Shloka 53
शल्य उवाच अजय्यमेनं प्रवदन्ति युद्धे महारथा: कर्ण रथप्रवीरम् । एकाकिनं किमु कृष्णाभिगुप्तं विजेतुमेनं क इहोत्सहेत
śalya uvāca | ajayyam enaṃ pravadanti yuddhe mahārathāḥ karṇa rathapravīram | ekākinaṃ kimu kṛṣṇābhiguptaṃ vijetum enaṃ ka ihotsaheta ||
Śalya sagte: „O Karṇa, die großen Wagenkämpfer nennen diesen vornehmsten Helden des Streitwagens im Kampf unbezwingbar. Wenn er schon allein als unbesiegbar gilt, um wie viel mehr jetzt, da Kṛṣṇa ihn schützt! Wer hier könnte es da wagen, ihn zu überwinden?“
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the perceived invincibility of a righteous and divinely supported warrior: human prowess is formidable, but when joined with divine protection (Kṛṣṇa’s guardianship), it becomes a near-insurmountable force—prompting humility and strategic realism rather than reckless pride.
Śalya, serving as Karṇa’s charioteer, speaks in a discouraging tone, emphasizing that even great warriors call Arjuna unconquerable, and that with Kṛṣṇa protecting him, defeating Arjuna is beyond anyone’s daring—an instance of counsel that also functions as psychological pressure on Karṇa.