Shloka 26
अथाब्रवीत् क्रोधसंरक्तनेत्रो मद्राधिपं सूतपुत्रस्तरस्वी । न संधत्ते द्विः शरं शल्य कर्णो न मादृशा जिद्मयुद्धा भवन्ति
athābravīt krodha-saṃrakta-netro madrādhipaṃ sūta-putras tarasvī | na saṃdhatte dviḥ śaraṃ śalya karṇo na mādṛśā jidma-yuddhā bhavanti ||
Sañjaya said: Then the mighty son of a charioteer, his eyes reddened with anger, spoke to the lord of Madra: “O Śalya, Karṇa does not fit an arrow twice. Warriors like me do not fight by crooked, deceitful means.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds a warrior’s self-image of honor: Karṇa asserts that he does not resort to duplicity in battle and claims adherence to straightforward martial conduct, even when provoked.
After hearing something that angers him, Karṇa—described with rage-reddened eyes—addresses Śalya, the king of Madra (serving as his charioteer), and rebukes the idea of fighting by guile, declaring his own directness in combat.