Mahabharata 7.175.63 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 175, Shloka 63
'जैसे पूर्वकालमें स्कन्दके साथ रहकर इन्द्रने तारकासुरका वध किया था, उसी प्रकार तुम भी सात्यकिकी सहायता पाकर रणभूमिमें शूरवीर कर्णको मार डालो” ।।
ghaṭotkaca uvāca | evam eva mahābāho yathā vadasi māṃ prabho | tvayā niyukto gacchāmi karṇasya vadhakāṅkṣayā || alam evāsmi karṇāya droṇāyālaṃ ca bhārata | anyeṣāṃ kṣatriyāṇāṃ ca kṛtāstrāṇāṃ mahātmanām ||
„Wie einst Indra, an Skandas Seite, den Asura Tāraka erschlug, so sollst auch du: mit Sātyakis Hilfe töte auf dem Schlachtfeld den tapferen Karṇa.“ Ghaṭotkaca sprach: „So ist es, o Starkarmiger—genau wie du es sagst, mein Herr. Von dir beauftragt, ziehe ich aus, entschlossen, Karṇas Tod herbeizuführen. O Bhārata, ich bin vollauf imstande, Karṇa zu begegnen, und ich kann auch Droṇa gut entgegentreten. Und ich kann mich ebenso gegen jene anderen großherzigen Kṣatriyas behaupten, die in der Waffenkunst vollendet sind.“
घटोत्कच उवाच
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The verse highlights warrior-ethics in epic context: disciplined obedience to a rightful command, clarity of purpose in battle, and confidence grounded in capability. Ghaṭotkaca frames his action as service to his leader’s strategic aim, emphasizing resolve (saṅkalpa) and readiness to bear responsibility in a dharmic war setting.
Ghaṭotkaca responds to Arjuna’s directive by affirming he will go to the battlefield intent on killing Karṇa. He declares his competence not only against Karṇa but also against Droṇa and other highly trained kṣatriya warriors, signaling escalation and his willingness to take on major opponents.
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