Mahabharata
Karna-upanigraha (143) (The Conversation of Kṛṣṇa and Karṇa, Chapters 138-150)5.143.6-10
4959 / 15823
Mahabharata · 5.143.6-10
Devanāgarī

स त्वं भ्रातॄन् असंबुद्ध्वा मोहाद् यद् उपसेवसे ॥
धार्तराष्ट्रान् न तद् युक्तं त्वयि पुत्र विशेषतः ॥
एतद् धर्मफलं पुत्र नराणां धर्मनिश्चये ॥
यत् तुष्यन्त्य् अस्य पितरो माता चाप्य् एकदर्शिनी ॥
अर्जुनेनार्जितां पूर्वं हृतां लोभाद् असाधुभिः ॥
आच्छिद्य धार्तराष्ट्रेभ्यो भुङ्क्ष्व यौधिष्ठिरीं श्रियम् ॥
अद्य पश्यन्तु कुरवः कर्णार्जुनसमागमम् ॥
सौभ्रात्रेण तद् आलक्ष्य संनमन्ताम् असाधवः ॥
कर्णार्जुनौ वै भवतां यथा रामजनार्दनौ ॥
असाध्यं किं नु लोके स्याद् युवयोः सहितात्मनोः ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

sa tvaṃ bhrātṝn asaṃbuddhvā mohād yad upasevase ||
dhārtarāṣṭrān na tad yuktaṃ tvayi putra viśeṣataḥ ||
etad dharmaphalaṃ putra narāṇāṃ dharmaniścaye ||
yat tuṣyanty asya pitaro mātā cāpy ekadarśinī ||
arjunenārjitāṃ pūrvaṃ hṛtāṃ lobhād asādhubhiḥ ||
ācchidya dhārtarāṣṭrebhyo bhuṅkṣva yaudhiṣṭhirīṃ śriyam ||
adya paśyantu kuravaḥ karṇārjunasamāgamam ||
saubhrātreṇa tad ālakṣya saṃnamantām asādhavaḥ ||
karṇārjunau vai bhavatāṃ yathā rāmajanārdanau ||
asādhyaṃ kiṃ nu loke syād yuvayoḥ sahitātmanoḥ ||

Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
sathat one; such
त्वंtvaṃyou; you indeed
भ्रातॄन्bhrātṝnbrothers; own brothers
असंबुद्ध्वाasaṃbuddhvāwithout recognizing; not having realized
मोहाद्mohādout of delusion; from bewilderment
यद्yadthat; when
उपसेवसेupasevaseyou serve; you attend upon
धार्तराष्ट्रान्dhārtarāṣṭrānthe sons of Dhritarashtra; the Dhartarashtras
nanot; no
तद्tadthis; that
युक्तंyuktaṃis fitting; is proper
त्वयिtvayifor you; in you
पुत्रputrason; child
विशेषतःviśeṣataḥespecially; in particular
एतद्etadthis; this very
धर्मफलंdharmaphalaṃfruit of dharma; result of righteousness
पुत्रputrason; child
नराणांnarāṇāṃof men; of human beings
धर्मनिश्चयेdharmaniścayein determining dharma; in deciding righteousness
यत्yatthat; when
तुष्यन्त्य्tuṣyantyare pleased; rejoice
अस्यasyahis; of this one
पितरोpitarofathers; ancestors
माताmātāmother; the one who bore him
चाप्य्cāpyand also; moreover
एकदर्शिनीekadarśinīseeing as one; of one mind
अर्जुनेनार्जितांarjunenārjitāṃwon by Arjuna; conquered by Arjuna
पूर्वंpūrvaṃformerly; earlier
हृतांhṛtāṃseized; stolen
लोभाद्lobhādout of greed; from avarice
असाधुभिःasādhubhiḥby the wicked; by evil men
आच्छिद्यācchidyahaving seized; having wrested
धार्तराष्ट्रेभ्योdhārtarāṣṭrebhyofrom the sons of Dhritarashtra; from the Dhartarashtras
भुङ्क्ष्वbhuṅkṣvaenjoy; possess
यौधिष्ठिरींyaudhiṣṭhirīṃbelonging to Yudhishthira; Yudhishthira's
श्रियम्śriyamroyal fortune; glory and wealth
अद्यadyatoday; now
पश्यन्तुpaśyantulet them see; let them behold
कुरवःkuravaḥthe Kurus; the Kuru clan
कर्णार्जुनसमागमम्karṇārjunasamāgamamthe union of Karna and Arjuna; the meeting of Karna with Arjuna
सौभ्रात्रेणsaubhrātreṇaby brotherly union; by good brotherhood
तद्tadthis; that
आलक्ष्यālakṣyahaving seen; having noticed
संनमन्ताम्saṃnamantāmlet them bow; let them submit
असाधवःasādhavaḥthe wicked; evil men
कर्णार्जुनौkarṇārjunauKarna and Arjuna; you two, Karna and Arjuna
वैvaiindeed; truly
भवतांbhavatāṃfor you; of you two
यथाyathāas; like
रामजनार्दनौrāmajanārdanauRama and Janardana; Balarama and Krishna
असाध्यंasādhyaṃunattainable; impossible
किंkiṃwhat; which
नुnuindeed; surely
लोकेlokein the world; among people
स्याद्syādwould be; could be
युवयोःyuvayoḥfor you two; between you two
सहितात्मनोःsahitātmanoḥunited in heart; acting together
Translation

"Therefore, without recognizing your own brothers, you serve the sons of Dhritarashtra out of delusion; this is not fitting for you, my son, especially for you. This is the fruit of dharma for men in determining righteousness, my son: that his fathers are pleased, and his mother, seeing as one with them, is pleased as well. Wrest from the sons of Dhritarashtra the royal fortune of Yudhishthira, formerly won by Arjuna and seized by the wicked out of greed, and enjoy it. Let the Kurus today see the union of Karna and Arjuna, and, beholding that brotherly bond, let the wicked bow down. When you two, Karna and Arjuna, are to each other as Rama and Janardana, what in this world would be unattainable for you two, united in heart?"

Version

76d9a4986983 · published Jul 17, 2026, 6:17:17 AM UTC

Available inRUEN

Page between verses with