Shloka 19
अध्याय ५०: उत्तरेण सह अर्जुनस्य रथप्रयाणे ध्वजचिह्नैः कौरवसेनानिर्देशः
Arjuna directs Uttara by identifying Kaurava commanders through banners
त्वत्तो विशिष्ट वीयेंण धनुष्यमरराट्समम् | वासुदेवसमं युद्धे तं॑ पार्थ को न पूजयेत्,कर्ण! अर्जुन पराक्रममें तुमसे बहुत बढ़े-चढ़े हैं, धनुष चलानेमें तो वे देवराज इन्द्रके तुल्य हैं और युद्धकी कलामें साक्षात् वसुदेवनन्दन श्रीकृष्णके समान हैं; ऐसे कुन्तीपुत्रकी कौन प्रशंसा नहीं करेगा?
tvattō viśiṣṭa-vīryeṇa dhanuṣy amararāṭ-samam | vāsudeva-samaṁ yuddhe taṁ pārtha ko na pūjayet, karṇa ||
Kṛpa said: “O Karṇa, Arjuna surpasses you in prowess. In the use of the bow he is comparable to the king of the gods, Indra; and in the art of warfare he is like Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa) himself. Who, then, would not honor and praise that son of Pṛthā?”
कृप उवाच
Educational Q&A
True kṣatriya conduct includes recognizing merit even in a rival: Kṛpa frames praise of Arjuna as an ethical obligation—excellence in valor and skill naturally deserves honor, not denial out of envy or factionalism.
In the Virāṭa context, Kṛpa addresses Karṇa and underscores Arjuna’s superior prowess, likening his archery to Indra and his battlecraft to Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa), thereby arguing that Arjuna is worthy of universal admiration.