Śikhaṇḍin’s Transformation, Daśārṇa Verification, and Kubera’s Conditional Curse
Udyoga Parva 193
तथा दिव्यास्त्रवित् कर्ण: सम्पृष्ट: कुरुसंसदि । पज्चभिर्दिवसैहन्तुं ससैन्यं प्रतिजज्ञिवान्,दिव्यास्त्रवेत्ता कर्णसे जब कौरवसभामें पूछा गया, तब उसने पाँच ही दिनोंमें हमारी सेनाको नष्ट करनेकी प्रतिज्ञा कर ली
tathā divyāstravit karṇaḥ sampṛṣṭaḥ kurusaṃsadi | pañcabhir divasair hantuṃ sasainyaṃ pratijajñivān ||
Yudhiṣṭhira nói: “Cũng vậy, Karṇa—bậc tinh thông thiên binh—khi bị hỏi trước hội nghị Kuru, đã thề rằng chỉ trong năm ngày sẽ tiêu diệt quân ta cùng toàn bộ binh lực.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Public vows in a royal assembly are not mere words; they bind reputation and duty, and can intensify violence by turning personal honor into a commitment to destruction—raising ethical questions about pride, responsibility, and the escalation of war.
Yudhiṣṭhira reports that Karṇa, famed for mastery of divine weapons, was questioned in the Kaurava court and declared a pledge to annihilate the opposing army within five days, signaling confidence and threatening swift devastation.