Mahabharata 4.44.16 — Virata Parva, Adhyaya 44, Shloka 16
कृपकर्णसंवादः
Kṛpa’s Counsel to Karṇa on Deśa-Kāla and Coordinated Strategy
उत्तराभ्यां फल्गुनीभ्यां नक्षत्राभ्यामहं दिवा | जातो हिमवत: पृष्ठे तेन मां फाल्गुनं विदुः
uttarābhyāṃ phalgunībhyāṃ nakṣatrābhyām ahaṃ divā | jāto himavataḥ pṛṣṭhe tena māṃ phālgunaṃ viduḥ ||
ମୁଁ ହିମବତର ଶିଖରରେ ଦିନବେଳେ ଉତ୍ତରା-ଫଲ୍ଗୁନୀ ନକ୍ଷତ୍ରମାନଙ୍କ ତଳେ ଜନ୍ମ ନେଇଥିଲି; ତେଣୁ ଲୋକେ ମୋତେ ‘ଫାଲ୍ଗୁନ’ ବୋଲି ଜାଣନ୍ତି।
अर्जुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how names and epithets in the Mahābhārata often preserve meaningful origins—here, Arjuna’s epithet ‘Phālguna’ is tied to his birth under the Phalgunī lunar mansions. It underscores the epic’s concern with identity grounded in remembered causes rather than mere labels.
Arjuna is identifying himself by giving the traditional reason for one of his well-known epithets. In the Virāṭa narrative context, such self-identification supports recognition and establishes credibility before action in the impending conflict.
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