Shloka 12
युधिष्ठिरस्य धनंजय-प्रति गर्हा
Yudhiṣṭhira’s Reproach to Dhanaṃjaya
तथास्मान् बाधसे नित्य धार्तराष्ट्रमते स्थित: । “कर्ण! कर्ण! मिथ्यादर्शी सूतपुत्र! मेरी बात सुनो। तुम संग्राममें वेगशाली वीर अर्जुनके साथ सदा डाह रखते और दुर्योधनके मतमें रहकर सर्वदा हमें बाधा पहुँचाते हो | ११ $ ।।
sañjaya uvāca | tathāsmān bādhase nityaṁ dhārtarāṣṭra-mate sthitaḥ | karṇa karṇa mithyādarśī sūtaputra mama vācaṁ śṛṇu | yad balaṁ yac ca te vīryaṁ pradveṣo yas tu pāṇḍuṣu | tat sarvaṁ mahān puruṣārtham āśritya darśaya | adya mahā-samare ’haṁ tava yuddhotsāhaṁ nirasayiṣyāmi |
Sañjaya said: “Thus you continually harass us, standing firm in the counsel of the Dhārtarāṣṭras. ‘Karna! Karna! You who see falsely, son of a charioteer—listen to my words. Whatever strength you have, whatever valor, and whatever hatred you bear toward the Pāṇḍavas—display it all today by taking refuge in great manly effort. Today, in this vast battle, I shall extinguish your eagerness for war.’”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how allegiance to a faction (the Dhārtarāṣṭra policy) and inner hostility (pradveṣa toward the Pāṇḍavas) drive one into continual obstruction and conflict. It also shows the ethical tension of war-speech: taunts and social slurs (like “sūtaputra”) are used to provoke, revealing how anger and contempt can eclipse discernment (mithyādarśin).
A speaker (reported by Sañjaya) directly challenges Karṇa, accusing him of constantly troubling the opposing side while following Duryodhana’s line. Karṇa is urged to display all his strength, valor, and hatred in the day’s great battle, with the challenger declaring he will crush Karṇa’s fighting spirit.