Shloka 13
उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय १४० (कृष्णेन कर्णं प्रति पाण्डवबल-वैशिष्ट्यप्रदर्शनम्) / Udyoga Parva, Chapter 140
Krishna’s appraisal of Pandava advantage and war portents
धृतराष्ट्रकुले कृष्ण दुर्योधनसमाश्रयात् । मया त्रयोदश समा भुक्तं राज्यमकण्टकम्,श्रीकृष्ण! मैंने दुर्योधनका सहारा पाकर धुृतराष्ट्रके कुलमें रहते हुए तेरह वर्षोतक अकण्टक राज्यका उपभोग किया है
dhṛtarāṣṭrakule kṛṣṇa duryodhanasamāśrayāt | mayā trayodaśa samā bhuktaṁ rājyam akaṇṭakam ||
กรรณะกล่าวว่า “โอ้กฤษณะ ด้วยการพึ่งพาดุรโยธนะ ข้าได้อยู่ในราชสกุลของธฤตราษฏระ และตลอดสิบสามปี ข้าได้เสวยราชสมบัติอัน ‘ไร้หนาม’—ปราศจากอุปสรรคและปราศจากผู้คัดค้าน”
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the moral tension between gratitude/loyalty to a benefactor and the broader demands of dharma. Karna acknowledges that his status and untroubled royal enjoyment came through dependence on Duryodhana, implying a binding obligation that complicates ethical choice when conflict becomes inevitable.
In Udyoga Parva, as war negotiations and alignments intensify, Karna addresses Krishna and reflects on his long-standing association with the Kaurava court. He states that, supported by Duryodhana, he has enjoyed secure royal prosperity for thirteen years—setting the context for why he remains committed to Duryodhana despite Krishna’s counsel.