Shloka 52
स्वप्स्थे वा निहतस्ताभ्यामनित्यो हि रणे जय: । कृतार्थोड्द्य भविष्यामि हत्वा वाप्यथवा हत:
svapsthe vā nihatastābhyām anityo hi raṇe jayaḥ | kṛtārtho ’dya bhaviṣyāmi hatvā vāpy athavā hataḥ ||
Karna sprach: „Entweder falle ich durch die Hände jener beiden und schlafe für immer, denn der Sieg im Kampf ist ungewiss; oder, nachdem ich sie erschlagen habe — oder von ihnen erschlagen worden bin — werde ich heute gänzlich erfüllt sein.“
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse stresses that victory in war is not guaranteed; therefore a warrior measures fulfillment by steadfast resolve and readiness to accept either outcome—slaying the foe or falling in the attempt—rather than by certainty of success.
Karna declares his determination to confront a pair of opponents. He acknowledges the unpredictability of battle and states that he will be satisfied either by defeating them or by dying at their hands, treating the day’s combat as the decisive completion of his purpose.