Shloka 163
Svargārohaṇa-parva, Adhyāya 4 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Vision of the Celestial Assembly
Recognition and Explanation
“ये रहे तुम्हारे बड़े भाई कुन्तीकुमार कर्ण जो अग्नितुल्य तेजसे प्रकाशित हो रहे हैं। ये ही सूतपुत्रोंके श्रेष्ठ अग्रज थे और ये ही राधापुत्रके नामसे विख्यात हुए थे ।।
ye rāhe tumhāre baḍe bhrātā kuntīkumāraḥ karṇaḥ yo 'gnitulyena tejasā prakāśitaḥ. sa eva sūtaputrāṇāṃ śreṣṭho 'grajaḥ, sa eva rādhāputra-nāmnā vikhyātaḥ. ādityasahito yāti, paśyainaṃ puruṣarṣabham. enaṃ puruṣapravaraṃ karṇaṃ darśayata; sa ādityaiḥ saha gacchati.
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Lihatlah—itulah abang sulungmu, Karṇa, putera Kuntī, yang menyala dengan keagungan laksana api. Dialah yang terkemuka sebagai abang tertua antara anak-anak Sūta (pemandu kereta), dan masyhur dengan nama ‘putera Rādhā’. Pandanglah lembu jantan di antara manusia itu—dia pergi bersama para Āditya. Tataplah insan terbaik, Karṇa, ketika dia melangkah bersama para dewa suria.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage underscores that a person’s deeper identity and merit can transcend social labels: Karṇa, known publicly as a sūta’s son and as Rādhā’s child, is also Kuntī’s son and is shown receiving a luminous, divine association with the Ādityas—suggesting recognition of his inner worth and the moral complexity of judging by birth alone.
In the Svargarohana (ascent to heaven) context, Vaiśampāyana points out Karṇa to the onlookers as a radiant figure. Karṇa is seen proceeding together with the Ādityas, indicating his honored place in the celestial order and revealing his stature beyond the conflicts and misunderstandings of earthly life.