Shloka 27
इन्द्र रवाच एकं हनिष्यसि रिपुं गर्जन्तं बलिनं रणे । त्वंतुयंप्रार्थयस्येकं रक्ष्यते स महात्मना,इन्द्रने कहा--कर्ण! तुम (इस शक्तिसे) रणभूमिमें गर्जना करनेवाले किसी एक बलवान शत्रुको मार सकोगे, परंतु इस समय तुम जिस एक शत्रुको लक्ष्य करके यह अमोघ शक्ति माँग रहे हो वह तो उन परमात्मद्वारा सुरक्षित है, जिन्हें वेदवेत्ता विद्वान् पुरुषोत्तम अपराजित, हरि तथा अचिन्त्यस्वरूप नारायण कहते हैं। वे स्वयं श्रीकृष्ण हैं जिनके द्वारा उस वीरकी रक्षा हो रही है
indra uvāca — ekaṃ haniṣyasi ripuṃ garjantaṃ balinaṃ raṇe | tvaṃ tu yaṃ prārthayasy ekaṃ rakṣyate sa mahātmanā ||
Indra said: “In battle you will be able to slay one enemy—one mighty foe who roars on the field. But the particular one whom you now single out and request this unfailing power against is protected by the Supreme Spirit. The Veda-knowing sages call Him the invincible Puruṣottama—Hari, the inconceivable Nārāyaṇa. He is Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself, by whom that hero is being guarded.”
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even extraordinary power has limits when opposed by dharmic, divine protection. The verse underscores that might alone does not decide outcomes; the safeguarding presence of the Supreme (identified with Krishna/Narayana) can render a targeted attack ineffective, reminding warriors to recognize higher moral and cosmic order beyond personal prowess.
Indra responds to Karna’s request for an unfailing weapon/power by granting its general efficacy—Karna can kill one formidable enemy in battle—but warns that the specific enemy Karna intends to strike is under the protection of the Supreme Being, identified as Krishna (Narayana), and therefore cannot be overcome in the intended way.