Shloka 71
कर्णनिधनवृत्तान्तनिवेदनम् | Reporting Karṇa’s Fall to Yudhiṣṭhira
अस्मिंस्तु मम संकल्पे ब्रूहि किंचिदनुग्रहम् । इदं वा परमनत्रैव शृणु हृत्स्थं विवक्षितम्
asmiṁstu mama saṅkalpe brūhi kiñcid anugraham | idaṁ vā paramantraiva śṛṇu hṛtsthaṁ vivakṣitam |
Arjuna berkata: “Dalam tekadku ini, katakanlah kepadaku suatu kurnia—suatu jalan agar sumpahku dapat ditegakkan tanpa perlu membunuh saudaraku sendiri. Atau, dengarlah sekali lagi perkara yang paling luhur yang tersimpan di hatiku, yang ingin aku ucapkan di sini.”
अर्जुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a dharmic tension: fidelity to one’s vow (saṅkalpa) must be balanced against higher ethical duties—especially the grave sin and emotional rupture implied by harming one’s own brother. Arjuna seeks a compassionate solution that preserves truthfulness without violating fraternal and moral restraint.
In the midst of the war narrative, Arjuna speaks about a mental vow and declares that he does not consider Dharmarāja Yudhiṣṭhira fit to be slain. He asks for guidance—an ‘anugraha’—to protect his pledge without committing fratricide, and he prepares to voice a crucial thought held in his heart.