Shloka 9
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 137 — Bhīṣma–Droṇa Counsel and the Ethics of Restraint
कर्णप्रभृतयश्चेमे त्वं चापि कवची रथी । मोक्षितो घोषयात्रायां पर्याप्तं तन्निदर्शनम्
karṇaprabhṛtayaś ceme tvaṃ cāpi kavacī rathī | mokṣito ghoṣayātrāyāṃ paryāptaṃ tan nidarśanam ||
വൈശമ്പായനൻ പറഞ്ഞു—കർണ്ണൻ മുതലായ ഇവരും, നീയും—കവചധാരിയായ രഥിയും—ഘോഷയാത്ര (ഗോധനഹരണം) സമയത്ത് ഒരിക്കൽ വിട്ടയക്കപ്പെട്ടിരുന്നു; അതുതന്നെ മതിയായ തെളിവാണ്.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse appeals to precedent as moral and practical evidence: the fact that even renowned warriors like Karna (and the addressed chariot-warrior) were once released in the ghoṣayātrā episode is presented as sufficient proof for the argument being advanced—implying that past conduct and outcomes can establish what is reasonable, just, or strategically sound now.
Vaiśampāyana, narrating events, points to an earlier incident during the ghoṣayātrā (a cattle-related expedition/raid) where Karna and others, including the person addressed as an armored chariot-warrior, were set free. He states that this prior release itself serves as adequate demonstration of the claim under discussion.