Shloka 30
Sabhā Parva, Adhyāya 68 — Pāṇḍavānāṃ Vanavāsa-prasthānaḥ; Duḥśāsana-nindā; Pāṇḍava-pratijñāḥ
धृतराष्ट्रकुमार! तुम केवल अपनी मूर्खताके कारण आप ही अपने पैरोंमें कुल्हाड़ी मार रहे हो; क्योंकि तुम बालक होकर भी भरी सभामें वृद्धोंकी-सी बातें करते हो ।। न च धर्म यथावत् त्वं वेत्सि दुर्योधनावर । यद् ब्रवीषि जितां कृष्णां न जितेति सुमन्दधी:
Dhṛtarāṣṭrakumāra! tvaṃ kevalaṃ svamūḍhatākāraṇād ātmanaiva svapādayoḥ kuṭhāram ādadhe; yasmāt tvaṃ bālako ’pi bhari sabhāyāṃ vṛddhānām iva vākyāni bhāṣase. Na ca dharmaṃ yathāvat tvaṃ vetsi, Duryodhana-āvara; yad bravīṣi jitāṃ Kṛṣṇāṃ na jitety ati-sumanda-dhīḥ.
Wika ni Karna: “O anak ni Dhritarashtra, sa tanging kamangmangan, ikaw ay tila pumapalo ng palakol sa sarili mong paa. Bagama’t bata, nagsasalita ka sa gitna ng ganap na kapulungan na parang matanda. Hindi mo tunay na nauunawaan ang dharma, O tagasunod ni Duryodhana; at sa mapurol na isip, ipinahahayag mong si Krishnaa (Draupadi), bagama’t napanalunan na, ay hindi raw napanalunan.”
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse warns that speaking beyond one’s understanding—especially about dharma—can become self-destructive. Karna frames reckless, self-serving argumentation in the assembly as ‘cutting one’s own feet with an axe,’ emphasizing ethical discernment and restraint in public counsel.
In the dice-hall controversy over Draupadi’s status, a Kaurava prince argues that Draupadi was ‘not won.’ Karna rebukes him as immature and ignorant of dharma, aligning the dispute with the larger moral collapse unfolding in the royal assembly.