Daily Poetry — August 29, 2026

रश्मिरथी (Rashmirathi) - कर्ण को श्रीकृष्ण का उपदेश

Composed by रामधारी सिंह 'दिनकर' (Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar')

Original Hindi

हे कर्ण! तू है सूर्य-पुत्र, कुंती का कंठ-हार, जन्मा तू था स्वर्ग से, पर मिला न तुझे प्यार। तू है ज्येष्ठ पांडुपुत्र, धर्म का अनुयायी, फिर क्यों खड़ा है शत्रु-दल में, बन कर पराया? चल, पांडवों के दल में, तेरा स्थान है वहाँ, सिंहासन है तेरा, जहाँ धर्म का है जहाँ। तू क्यों अपने बन्धुओं से वैर रखता है? यह अधर्म है, तू क्यों नहीं इसे समझता है?

English Translation

O Karna! You are the son of the Sun, Kunti's necklace, Born from heaven, yet you received no love. You are the eldest Pandava, a follower of Dharma, Then why do you stand with the enemy, as a stranger? Come, join the Pandava side, your place is there, The throne is yours, where Dharma resides. Why do you bear animosity towards your brethren? This is unrighteousness, why do you not understand it?

AI Generated

AI Echo (Hindi)

मगर कर्ण का अटल प्रण, धर्म से था न्यारा, दुर्योधन की मित्रता का, बोझ था प्यारा। बोला, "केशव, जन्म से वंचित, सम्मान से दूरा, रखा जिसने मुझे ऊँचा, उसका ही मैं पूरा। छोड़ न पाऊँगा उसे, चाहे हो जाए सर्वनाश, मित्रता की राह पर ही मेरा अंतिम प्रवास। धर्म-अधर्म की बात अब कहाँ रही शेष, मेरा वचन ही मेरा सत्य, मेरा एक आदेश।"

AI Generated

AI Echo (English)

But Karna's steadfast vow was distinct from Dharma, The burden of Duryodhana's friendship was dear to him. He said, "Keshav, deprived from birth, far from respect, The one who elevated me, to him I am complete. I cannot abandon him, even if ruin befalls all, On the path of friendship lies my final journey. Talk of Dharma-Adharma, what remains now? My word is my truth, my sole command."

Literary & Historical Context

"रश्मिरथी" (Rashmirathi), meaning "The Sun-Charioteer," is an epic poem by the revered Hindi poet Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar', first published in 1952. It is one of his most celebrated works, reinterpreting the character of Karna from the Mahabharata. Dinkar portrays Karna as a tragic hero, a symbol of human struggle against destiny and societal injustice. The chosen excerpt is from the third canto, where Lord Krishna, just before the Kurukshetra War, reveals Karna's true identity as the eldest son of Kunti and Surya (the Sun God) to persuade him to join the Pandavas. Krishna highlights Karna's noble birth, his innate righteousness, and the injustice he has faced, offering him the rightful place as the eldest Pandava and the throne of Hastinapur. This section is pivotal, as it encapsulates Karna's dilemma between his loyalty to Duryodhana, who gave him status and friendship, and his true lineage and the path of Dharma. Dinkar's masterful use of heroic verse and emotional depth makes "Rashmirathi" a timeless classic, exploring themes of identity, loyalty, justice, and the complexities of human relationships within the grand narrative of the Mahabharata.

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