कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ४०
Karṇa’s Pressure on the Pāñcālas; Duryodhana Disabled; Arjuna’s Counter-Advance
राज्ञो धर्मप्रधानस्य राष्ट्रे वसति निर्भय: । कहते हैं समुद्रके तटपर किसी धर्मप्रधान राजाके राज्यमें एक प्रचुर धन-धान्यसे सम्पन्न वैश्य रहता था। वह यज्ञ-यागादि करनेवाला, दानपति, क्षमाशील, अपने वर्णानुकूल कर्ममें तत्पर, पवित्र, बहुत-से पुत्रवाला, संतानप्रेमी और समस्त प्राणियोंपर दया करनेवाला था
sañjaya uvāca | rājño dharmapradhānasya rāṣṭre vasati nirbhayaḥ |
三阇耶说道:在一位以达摩为先的国王之国中,有一人无所畏惧地生活着。于海滨之地,在那位正法之君的疆域内,住着一位富足的吠舍,谷粟与财宝充盈;勤于祭祀与仪轨,乐施好善,宽恕忍让,恪尽其种姓本分,行止清净,多子多孙,爱怜子嗣,并对一切众生怀有慈悲。
संजय उवाच
The verse frames an ethical ideal of governance: when a ruler places dharma first, people can live without fear. The accompanying description highlights the complementary ideal of a virtuous householder—prosperous yet devoted to yajña, charity, forgiveness, purity, family responsibility, and compassion—showing how social well-being arises from both righteous rule and righteous conduct.
Sanjaya begins a descriptive episode by stating that, in the realm of a dharma-centered king, a man lived fearlessly. The narrative then identifies him as a prosperous vaiśya living near the seashore and lists his virtues (ritual devotion, generosity, forbearance, adherence to his duties, purity, many children, affection, and kindness to all beings), setting the moral and social context for what follows.