Shloka 47
कर्ण उवाच न नाग कर्णोडउद्य रणे परस्य बल॑ समास्थाय जयं बुभूषेत्
karṇa uvāca na nāga-karṇo 'dyaraṇe parasya balaṃ samāsthāya jayaṃ bubhūṣet
Karna said: “Not even Nāgakarṇa would, in battle today, rely upon the strength of another and then seek victory. A warrior should strive for triumph by his own prowess, not by leaning on another’s power.”
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
Karna asserts a warrior’s code: victory should be pursued through one’s own valor and rightful effort, not by depending on another’s strength. The ethical emphasis is on honor, personal responsibility, and the integrity of martial conduct.
In the midst of the Karna Parva battle, Karna speaks to frame the contest in terms of kshatriya honor. By invoking Nāgakarṇa as a benchmark, he argues that even renowned fighters would not seek victory by leaning on another’s power, thereby challenging any strategy that appears dependent or dishonorable.