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Shloka 31

Kuntī–Karṇa Saṃvāda: Lineage Disclosure and Appeal to Fraternal Dharma

यथान्यायं महातेजा मानी धर्मभूतां वर: । उत्स्मयन्‌ प्रणत: प्राह कुन्तीं वैकर्तनो वृष:

yathānyāyaṃ mahātejā mānī dharmabhūtāṃ varaḥ | utsmayan praṇataḥ prāha kuntīṃ vaikartano vṛṣaḥ ||

Bấy giờ Karṇa—rực rỡ đại quang, dáng vẻ kiêu hùng, và đứng đầu trong hàng người giữ đạo—tiến đến Kuntī theo đúng lễ nghi. Sau khi cúi chào cung kính và mỉm cười, Vaikartana (cũng gọi là Vṛṣa) bắt đầu cất lời. Cảnh ấy làm nổi bật sự căng thẳng giữa danh dự cá nhân, lòng kính mẹ, và đòi hỏi khốc liệt của chiến tranh sắp tới.

यथाas, according to
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
अन्यायम्improperly, contrary to justice
अन्यायम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअन्याय (a-nyāya)
महातेजाःvery radiant, of great splendor
महातेजाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootमहातेजस्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
मानीproud, self-respecting
मानी:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootमानिन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
धर्मभूताम्endowed with dharma, righteous
धर्मभूताम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootधर्मभूत (dharma-bhūta)
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
वरःthe best, excellent one
वरः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
उत्स्मयन्smiling
उत्स्मयन्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootस्मि (स्मयते)
Formशतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular
प्रणतःhaving bowed, saluting
प्रणतः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootप्र-नम्
Formक्त (past passive participle used adjectivally), Masculine, Nominative, Singular
प्राहsaid, spoke
प्राह:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र-आह् (ब्रू/अह्; perfect of √अह्/√ब्रू in sense 'said')
FormPerfect, 3rd, Singular
कुन्तीम्Kunti
कुन्तीम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootकुन्ती
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
वैकर्तनःVaikartana (Karna)
वैकर्तनः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवैकर्तन
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
वृषःVrisha (an epithet/name)
वृषः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवृष
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular

वैशम्पायन उवाच

V
Vaiśampāyana
K
Kuntī
K
Karṇa
V
Vaikartana
V
Vṛṣa

Educational Q&A

Even amid grave conflict, dharma is expressed through proper conduct—humility, respectful speech, and honoring relationships. Karṇa’s courteous bow and composed smile highlight the ideal that ethical demeanor should not collapse under the pressure of political and martial crisis.

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Karṇa (Vaikartana/Vṛṣa) approaches Kuntī, offers a formal salutation in accordance with propriety, and then begins speaking to her—setting the stage for a morally charged conversation about kinship, loyalty, and the coming war.