Mahabharata — Svargarohana Parva, Shloka 16
Svargārohaṇa-parva, Adhyāya 4 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Vision of the Celestial Assembly
Recognition and Explanation
अयं ते पूर्वजो भ्राता कौन्तेय: पावकद्युति: । सूतपुत्राग्रज: श्रेष्ठो राधेय इति विश्रुत:
ayaṁ te pūrvajo bhrātā kaunteyaḥ pāvakadyutiḥ | sūtaputrāgrajaḥ śreṣṭho rādheya iti viśrutaḥ ||
毗舍摩波耶那说道：“昆蒂之子啊，此人乃你的长兄，光耀如火。他以‘罗陀耶’之名闻世，是车夫之子中最卓越者，亦为其长。”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how social identity and reputation (“sūtaputra”, “Rādheya”) can obscure deeper truth of birth and kinship (“your elder brother”). It invites reflection on dharma beyond labels—recognizing persons by intrinsic worth and rightful relations rather than public status.
In the Svargārohaṇa context, Vaiśampāyana identifies a radiant figure as the listener’s elder brother and names him as Rādheya—i.e., Karṇa—renowned as the foremost among the sūta’s sons. The line functions as a recognition statement, clarifying kinship and Karṇa’s famed identity.