Shloka 37

अर्जुनकर्णसंनिपातवर्णनम् / The Convergence of Arjuna and Karṇa

Devanagari script

नाहं पादौ धावयिष्ये कदाचित्‌ यावत्‌ स्थित: पार्थ इत्यल्पबुद्धे: । ब्रतं तस्यैतत्‌ सर्वदा शक्रसूनो कच्चित्‌ त्वया निहतः सोउद्य कर्ण:,इन्द्रकुमार! उस मन्दबुद्धि कर्णने सदाके लिये यह व्रत ले रखा था कि जबतक कुन्तीकुमार अर्जुन जीवित हैं तबतक मैं दूसरोंसे पैर नहीं धुलाऊँगा। क्या उस कर्णको तुमने आज मार डाला?

Transliteration

nāhaṃ pādau dhāvayiṣye kadācit yāvat sthitaḥ pārtha ity alpabuddheḥ | vrataṃ tasyaitat sarvadā śakrasūno kaccit tvayā nihataḥ so 'dya karṇaḥ ||

Translation

Юдхиштхира сказал: «“Пока Партха (Арджуна) стоит живым, я никогда не омою ног никому”—таков был глупый обет, который Карна принял навеки. О сын Индры, неужели ты сегодня убил этого Карну?»

Word by Word

• {'nāham': 'I do not', 'pādau': 'the two feet', 'dhāvayiṣye': 'I shall wash/clean (cause to be washed)', 'kadācit': 'ever, at any time', 'yāvat': 'as long as, until', 'sthitaḥ': 'standing

• remaining alive/firm', 'pārthaḥ': 'Pārtha, Arjuna (son of Pṛthā/Kuntī)', 'iti': 'thus (quoting)', 'alpabuddheḥ': 'of the dull-witted/foolish one', 'vratam': 'vow, solemn resolve', 'tasya': 'his', 'etat': 'this', 'sarvadā': 'always', 'śakrasūno': 'O son of Śakra (Indra), i.e., Arjuna', 'kaccit': 'surely? indeed? (interrogative particle expressing anxious inquiry)', 'tvayā': 'by you', 'nihataḥ': 'slain, killed', 'adya': 'today', 'karṇaḥ': 'Karṇa'}

Speaker

युधिषछ्िर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Arjuna (Pārtha, Śakrasūnu/Indrakumāra)
• Karṇa
• Indra (Śakra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse critiques a pride-driven vow as “alpabuddhi” (poor judgment): ethical resolve should serve dharma and humility, not ego and rivalry. It also highlights how vows can bind a warrior’s identity and choices in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

After the day’s battle, Yudhiṣṭhira questions Arjuna (addressed as Indra’s son) about whether Karṇa has been killed. He recalls Karṇa’s boastful vow that he would not perform a humiliating act (washing others’ feet) while Arjuna lived, and asks if that rival has now fallen.