Mahābhārata · 1.104.16–17
॥
Devanāgarī
स वर्धमानो बलवान् सर्वास्त्रेषूद्यतो ऽभवत् ॥
आ पृष्ठतापाद् आदित्यम् उपतस्थे स वीर्यवान् ॥
यस्मिन् काले जपन्न् आस्ते स वीरः सत्यसंगरः ॥
नादेयं ब्राह्मणेष्व् आसीत् तस्मिन् काले महात्मनः ॥
Transliteración (IAST)
sa vardhamāno balavān sarvāstreṣūdyato 'bhavat ||
ā pṛṣṭhatāpād ādityam upatasthe sa vīryavān ||
yasmin kāle japann āste sa vīraḥ satyasaṃgaraḥ ||
nādeyaṃ brāhmaṇeṣv āsīt tasmin kāle mahātmanaḥ ||
Palabra por palabra
SánscritoIASTSignificado
सः वर्धमानः बलवान् सर्वास्त्रेषु उद्यतः अभवत्saḥ vardhamānaḥ balavān sarvāstreṣu udyataḥ abhavathe, growing up, became strong and diligent in every kind of weapon
आ पृष्ठतापात् आदित्यम् उपतस्थे सः वीर्यवान्ā pṛṣṭhatāpāt ādityam upatasthe saḥ vīryavānthe valiant one worshipped the Sun, [standing before him] until his back was scorched (until noon)
यस्मिन् काले जपन् आस्ते सः वीरः सत्यसंगरःyasmin kāle japan āste saḥ vīraḥ satyasaṃgaraḥat the hour when that hero, true to his word, sat performing japa
न अदेयं ब्राह्मणेषु आसीत् तस्मिन् काले महात्मनःna adeyaṃ brāhmaṇeṣu āsīt tasmin kāle mahātmanaḥthere was nothing that great-souled one would not give to brahmins at that hour
सsaoriginal form "sa", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
वर्धमानोvardhamānooriginal form "vardhamāno", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सर्वास्त्रेषूद्यतोsarvāstreṣūdyatooriginal form "sarvāstreṣūdyato", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ऽभवत्'bhavatoriginal form "'bhavat", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
पृष्ठतापाद्pṛṣṭhatāpādoriginal form "pṛṣṭhatāpād", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सsaoriginal form "sa", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
जपन्न्japannoriginal form "japann", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
सsaoriginal form "sa", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
नादेयंnādeyaṃoriginal form "nādeyaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ब्राह्मणेष्व्brāhmaṇeṣvoriginal form "brāhmaṇeṣv", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Traducción
"He, growing up, became strong and diligent in every kind of weapon. The valiant one worshipped the Sun, standing before him until his back was scorched. At the hour when that hero, true to his word, sat performing japa, there was nothing that great-souled one would not give to brahmins."
Versión
b39765e03a75 · publicado 12 jul 2026, 16:30:26 UTC
Disponible enRUENPasa de verso en verso con
Here two of Karna's most famous traits appear: reverence for [his father] the Sun, and boundless generosity. It is telling that he worships the Sun "until his back was scorched" — standing facing Surya until noon, not knowing that he honors his own father: even in ignorance the son reaches toward the father. Most telling of all is his vow of generosity: at the hour of midday japa he refused brahmins nothing (nādeyam — "there is nothing not to be given"). Here is the highest virtue — dana (giving) carried to the point of self-forgetting; Karna the giver is renowned alongside the greatest. It is telling that this very virtue will become his undoing: it is precisely this that Indra will exploit, luring from him what should not have been given — the armor and earrings. Thus the scripture shows that even the highest virtue, unguarded by prudence, can turn to harm; and yet Karna's generosity remains his undying glory. Here is the key to Karna's image: a tragic hero whose greatness and whose ruin grow from a single root — unreserved magnanimity.