Shloka 24
Rukmī’s Offer of Aid and Arjuna’s Refusal (रुक्मिप्रस्तावः—अर्जुनप्रत्याख्यानम्)
कर्णो वा युध्यतां पूर्वमहं वा पृथिवीपते । स्पर्थते हि सदात्यर्थ सूतपुत्रो मया रणे
karṇo vā yudhyatāṃ pūrvam ahaṃ vā pṛthivīpate | spardhate hi sadātyarthaṃ sūtaputro mayā raṇe pṛthivīpate ||
قال بيشما: «يا ملكَ الأرض، لِيُقاتِلْ كَرْنَةُ أولًا—وإلا فدعني أُقاتِلْ أنا أولًا. فإن هذا ابنَ السائقِ يلازمني في ساحةِ القتال منافسةً بالغةً إلى أقصى حدّ، أيها الملك.»
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how personal rivalry and wounded honor can shape strategic decisions in war; it implicitly warns that leadership must manage ego-driven competition among allies to preserve unity and dharma.
Bhīṣma addresses the king, stating that either Karṇa should engage first or Bhīṣma should, because Karṇa persistently seeks to outdo Bhīṣma in battle—revealing tension within the Kaurava camp.