Shloka 12
तत्र मे बुद्धिरुत्पन्ना वाहयात्र महारथम् | नाहत्वा समरे कर्ण निवर्तिष्ये कथठ्चन
tatra me buddhir utpannā vāhayātra mahāratham | nāhatvā samare karṇa nivartiṣye kathaṃcana, janārdana |
Arjuna sprach: „In diesem Augenblick ist in mir ein Entschluss erwacht: Lenke diesen großen Wagen dorthin, wo Karṇa steht. O Janārdana, ich werde vom Schlachtfeld auf keinerlei Weise zurückweichen, ohne Karṇa erschlagen zu haben. Sonst wird der Sohn der Rādhā vor unseren Augen die Pāṇḍavas und die mächtigen Wagenkämpfer aus Sūñjayas Geschlecht auf dem Feld der Schlacht restlos vernichten — keinen am Leben lassen.“
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds kṣatriya-duty expressed as unwavering resolve: Arjuna frames the slaying of Karṇa as a necessary act to prevent catastrophic loss of life among his side. Ethically, it presents a wartime calculus—decisive action against a principal threat to protect one’s community—while also showing reliance on Kṛṣṇa as charioteer and guide.
In the Karṇa Parva battle sequence, Arjuna addresses Kṛṣṇa (Janārdana) and commands him to drive the chariot directly toward Karṇa. Arjuna declares he will not retreat until Karṇa is slain, fearing that otherwise Karṇa will annihilate the Pāṇḍavas and allied great warriors on the battlefield.