Shloka 9
कर्णेन व्यूहविधानम् — Karṇa’s Battle Formation and the Pāṇḍava Counter-Plan
Adhyāya 31
'जैसे ब्रह्माजीनी सारथि बनकर महादेवजीकी रक्षा की थी और जैसे सब प्रकारकी आपत्तियोंसे श्रीकृष्ण अर्जुनकी रक्षा करते हैं, उसी प्रकार आप कर्णकी सर्वथा रक्षा कीजिये। मद्रराज! आज आप राधापुत्रका प्रतिपालन कीजिये ।। भीष्मो द्रोण: कृप: कर्णोभवान् भोजश्न वीर्यवान् शकुनि: सौबलो द्रौणिरहमेव च नो बलम्,'भीष्म, द्रोण, कृपाचार्य कर्ण, आप, पराक्रमी कृतवर्मा, सुबलपुत्र शकुनि, द्रोणकुमार अश्वृत्थामा और मैं--ये ही हमारे बल हैं
sañjaya uvāca | yathā brahmā sārathir bhūtvā mahādevasya rakṣām akarot, yathā ca sarvavidha-āpadbhyaḥ śrīkṛṣṇo 'rjunasya rakṣāṃ karoti, tathā tvaṃ karṇasya sarvathā rakṣāṃ kuru | madrarāja! adya tvaṃ rādhāputrasya pratipālanaṃ kuru || bhīṣmo droṇaḥ kṛpaḥ karṇo bhavān bhojaś ca vīryavān | śakuniḥ saubalo drauṇir aham eva ca no balam ||
Sanjaya said: “Just as Brahmā once became a charioteer and safeguarded Mahādeva, and just as Śrī Kṛṣṇa protects Arjuna from every kind of peril, so you too must protect Karṇa in every way. O king of Madra, today you must act as the guardian of Rādhā’s son. Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Kṛpa, Karṇa, you (Śalya), the valiant Bhoja (Kṛtavarmā), Śakuni the son of Subala, Droṇa’s son (Aśvatthāmā), and I—these alone are our strength.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical weight of guardianship in war: a leader must actively protect those placed under his charge, using vigilance and skill, just as exemplary divine protectors are remembered for safeguarding allies in crisis.
Sañjaya reports an appeal to Śalya (king of Madra), urging him to protect Karṇa as his charioteer and supporter, and then enumerates the principal warriors who constitute the Kauravas’ remaining effective strength.