Shloka 53
उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय १४० (कृष्णेन कर्णं प्रति पाण्डवबल-वैशिष्ट्यप्रदर्शनम्) / Udyoga Parva, Chapter 140
Krishna’s appraisal of Pandava advantage and war portents
शस्त्रेण निधन गच्छेत् समृद्ध क्षत्रमण्डलम् | कुरुक्षेत्रे पुण्यतमे त्रैलोक्यस्थापि केशव,केशव! कुरुक्षेत्र तीनों लोकोंके लिये परम पुण्यतम तीर्थ है। यह समृद्धिशाली क्षत्रियसमुदाय वहीं जाकर शस्त्रोंक आघातसे मृत्युको प्राप्त हो
śastreṇa nidhanaṁ gacchet samṛddha-kṣatra-maṇḍalam | kurukṣetre puṇyatame trailokya-sthāpi keśava keśava |
Let this prosperous host of kṣatriyas meet death by weapons on Kurukṣetra, the most sacred of fields, renowned throughout the three worlds, O Keśava. For Kurukṣetra is a supremely holy pilgrimage-ground for all the worlds; let this mighty warrior community go there and attain death under the stroke of arms.
कर्ण उवाच