Shloka 125
एतत् कृत्वा महत् कर्म हत्वा कर्ण महारथम् । कृतार्थ: सफल: पार्थ सुखी भव नरोत्तम
etat kṛtvā mahat karma hatvā karṇa-mahāratham | kṛtārthaḥ saphalaḥ pārtha sukhī bhava narottama ||
Sañjaya sprach: „Hast du dieses große Werk vollbracht—hast du Karṇa, den erhabensten Wagenkämpfer, erschlagen—so sei erfüllt in deinem Zweck, erfolgreich in deinem Ziel und in Frieden, o Pārtha, Bester der Menschen.“
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames the slaying of a formidable opponent as the completion of a grave, duty-bound undertaking: once the decisive task is done, the warrior is urged to become kṛtārtha (fulfilled), saphala (successful), and sukhī (at peace). It reflects the Mahābhārata’s tension between necessary action in war and the longing for inner resolution after fulfilling one’s role.
Sañjaya, narrating the battle to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, addresses Arjuna (Pārtha) and declares that by killing Karṇa—the great chariot-warrior—Arjuna has accomplished a major, climactic objective of the war, and should now regard himself as having achieved his aim.