Shloka 63
Karna Reproves Shalya; Brahmin Reports on Bāhlīkas; Shalya’s Universalizing Rebuttal (कर्ण–शल्य संवादः)
बाहुवीयें समो नास्ति मद्रराजस्य कश्चन । तथान्त्रे मत्समो नास्ति कश्रिदेव धनुर्धर:
bāhuvīrye samo nāsti madrarājasya kaścana | tathāstre matsamo nāsti kaścid eva dhanurdharaḥ ||
Dijo Karna: «En fuerza de brazos, nadie iguala al rey de Madra, Śalya. Pero en el dominio de las armas y de la ciencia de los proyectiles, ningún arquero me iguala.»
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the warrior-code emphasis on recognizing others’ strengths while asserting one’s own excellence. Ethically, it shows how pride and reputation operate as motivating forces in war—capable of inspiring courage, yet also intensifying rivalry and overconfidence.
Karna is speaking in the Karna Parva context, evaluating martial capacities: he acknowledges Śalya’s unmatched physical might as king of Madra, while claiming unmatched superiority in weapon-lore among archers—positioning himself for the coming combat and reinforcing his standing among allies.