Shloka 15
Karna Reproves Shalya; Brahmin Reports on Bāhlīkas; Shalya’s Universalizing Rebuttal (कर्ण–शल्य संवादः)
सर्वेषां चैव सैन्यानां कर्णमेवागमन्मन: । सूतपुत्रं महेष्वासं बन्धुमात्ययिकेष्विव
sarveṣāṃ caiva sainyānāṃ karṇam evāgaman manaḥ | sūtaputraṃ maheṣvāsaṃ bandhum ātyayikeṣv iva ||
Sañjaya said: The minds of all the armies turned only toward Karṇa—toward that charioteer’s son, the great archer—just as, in a time of grave peril, one’s thoughts instinctively go to a trusted kinsman.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
In crisis, communities often concentrate their confidence on a single capable protector; the verse highlights the psychological and ethical weight placed on a champion in war, where hope and responsibility intensify under danger.
Sañjaya reports that all the forces fixed their attention on Karṇa, viewing him as the decisive support—like a relative relied upon in an emergency—implying that the battle’s outcome is expected to hinge on his prowess.