Shloka 256
ऋषिसमागमः — युधिष्ठिरस्य शोकवर्णनम्
Sage Assembly and Yudhiṣṭhira’s Articulation of Grief
नाहं न भीमो न यमौ स त्वस्मान् वेद सुव्रत: । कुन्तीनन्दन श्वेतवाहन अर्जुन भी उन्हें भाईके रूपमें नहीं जानते थे। मुझको, भीमसेनको तथा नकुल-सहदेवको भी इस बातका पता नहीं था; किंतु उत्तम व्रतका पालन करनेवाले कर्ण हमें अपने भाईके रूपमें जानते थे
nāhaṃ na bhīmo na yamau sa tv asmān veda suvrataḥ | kuntīnandana śvetavāhana arjuna ||
Yudhiṣṭhira berkata: “Bukan aku, bukan Bhīma, dan bukan juga kedua-dua putera kembar (Nakula dan Sahadeva) yang mengetahui hal ini. Tetapi Karṇa—insan yang berpegang pada ikrar yang luhur—mengetahui kami sebagai saudara-saudaranya. Wahai putera Kuntī, wahai Arjuna yang berkereta kuda putih!”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical weight of hidden identity and kinship: ignorance can be blameless, but knowledge carries responsibility. Karna’s awareness of brotherhood intensifies the tragedy of conflict and raises questions of dharma—how one should act when loyalty, truth, and family obligations collide.
Yudhiṣṭhira tells Arjuna that the Pandavas (Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīma, Nakula, Sahadeva) did not know Karna was their brother, whereas Karna did know. He addresses Arjuna with epithets, underscoring that this disclosure is being shared within the brothers’ counsel in the aftermath context of Śānti Parva.