ່ຕໍ່ບໍ່ໄດ້ ຫຼັງຈາກໄດ້ຄິດເຖິງການຂ້າກະສັດ. ແນ່ນອນໃນຍາມນີ້ ຂ້າສັບສົນວ່າຄວນເຮັດຢ່າງໃດ—ຖືກຖອນກໍາລັງກ້າ ແລະເກືອບຈະໝົດສະຕິ»
अर्जुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the primacy of conscience and dharma over mere victory: even imagining an unrighteous act—killing one’s rightful king/elder—destroys inner stability. It shows that freedom from external consequences does not erase moral injury; the mind cannot live with adharma.
Arjuna addresses Kṛṣṇa (Keśava) in a moment of intense ethical turmoil. He declares that killing Yudhiṣṭhira is unthinkable: he would not be able to live even briefly, and even if absolved of sin he could not endure the very thought of such a deed. He confesses confusion and loss of valor, seeking guidance.