Shloka 213
कर्णपुत्रवधः (The Fall of Vṛṣasena) — Karṇa Parva, Adhyāya 62
त॑ पार्थ जहि राधेय किं ते हत्वा युधिष्ठिरम् 'राधापुत्र! दुर्योधनने जिनसे जूझनेके लिये तुम्हारा सदा सम्मान किया है, उन कुन्तीकुमार अर्जुनको मारो। युधिष्ठिरका वध करनेसे तुम्हें क्या मिलेगा?
taṁ pārtha jahi rādheya kiṁ te hatvā yudhiṣṭhiram
Sanjaya said: “O son of Pritha (Arjuna), strike down Radheya (Karna). What will you gain by killing Yudhishthira? O son of Radha, slay Arjuna, the son of Kunti—him against whom Duryodhana has always honored you, that you might contend with him. What will Yudhishthira’s death bring you?”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes discerning the truly decisive and ethically appropriate target in a righteous conflict: remove the principal source of harm and strength (Karna) rather than pursuing a killing (Yudhiṣṭhira) that yields little strategic gain and can distort one’s dharmic priorities.
In the Karṇa Parva battle setting, Sañjaya narrates an exhortation directed to Arjuna: he should engage and slay Karna (Rādheya), since killing Yudhiṣṭhira would not meaningfully advance the war’s outcome; the focus is on confronting the key champion of Duryodhana’s side.