Shloka 166
Chapter 136: Pandava Counter-Encirclement and the Vāyavya-Astra Disruption
त॑ रथेन नरश्रेष्ठं सम्पादय महारथम् । राजन! नरश्रेष्ठ कर्णको युद्धस्थलमें रथहीन खड़ा देख दुर्योधनने अपने भाई दुर्मुखसे कहा--*दुर्मुख! यह राधानन्दन कर्ण भीमसेनके द्वारा रथसे वंचित कर दिया गया है। इस महारथी नरश्रेष्ठ वीरको रथसे सम्पन्न करो”
taṁ rathena naraśreṣṭhaṁ sampādaya mahāratham | rājan! naraśreṣṭhaṁ karṇakaṁ yuddhasthale rathahīnaṁ khaḍā dṛṣṭvā duryodhanena svabhrātṛ durmukhāya uktam— “durmukha! eṣa rādhānandanaḥ karṇo bhīmasenena rathād vañcitaḥ | imaṁ mahārathiṁ naraśreṣṭhaṁ vīraṁ rathena sampādaya” ||
Sañjaya said: “Provide that foremost of men, that great chariot-warrior, with a chariot. O King! Seeing Karṇa—best among men—standing on the battlefield without his chariot, Duryodhana spoke to his brother Durmukha: ‘Durmukha, this Karṇa, the son of Rādhā, has been deprived of his chariot by Bhīmasena. Equip this heroic great warrior, the best of men, with a chariot.’”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even amid destructive war, a ruler’s duty includes sustaining allies and maintaining the fighting order; Duryodhana’s command highlights loyalty and logistical responsibility, while also raising ethical questions about prolonging violence by restoring a disabled combatant.
Karna has been deprived of his chariot by Bhima and is left standing on the battlefield. Duryodhana, seeing this, instructs his brother Durmukha to procure a chariot for Karna so he can rejoin the fight as a mahāratha.