Shloka 17
त्वयि मोहं समापन्ने पाण्डवानभिधावति । “यदि विजय हुई तो तुम्हारी बहुत बड़ी कीर्ति फैलेगी और पराजय होनेपर अक्षय स्वर्गकी प्राप्ति निश्चित है। राधानन्दन! तुम्हारे मोहग्रस्त हो जानेके कारण तुम्हारा पुत्र वृषसेन अत्यन्त कुपित हो पाण्डवोंपर धावा कर रहा है” ।। एतच्छुत्वा तु वचनं शल्यस्यामिततेजस: । हृदि चावश्यकं भावं चक्रे युद्धाय सुस्थिरम्,अमिततेजस्वी शल्यकी यह बात सुनकर कर्णने अपने हृदयमें युद्धके लिये आवश्यक भाव (उत्साह, अमर्ष आदि)-को दृढ़ किया
tvayi mohaṁ samāpanne pāṇḍavān abhidhāvati | “yadi vijayo bhaviṣyati tarhi tava mahān yaśaḥ prathayiṣyate, parājaye tu akṣaya-svarga-prāptir niścitā | rādhānandana! tava moha-grastatvāt tava putro vṛṣasenaḥ atyanta-kupitaḥ pāṇḍavān prati dhāvati” || etac chrutvā tu vacanaṁ śalyasyāmita-tejasaḥ | hṛdi cāvaśyakaṁ bhāvaṁ cakre yuddhāya su-sthiram ||
Sañjaya said: “When you have fallen into delusion, the Pāṇḍavas are charging. If victory comes, your great fame will spread far; and if defeat comes, the attainment of imperishable heaven is assured. O son of Rādhā, because you have become clouded by delusion, your son Vṛṣasena—burning with anger—has rushed to attack the Pāṇḍavas.” Hearing these words of Śalya, the mighty one, Karṇa steeled his heart and fixed within himself the necessary resolve for battle—ardor, indignation, and unwavering firmness.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage frames a warrior’s crisis of confidence as ‘moha’ and counters it with a duty-based calculus: victory yields worldly fame, while death in righteous battle is portrayed as leading to imperishable heaven. Ethically, it highlights how counsel can redirect a wavering mind toward steadfast action—though it also shows how such counsel may function as provocation rather than calm discernment.
Sañjaya reports that Karṇa has become momentarily deluded or shaken, while the Pāṇḍavas press forward. Śalya speaks to Karṇa, pointing out that Karṇa’s son Vṛṣasena has angrily charged the Pāṇḍavas because of Karṇa’s wavering. Hearing Śalya, Karṇa gathers his inner battle-spirit and becomes firmly resolved to fight.