Shloka 38
Sabhā Parva, Adhyāya 68 — Pāṇḍavānāṃ Vanavāsa-prasthānaḥ; Duḥśāsana-nindā; Pāṇḍava-pratijñāḥ
दुःशासन सुबालो<यं विकर्ण: प्राज्ञवादिक: । पाण्डवानां च वासांसि द्रौपद्याश्चाप्युपाहर
duḥśāsana subālo ’yaṃ vikarṇaḥ prājñavādikaḥ | pāṇḍavānāṃ ca vāsāṃsi draupadyāś cāpy upāhara ||
Karna disse: “Duḥśāsana, este Vikarna não passa de um rapaz—e, no entanto, fala como se fosse sábio. Vai: traz e arranca as vestes dos Pāṇḍavas, e também as de Draupadī.”
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how contemptuous speech and the misuse of authority can accelerate adharma: instead of heeding a principled objection (Vikarna’s), Karna derides it and urges an act of public humiliation, showing how moral collapse in a court begins with rejecting ethical counsel.
In the Kuru assembly during the dice-game crisis, Vikarna has spoken in defense of dharma. Karna responds by mocking Vikarna as an immature ‘wise-talker’ and instructs Duhshasana to seize/bring the garments of the Pandavas and Draupadi—an escalation toward Draupadi’s attempted disrobing.