Shloka 73
कर्णेन युधिष्ठिरानीकविदारणम् / Karṇa’s Breach of Yudhiṣṭhira’s Battle-Line
(त्वं देव शक्तो लोके5स्मिन् नियन्तुं प्रद्गुतानिमान् । वेदाश्वान्ू सोपनिषद: सारथिभर्भव न: स्वयम् ।। “देव! आप ही इस जगत्में इन भागते हुए उपनिषद्सहित वेदरूपी अश्वोंको नियन्त्रणमें रख सकते हैं; अतः आप स्वयं ही सारथि हो जाइये । योद्धुं बलेन सत्त्वेन वीर्येण विनयेन च । अधिक: सारथि: कार्यो नास्ति चान्दोडघिको भवात् ।। “बल, धैर्य, पराक्रम और विनय इन सभी गुणोंद्वारा जो रथीसे भी श्रेष्ठ हो, उसे ही युद्धके लिये सारथि बनाना चाहिये; दूसरा कोई ऐसा नहीं है जो भगवान् शंकरसे भी बढ़कर हो। स भवांस्तारयत्वस्मान् कुरु सारथ्यमव्ययम् | भवानभ्यधिक स्त्वत्तो नान्यो5स्तीह पितामह ।। 'पितामह! आप अक्षय सारथिकर्म कीजिये और हमें इस संकटसे उबारिये। आप ही सबसे श्रेष्ठ हैं; आपसे बढ़कर दूसरा कोई नहीं है। त्वं हि देवेश सर्वैस्तु विशिष्टो वदतां वर ।) स रथं तूर्णमारुह्मु संयच्छ परमान् हयान्,जयाय त्रिदेवेशानां वधाय त्रिदशद्विषाम् “वक्ताओंमें श्रेष्ठ देवेश्वरर आप सभी गुणोंसे श्रेष्ठ हैं; इसलिये देवद्रोहियोंक वध और देवताओंकी विजयके लिये तुरंत रथपर आरूढ़ होकर इन उत्तम घोड़ोंको काबूमें रखिये
duryodhana uvāca |
tvaṁ deva śakto loke 'smin niyantuṁ pradrutān imān |
vedāśvān sopaniṣadaḥ sārathir bhava naḥ svayam ||
yoddhuṁ balena sattvena vīryeṇa vinayena ca |
adhikaḥ sārathiḥ kāryo nāsti cānyo 'dhiko bhavāt ||
sa bhavāṁs tārayatv asmān kuru sārathyam avyayam |
bhavān abhyadhikas tvatto nānyo 'stīha pitāmaha ||
tvaṁ hi deveśa sarvais tu viśiṣṭo vadatāṁ vara |
sa rathaṁ tūṇam āruhya saṁyaccha paramān hayān |
jayāya trideveśānāṁ vadhāya tridaśadviṣām ||
Duryodhana said: “O divine one, you alone in this world are able to rein in these—like Vedic horses—rushing onward together with the Upaniṣads. Therefore, become our charioteer yourself. For battle, the charioteer should be one who surpasses even the warrior in strength, steadfast courage, valor, and disciplined humility; and there is none greater than you. O Grandsire, take up this unfailing office of charioteer and carry us across this peril. None here is superior to you. O Lord of the gods, best of speakers, you excel all; so mount the chariot at once, control these finest steeds, and act for the victory of the gods and the destruction of the foes of the gods.”
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage frames effective guidance in crisis as requiring more than technical skill: the ideal charioteer (leader/guide) must exceed others in strength, steadfast courage, valor, and disciplined humility. It also shows how political speech seeks moral legitimacy by invoking divine authority and aligning one’s cause with ‘the gods’ against ‘enemies of the gods.’
Duryodhana addresses a revered divine figure, urging him to become the charioteer, rein in the horses, and ensure victory. He praises the addressee as unsurpassed and asks him to rescue them from danger, casting the coming action as a cosmic struggle for the gods’ triumph.