Shloka 38
Aśvatthāman’s Arrow-Screen and the Confrontation with Yudhiṣṭhira (द्रौणि–युधिष्ठिर-संग्रामः)
सुवीरक॑ याच्यमाना मद्रिका कर्षति स्फिचौ,पुत्र दद्यां पतिं दद्यां न तु दद्यां सुवीरकम् । यदि कोई पुरुष मद्रदेशकी किसी स्त्रीसे कांजी माँगता है तो वह उसकी कमर पकड़कर खींच ले जाती है और कांजी न देनेकी इच्छा रखकर यह कठोर वचन बोलती है --“कोई मुझसे कांजी न माँगे, क्योंकि वह मुझे अत्यन्त प्रिय है। मैं अपने पुत्रको दे दूँगी, पतिको भी दे दूँगी; परंतु कांजी नहीं दे सकती”
suvīraka yācyamānā madrikā karṣati sphicau | putra dadyāṃ patiṃ dadyāṃ na tu dadyāṃ suvīrakam ||
କର୍ଣ୍ଣ କହିଲେ—ଯଦି କେହି ମଦ୍ରଦେଶର ଜଣେ ନାରୀଙ୍କୁ ସୁବୀରକ (କାଞ୍ଜି/ଟକ ଗଞ୍ଜି) ମାଗେ, ସେ ତାହାର କଟି ଧରି ଟାଣିନେଇଯାଏ; ଦେବାକୁ ଅନିଚ୍ଛୁକ ହୋଇ କଠୋର ବଚନ କହେ—“କେହି ମୋତେ ସୁବୀରକ ନ ମାଗୁ; ଏହା ମୋ ପାଇଁ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ପ୍ରିୟ। ମୁଁ ପୁଅକୁ ଦେଇଦେବି, ସ୍ୱାମୀକୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ଦେଇଦେବି; କିନ୍ତୁ ସୁବୀରକ ଦେଇପାରିବି ନାହିଁ।”
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how intense attachment to a trivial possession can distort ethical priorities: the speaker depicts someone claiming she would surrender even family relations, yet refuses a small, prized item. It functions as a critique of misplaced values and of harsh, ungenerous speech.
Karna uses a pointed, proverbial image about the women of Madra to make a rhetorical point. He describes a scene where a requester asks for suvīraka (kāñjī), but the woman refuses aggressively and declares she would give away her son or husband, but not that drink—illustrating extreme possessiveness and sharp speech.