Shloka 33

Devanagari script

विद्यमानेषु शस्त्रेषु यद्यमोघामसंशये । प्रमत्तो मोक्ष्यसे चापि त्वय्येवैषा पतिष्यति,वक्ताओंमें श्रेष्ठ कर्ण! तुम्हारे पिताका जैसा वर्ण और तेज है, वैसे ही वर्ण और तेजसे तुम पुनः सम्पन्न हो जाओगे। जबतक तुम्हारे पास दूसरे शस्त्र रहें और प्राणसंकटकी परिस्थिति न आ जाय, तबतक तुम यदि प्रमादवश यह अमोघ शक्ति यों ही किसी शत्रुपर छोड़ दोगे तो यह उसे न मारकर तुम्हारे ही ऊपर आ पड़ेगी

Transliteration

vidyamāneṣu śastreṣu yady amoghām asaṁśaye | pramatto mokṣyase cāpi tvayy evaiṣā patiṣyati ||

Translation

“So long as you still possess other weapons, if—without a true life‑and‑death necessity—you carelessly release this unfailing missile, then, beyond doubt, it will recoil and fall back upon you yourself.”

Word by Word

विद्यमानेषुwhen (other) weapons are present/available

शस्त्रेषुin/among weapons

यदिif

अमोघाम्unfailing (weapon/power)

असंशयेundoubtedly

प्रमत्तःcareless, negligent

मोक्ष्यसेyou will release/discharge

चand

अपिalso/even

त्वयिupon you / in you

एवindeed, only

एषाthis (she/it)

पतिष्यतिwill fall (upon)

Speaker

कर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

Karna

amoghā śakti (unfailing missile/power)

śastra (weapons)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Extraordinary power must be governed by restraint and proper occasion; using an infallible weapon in carelessness or without true necessity invites self-harm, showing that pramāda (heedlessness) turns strength into danger.

What is happening in the narrative?

Karna is being cautioned about the conditions for deploying an 'unfailing' missile: as long as other weapons remain and there is no extreme peril, releasing it rashly will not strike the intended enemy but will rebound upon Karna himself.