Shloka 3
कर्णस्य एकाकि-प्रहारः तथा पाण्डव-महारथ-परिवेष्टनम् | Karṇa’s concentrated assault and the Pāṇḍava encirclement
सदृशौ: क्षत्रियै: शूरै: शूराणां युद्ध्यतां युधि | इष्टं भवति राधेय तदिदं समुपस्थितम्,“राधानन्दन! अपने समान बलवाले शूरवीर क्षत्रियोंके साथ रणभूमिमें जूझनेवाले शूरवीरोंको जो अभीष्ट होता है, वही यह संग्राम हमारे सामने उपस्थित है
sadṛśau kṣatriyaiḥ śūraiḥ śūrāṇāṃ yuddhyatāṃ yudhi | iṣṭaṃ bhavati rādhēya tad idaṃ samupasthitam ||
Sañjaya sprach: „O Rādhēya, für die heldenhaften Kṣatriyas, die in der Schlacht kämpfen, ist das Begehrteste, auf dem Feld tapferen Kriegern von gleicher Stärke zu begegnen. Eben jene ersehnte Begegnung—die wahre Prüfung von Kraft und Ehre—steht nun als dieser gegenwärtige Krieg vor uns.“
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal: a warrior’s ‘iṣṭa’ (cherished aim) is not mere victory by any means, but the honorable trial of strength against worthy, equal opponents. It frames battle as a test of valor and status, implying an ethical preference for fair, matched combat rather than easy or ignoble advantage.
Sañjaya addresses Karṇa (Rādhēya), observing that the present war has brought exactly what heroic fighters seek—equally powerful kṣatriya champions facing one another. He presents the moment as the long-awaited, decisive confrontation now standing before them.