Shloka 7
भीष्मस्य दुर्योधनं प्रति कुलहितोपदेशः | Bhīṣma’s Counsel to Duryodhana on Dynastic Welfare
क्रियाकाले त्वनुक्रोशमकृत्वा त्वमिमं मम | हीनसंस्कारसमयमद्य मां समचूचुद:,जब मेरे लिये कुछ करनेका अवसर था, उस समय तो तुमने यह दया नहीं दिखायी और आज जब मेरे संस्कारका समय बीत गया है, ऐसे समयमें तुम मुझे क्षात्रधर्मकी ओर प्रेरित करने चली हो
kriyākāle tv anukrośam akṛtvā tvam imaṃ mama | hīna-saṃskāra-samayaṃ adya māṃ samacūcudaḥ ||
“Khi còn thời cơ để hành động vì con, mẹ đã chẳng hề thương xót. Vậy mà hôm nay—khi thời hạn cho các nghi lễ và sự rèn luyện đáng lẽ thuộc về con đã qua—mẹ lại đến thúc giục con bước theo đạo nghĩa kṣatriya.”
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse stresses moral responsibility tied to timing: compassion and corrective action must be offered when they can truly help. Karna critiques belated ethical exhortation—urging him toward kṣatriya duty only after the formative moment (saṃskāra/recognition) has passed—highlighting how delayed justice or recognition can become ethically hollow.
In Udyoga Parva’s pre-war negotiations and counsel, Karna responds to an appeal that invokes his kṣatriya identity and duty. He rejects the appeal as untimely, saying that when he needed support and recognition earlier, it was not given; now, at a late stage, he is being pressed to adopt the warrior code.