Shloka 19
कर्णेन व्यूहविधानम् — Karṇa’s Battle Formation and the Pāṇḍava Counter-Plan
Adhyāya 31
“मद्रराज! नरेश्वर! उसके मनमें विजयकी बड़ी भारी आशा है, परंतु उसके घोड़ोंकी रास पकड़नेवाला (आपके समान) दूसरा कोई इस भूतलपर नहीं है ।। पार्थस्य समरे कृष्णो यथाभीघषुग्रहो वर: । तथा त्वमपि कर्णस्य रथे$भीषुग्रहो भव
Madrarāja! Nareśvara! Tasya manasi vijayasya mahān āśā asti; kintu tasya aśvānāṃ raśmiṃ gṛhṇan (tvādṛśaḥ) dvitīyaḥ kaścid api bhūtale nāsti. Pārthasya samare Kṛṣṇo yathābhīṣugraho varaḥ, tathā tvam api Karṇasya rathe ’bhīṣugraho bhava.
Sañjaya said: “O king of Madra, O lord of men! He cherishes a mighty hope of victory; yet on this earth there is no second man like you to hold the reins of his horses. Just as Kṛṣṇa is the excellent charioteer who controls the reins for Pārtha in battle, so too become the reinsman on Karṇa’s chariot.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that victory in war depends not only on a hero’s confidence but also on competent support and disciplined control—symbolized by the charioteer who holds the reins. It draws an ethical-strategic parallel: as Kṛṣṇa’s steady guidance empowers Arjuna, so Śalya’s skill should steady Karṇa.
Sañjaya addresses Śalya (king of Madra), urging him to serve as Karṇa’s charioteer. He notes Karṇa’s strong hope of victory and emphasizes that no one equals Śalya in handling the reins, comparing his role to Kṛṣṇa’s role as Arjuna’s charioteer in battle.