Shloka 16
कर्ण बोला--भाई! तुम आचार्यकी निन्दा न करो। वह ब्राह्मण तो अपने बल, शक्ति और उत्साहके अनुसार प्राणोंका भी मोह छोड़कर युद्ध करता ही है ।। यद्येनं समतिक्रम्य प्रविष्ट: श्वेतवाहन: । नात्र सूक्ष्मोडपि दोष: स्यादाचार्यस्य कथंचन,यदि श्वेतवाहन अर्जुन आचार्य द्रोणका उल्लंघन करके सेनामें घुस गये तो इसमें किसी प्रकार आचार्यका कोई सूक्ष्मसे भी सूक्ष्म दोष नहीं है
karṇa uvāca—bhrātā, tvam ācāryasya nindāṃ mā kārṣīḥ. sa brāhmaṇaḥ sva-bala-śakty-utsāhānusāreṇa prāṇānām api mohaṃ tyaktvā yuddham eva karoti. yady enaṃ samatikramya praviṣṭaḥ śvetavāhanaḥ, nātra sūkṣmo ’pi doṣaḥ syād ācāryasya kathaṃcana.
Karna said: “Brother, do not disparage the Teacher. That Brahmin fights, casting off even attachment to life itself, in accordance with his own strength, power, and resolve. And if Arjuna—he of the white steeds—has entered the army after overstepping Drona, then in this there is not the slightest fault of the preceptor in any way.”
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
Karna argues against unfair blame: a teacher-warrior acts within human limits of strength and circumstance, and an opponent’s breakthrough does not automatically imply the preceptor’s moral or professional failure. The verse emphasizes restraint in criticism, especially toward a guru, and careful attribution of responsibility.
In the Drona Parva battle context, someone is criticizing Droṇa for allowing Arjuna (Śvetavāhana) to penetrate the formation or pass beyond him. Karna responds by defending Droṇa’s conduct, asserting that Droṇa fights with full commitment and that Arjuna’s entry does not constitute any fault of the ācārya.