Shloka 25
Śānti-parva Adhyāya 3: Karṇa’s training under Rāma Jāmadagnya and the Bhārgava restriction on the Brahmāstra
अतिदुःखमिदं मूढ न जातु ब्राह्मण: सहेत् क्षत्रियस्थेव ते धैर्य कामया सत्यमुच्यताम्,'ओ मूर्ख! ऐसा भारी दु:ख ब्राह्मण कदापि नहीं सह सकता। तेरा धैर्य तो क्षत्रियके समान है। तू स्वेच्छासे ही सत्य बता, कौन है?”
atidukham idaṁ mūḍha na jātu brāhmaṇaḥ sahet | kṣatriyasyeva te dhairyaṁ kāmayā satyam ucyatām ||
“ହେ ମୂଢ! ଏହା ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଭୟଙ୍କର ଦୁଃଖ; ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ କେବେ ଏହା ସହିପାରେ ନାହିଁ। ତୋର ଧୈର୍ଯ୍ୟ କ୍ଷତ୍ରିୟ ସମାନ। ତେଣୁ ସ୍ୱଇଚ୍ଛାରେ ସତ୍ୟ କହ—ତୁ କିଏ?”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores satya (truthfulness) as an ethical imperative: extraordinary endurance suggests a hidden identity, and Nārada urges voluntary confession of truth rather than concealment.
Nārada observes someone bearing immense suffering with unusual fortitude; judging that such endurance is more typical of a kṣatriya than a brāhmaṇa, he challenges the person and asks them to reveal their true identity.