Shloka 24
कर्णेन सैन्यस्थापनं तथा नानायुद्धसमवायः
Karna Reforms the Host and Multiple Duels Converge
निमज्जमानमुद्धृत्य कश्चिद् राजा निशाचरम् | अपृच्छत् तेन चाख्यातं प्रोक्तवांस्तन्निबोध मे,उस डूबते हुए राक्षसका किसी राजाने उद्धार करके उससे कुछ प्रश्न किया। उनके उस प्रश्नके उत्तरमें राक्षसने जो कुछ कहा था, उसे सुनो--
nimajjamānam uddhṛtya kaścid rājā niśācaram | apṛcchat tena cākhyātaṃ proktavāṃs tan nibodha me ||
A certain king lifted up a night-roaming rākṣasa who was sinking and questioned him. Listen now: what that rākṣasa related in reply to the inquiry, I shall recount.
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a moral-educational dialogue: a king’s act of rescue (compassion even toward a feared being) becomes the occasion for inquiry and instruction, suggesting that ethical insight can arise from questioning and listening, and that dharma may begin with saving life.
Karna introduces a story: an unnamed king rescues a sinking niśācara (demon) and questions him; Karna asks the listener to attend to the demon’s reply, which he is about to recount.