Shloka 10
इदं त्वमनुजानीहि सुरश्रेष्ठ ब्रतं मम । भिक्षते वज्िणे दद्यामपि जीवितमात्मन:,सुरश्रेष्ठ! यह जो मेरा दान देनेका व्रत है, उसके लिये आप भी मुझे आज्ञा दीजिये, जिससे मैं याचक बनकर आये हुए इन्द्रको अपने प्राणतक दे सकूँ
idaṃ tvam anujānīhi suraśreṣṭha vrataṃ mama | bhikṣate vajriṇe dadyām api jīvitam ātmanaḥ ||
Karna nói: “Hỡi bậc tối thượng trong chư thiên, xin hãy cho phép ta giữ trọn lời thệ nguyện này. Nếu kẻ mang lôi chùy (Indra) đến xin như một kẻ cầu khẩn, ta cũng sẽ hiến dâng cả mạng sống của chính mình.”
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dāna-dharma as a vow-like ethical identity: true generosity is tested when giving becomes personally costly. Karna presents steadfast giving—without calculating advantage—as a form of honor and moral consistency.
Karna addresses Indra (called Suraśreṣṭha and Vajrin), asking him to sanction Karna’s charitable vow. He declares that if Indra approaches in the guise of a beggar, Karna is prepared to give even his own life—foreshadowing Indra’s attempt to obtain Karna’s protective boon (his natural armor/earrings) before the Kurukṣetra war.