Mahabharata · 5.143.11-12
॥
Devanāgarī
कर्ण शोभिष्यसे नूनं पञ्चभिर् भ्रातृभिर् वृतः ॥
वेदैः परिवृतो ब्रह्मा यथा वेदाङ्गपञ्चमैः ॥
उपपन्नो गुणैः श्रेष्ठो ज्येष्ठः श्रेष्ठेषु बन्धुषु ॥
सूतपुत्रेति मा शब्दः पार्थस् त्वम् असि वीर्यवान् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
karṇa śobhiṣyase nūnaṃ pañcabhir bhrātṛbhir vṛtaḥ ||
vedaiḥ parivṛto brahmā yathā vedāṅgapañcamaiḥ ||
upapanno guṇaiḥ śreṣṭho jyeṣṭhaḥ śreṣṭheṣu bandhuṣu ||
sūtaputreti mā śabdaḥ pārthas tvam asi vīryavān ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
कर्णkarṇaKarna; son of Radha
शोभिष्यसेśobhiṣyaseyou will shine; you will be adorned
नूनंnūnaṃcertainly; surely
पञ्चभिर्pañcabhirby five; with five
भ्रातृभिर्bhrātṛbhirbrothers; with brothers
वृतःvṛtaḥsurrounded; endowed
वेदैःvedaiḥby the Vedas; with the Vedas
परिवृतोparivṛtosurrounded; encircled
ब्रह्माbrahmāBrahma; the creator Brahma
यथाyathāas; like
वेदाङ्गपञ्चमैःvedāṅgapañcamaiḥby the five Vedangas; by the Vedangas as the fifth surrounding
उपपन्नोupapannoendowed; possessed
गुणैःguṇaiḥwith qualities; with virtues
श्रेष्ठोśreṣṭhothe best; the finest
ज्येष्ठःjyeṣṭhaḥeldest; firstborn
श्रेष्ठेषुśreṣṭheṣuamong the best; among the finest
बन्धुषुbandhuṣuamong kinsmen; among relatives
सूतपुत्रेतिsūtaputretithe words 'son of a suta'; the name son of a suta
माmālet there not be; not
शब्दःśabdaḥword; designation
पार्थस्pārthasson of Pritha; Kaunteya
त्वम्tvamyou; you indeed
असिasiare; such you are
वीर्यवान्vīryavānvalorous; possessed of strength
Translation
"O Karna, surely you will shine, surrounded by five brothers, as Brahma is surrounded by the Vedas and the five Vedangas. Endowed with virtues, the best, the eldest among the finest of kinsmen, you should not be called the son of a suta: you are the valorous son of Pritha."
Version
1115e907235d · published Jul 17, 2026, 6:17:17 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Kunti speaks to Karna not as a political negotiator but as a mother revealing the hidden truth of his birth. Her argument rests on the dharma of kinship: acknowledging Karna's seniority should restore his honor, unite the brothers, and check the unrighteous.