Shloka 34
कि पुनद्रौपदेया भ्यां सहित: सात्वतर्षभ: । 'पाण्डुनन्दन! यह महाबाहु सात्वतशिरोमणि सात्यकि अकेला भी कर्णके लिये पर्याप्त है। फिर इस समय जब द्रुपदके दोनों पुत्र इसके साथ हैं, तब तो कहना ही क्या है ।। ३३३ || न च तावत् क्षम: पार्थ तव कर्णेन सजड्भर:
ki punaḥ draupadeyābhyāṃ sahitaḥ sātvatarṣabhaḥ | pāṇḍunandana! ayaṃ mahābāhuḥ sātvataśiromaṇiḥ sātyakiḥ eko 'pi karṇāya paryāptaḥ | punaḥ asmin kāle yadā drupadasya ubhau putrau asya saha vartete, tatra vaktavyaṃ kim || na ca tāvat kṣamaḥ pārtha tava karṇena saṅgrāmaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “O son of Pāṇḍu! Even alone, that mighty-armed Sātyaki—foremost among the Vṛṣṇis—is sufficient to meet Karṇa. What then need be said now, when the two sons of Draupada (the sons of Draupadī) stand together with him? And, O Pārtha, for the present it is not fitting for you to engage Karṇa in battle.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights prudent restraint and strategic judgment in dharma-yuddha: even a great warrior should not rush into a duel when allies are already sufficient and circumstances are not yet favorable. Strength is to be applied with discernment, not merely with eagerness for confrontation.
Sañjaya reports to the Kuru side that Sātyaki is formidable enough to face Karṇa even alone; with the Draupadeyas alongside him, their force is even stronger. He then indicates that it is not yet appropriate for Pārtha (Arjuna) to engage Karṇa at that moment, implying tactical timing and battlefield positioning.