Shloka 30
Sabhā Parva, Adhyāya 68 — Pāṇḍavānāṃ Vanavāsa-prasthānaḥ; Duḥśāsana-nindā; Pāṇḍava-pratijñāḥ
धृतराष्ट्रकुमार! तुम केवल अपनी मूर्खताके कारण आप ही अपने पैरोंमें कुल्हाड़ी मार रहे हो; क्योंकि तुम बालक होकर भी भरी सभामें वृद्धोंकी-सी बातें करते हो ।।
Dhṛtarāṣṭrakumāra! tvaṃ kevalaṃ svamūḍhatākāraṇād ātmanaiva svapādayoḥ kuṭhāram ādadhe; yasmāt tvaṃ bālako ’pi bhari sabhāyāṃ vṛddhānām iva vākyāni bhāṣase. Na ca dharmaṃ yathāvat tvaṃ vetsi, Duryodhana-āvara; yad bravīṣi jitāṃ Kṛṣṇāṃ na jitety ati-sumanda-dhīḥ.
Karna berkata: “Wahai putera Dhritarashtra, kerana kebodohan semata-mata engkau sedang menghayun kapak ke atas kakimu sendiri. Walaupun masih budak, engkau berbicara di hadapan balairung yang penuh seolah-olah orang tua. Engkau tidak memahami dharma dengan sebenar-benarnya, wahai pengikut Duryodhana; dan dengan akal yang tumpul engkau menyatakan bahawa Krishnaa (Draupadi), walaupun telah dimenangi, kononnya tidak dimenangi.”
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse warns that speaking beyond one’s understanding—especially about dharma—can become self-destructive. Karna frames reckless, self-serving argumentation in the assembly as ‘cutting one’s own feet with an axe,’ emphasizing ethical discernment and restraint in public counsel.
In the dice-hall controversy over Draupadi’s status, a Kaurava prince argues that Draupadi was ‘not won.’ Karna rebukes him as immature and ignorant of dharma, aligning the dispute with the larger moral collapse unfolding in the royal assembly.