Shloka 13
Adhyāya 5 (Śānti-parva): Nārada’s account of Karṇa—Jarāsandha encounter and the causal grounds of Karṇa’s fall
रुद्रस्य देवराजस्य यमस्य वरुणस्य च । कुबेरद्रोणयोश्वैव कृपस्थ च महात्मन:
rudrasya devarājasya yamasya varuṇasya ca | kuberadroṇayoś caiva kṛpasya ca mahātmanaḥ ||
Narada said: Arjuna, the bearer of the Gāṇḍīva, had obtained divine missiles bestowed by Rudra, Indra the king of the gods, Yama, Varuṇa, Kubera, and also by Droṇa and the great-souled Kṛpa. Therefore, in the war he was able to slay Karṇa, the radiant son of the Sun, blazing like the sun itself.
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
Power in war is not merely personal strength; it is also the fruit of rightful training, divine sanction, and the disciplined acquisition of knowledge (astras) from worthy sources. When such power is employed in accordance with one’s kṣatriya-duty, it becomes decisive—yet it also implies ethical responsibility for how that power is used.
Nārada explains that Arjuna had received divine missiles from major deities and from his teachers Droṇa and Kṛpa. Because of this arsenal and training, Arjuna could overcome and kill Karṇa, who is described as sun-like in brilliance.