Shloka 73
कर्णेन युधिष्ठिरानीकविदारणम् / Karṇa’s Breach of Yudhiṣṭhira’s Battle-Line
(त्वं देव शक्तो लोके5स्मिन् नियन्तुं प्रद्गुतानिमान् । वेदाश्वान्ू सोपनिषद: सारथिभर्भव न: स्वयम् ।।
duryodhana uvāca |
tvaṁ deva śakto loke 'smin niyantuṁ pradrutān imān |
vedāśvān sopaniṣadaḥ sārathir bhava naḥ svayam ||
yoddhuṁ balena sattvena vīryeṇa vinayena ca |
adhikaḥ sārathiḥ kāryo nāsti cānyo 'dhiko bhavāt ||
sa bhavāṁs tārayatv asmān kuru sārathyam avyayam |
bhavān abhyadhikas tvatto nānyo 'stīha pitāmaha ||
tvaṁ hi deveśa sarvais tu viśiṣṭo vadatāṁ vara |
sa rathaṁ tūṇam āruhya saṁyaccha paramān hayān |
jayāya trideveśānāṁ vadhāya tridaśadviṣām ||
Dijo Duryodhana: «¡Oh ser divino! Sólo tú, en este mundo, puedes refrenar a éstos—como caballos védicos—que se precipitan junto con las Upaniṣad. Por eso, sé tú mismo nuestro auriga. Para la batalla, el auriga debe ser quien supere incluso al guerrero en fuerza, firmeza, valor y humildad disciplinada; y no hay nadie más grande que tú. ¡Oh Abuelo venerable!, asume este oficio infalible de auriga y haznos cruzar este peligro. Nadie aquí es superior a ti. ¡Oh Señor de los dioses, elocuente entre los elocuentes!, tú sobresales en todo; así que monta el carro al instante, domina a estos corceles excelentes y obra por la victoria de los dioses y la destrucción de los enemigos de los dioses».
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage frames effective guidance in crisis as requiring more than technical skill: the ideal charioteer (leader/guide) must exceed others in strength, steadfast courage, valor, and disciplined humility. It also shows how political speech seeks moral legitimacy by invoking divine authority and aligning one’s cause with ‘the gods’ against ‘enemies of the gods.’
Duryodhana addresses a revered divine figure, urging him to become the charioteer, rein in the horses, and ensure victory. He praises the addressee as unsurpassed and asks him to rescue them from danger, casting the coming action as a cosmic struggle for the gods’ triumph.