Shloka 254
जयद्रथविमोचन–पलायनवृत्तान्तः
Recovery of Draupadī and Jayadratha’s flight
भारत! तबसे राजा दुर्योधन तथा सुबलपुत्र शकुनि युद्धमें कर्णद्वारा पाण्डवोंको पराजित हुआ ही समझने लगे ।। इति श्रीमहाभारते वनपर्वणि घोषयात्रापर्वणि कर्णदिग्विजये चतुष्पठ्चाशदधिकद्विशततमो<ध्याय:
Vaiśampāyana uvāca — Bhārata! tataḥ sa rājā Duryodhanaḥ tathā Subalaputraḥ Śakuniś ca yuddhe Karṇena Pāṇḍavān parājitān eva manyamānau babhūvatuḥ.
Vaiśampāyana sprach: „O Bhārata, von da an betrachteten König Duryodhana und Śakuni, der Sohn Subalas, die Pāṇḍavas als im Krieg durch Karṇa bereits besiegt — als stünde das Ergebnis schon fest.“
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how reliance on a powerful ally can breed overconfidence and premature certainty of victory. Ethically, it hints at the danger of pride and self-deception in warfare—mistaking perceived strength for assured righteousness or inevitable success.
After witnessing or hearing of Karṇa’s successes (in the context of his campaign/feats), Duryodhana and Śakuni become convinced that, with Karṇa as their champion, the Pāṇḍavas are effectively already defeated in the coming war.