Shloka 24
Kuntī–Karṇa Saṃvāda: Lineage Disclosure and Appeal to Fraternal Dharma
भवेयमिति संचिन्त्य ब्राह्म॒णं तं नमस्य च । कौतूहलात् तु तं लब्ध्वा बालिश्यादाचरं तदा । कन्या सती देवमर्कमासादयमहं ततः
bhaveyam iti saṃcintya brāhmaṇaṃ taṃ namasya ca | kautūhalāt tu taṃ labdhvā bāliśyād ācaran tadā | kanyā satī devam arkam āsādayam ahaṃ tataḥ ||
毗舍摩波耶那说：她思忖“就如此吧”，便向那位婆罗门顶礼，得到了咒语；随后因好奇与少不更事，便开始施用。其结果是——她尚为处女之身时，竟与阿尔迦神、太阳神相合。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights ethical causality: even actions begun without malicious intent—driven by curiosity and immature judgment—can yield life-altering consequences. It implicitly commends discernment (viveka) and restraint in the use of powerful means (mantra), especially when one is concerned with preserving dharma and social integrity.
The speaker recounts receiving a mantra from a brāhmaṇa and, out of curiosity and youthful folly, testing it. The mantra’s effect brings the Sun-god (Arka/Sūrya) to her, resulting in a divine union while she is still a maiden—setting up the later narrative consequences associated with this event.