Shloka 29

Nara-Nārāyaṇa Precedent and Bhīṣma’s Counsel on Kṛṣṇa–Arjuna; Karṇa’s Reply

Devanagari script

कर्ण उवाच नैवमायुष्मता वाच्यं यन्मामात्थ पितामह । क्षत्रधर्मे स्थितो हास्मि स्वधर्मादनपेयिवान्‌,कर्ण बोला--पितामह! आपने मेरे प्रति जिन शब्दोंका प्रयोग किया है, वे अनुचित हैं। आप-जैसे वृद्ध पुरुषको ऐसी बातें मुँहसे नहीं निकालनी चाहिये। मैं क्षत्रियधर्ममें स्थित हूँ और अपने धर्मसे कभी भ्रष्ट नहीं हुआ हूँ

Transliteration

karṇa uvāca naivam āyuṣmatā vācyaṃ yan mām āttha pitāmaha | kṣatradharme sthito hāsmi svadharmād anapeyivān ||

Translation

กรรณะกล่าวว่า “ท่านปิตามหะ ถ้อยคำที่ท่านกล่าวต่อข้าพเจ้านั้นไม่สมควร ผู้เฒ่าผู้ทรงเกียรติอย่างท่านไม่ควรเอ่ยคำตำหนิเช่นนี้ ข้าพเจ้าตั้งมั่นในธรรมของกษัตริย์นักรบ และไม่เคยคลาดจากหน้าที่ของตน”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'na evam', 'definition': 'not in this way

• not like this'}, {'term': 'āyuṣmatā', 'definition': 'by the venerable one

• by one endowed with long life (a respectful address to an elder)'}, {'term': 'vācyaṃ', 'definition': 'to be said

• fit to be spoken'}, {'term': 'yat', 'definition': 'that which

• the fact that'}, {'term': 'mām', 'definition': 'to me

• me'}, {'term': 'āttha', 'definition': 'you said

• you spoke (2nd person perfect of √ah)'}, {'term': 'pitāmaha', 'definition': 'grandfather

• an honorific for Bhīṣma'}, {'term': 'kṣatra-dharma', 'definition': 'the duty/ethos of the warrior-ruler class

• kshatriya code'}, {'term': 'sthitaḥ', 'definition': 'standing

• steadfast'}, {'term': 'ha', 'definition': 'indeed

• emphatic particle'}, {'term': 'asmi', 'definition': 'I am'}, {'term': 'sva-dharma', 'definition': 'one’s own duty

• one’s rightful role-based obligation'}, {'term': 'anapeyivān', 'definition': 'not having departed

Speaker

कर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Karna
• Bhishma (Pitamaha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse asserts steadfastness in svadharma (one’s rightful duty) and frames ethical speech as bound by propriety: even criticism must be spoken fittingly, especially by elders. Karna defends his honor by claiming unwavering adherence to kshatriya duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war negotiations and counsel, Karna responds to Bhishma (addressed as Pitamaha). He rebukes Bhishma’s harsh words as improper for an elder and declares that he remains firmly established in kshatriya dharma, never deviating from his chosen duty.