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

Transliteration

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

Translation

کَرن نے کہا—اے پِتامہ! آپ نے میرے بارے میں جو الفاظ کہے ہیں وہ مناسب نہیں۔ آپ جیسے بزرگ اور معزز شخص کو ایسی ملامت زبان پر نہیں لانی چاہیے۔ میں کشتریہ دھرم پر قائم ہوں اور اپنے فرض سے کبھی نہیں ہٹا۔

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.