Shloka 18
कर्णनिधनवृत्तान्तनिवेदनम् | Reporting Karṇa’s Fall to Yudhiṣṭhira
अकार्याणां क्रियाणां च संयोगं य: करोति वै । कार्याणामक्रियाणां च स पार्थ पुरुषाधम:
akāryāṇāṁ kriyāṇāṁ ca saṁyogaṁ yaḥ karoti vai | kāryāṇām akriyāṇāṁ ca sa pārtha puruṣādhamaḥ ||
ஸ்ரீகிருஷ்ணர் கூறினார்—ஓ பார்த்தா! செய்யக்கூடாதவற்றோடும், செய்ய வேண்டாத செயல்களோடும் சேர்ந்து, செய்ய வேண்டிய கடமைகளைச் செய்யாமல் விலகுபவன் மனிதர்களில் அதமன் ஆவான்.
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
One must discriminate between what is forbidden (akārya) and what is duty (kārya). Joining oneself to improper actions and neglecting rightful duties is portrayed as moral degradation—an inversion of dharma through wrong choices and culpable omission.
In the Karṇa Parva war setting, Śrī Kṛṣṇa addresses Arjuna (Pārtha) with ethical counsel, warning against confused judgment: aligning with prohibited courses of action while failing to do what duty requires.