Shloka 3
कर्णस्य एकाकि-प्रहारः तथा पाण्डव-महारथ-परिवेष्टनम् | Karṇa’s concentrated assault and the Pāṇḍava encirclement
सदृशौ: क्षत्रियै: शूरै: शूराणां युद्ध्यतां युधि | इष्टं भवति राधेय तदिदं समुपस्थितम्
sadṛśau kṣatriyaiḥ śūraiḥ śūrāṇāṃ yuddhyatāṃ yudhi | iṣṭaṃ bhavati rādhēya tad idaṃ samupasthitam ||
Sañjaya dijo: «Oh Rādhēya, para los heroicos kṣatriyas que combaten en la batalla, lo más deseado es encontrarse en el campo con guerreros valientes y de fuerza equivalente. Ese mismo encuentro anhelado—la verdadera prueba de poder y honor—se alza ahora ante nosotros como la guerra presente».
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal: a warrior’s ‘iṣṭa’ (cherished aim) is not mere victory by any means, but the honorable trial of strength against worthy, equal opponents. It frames battle as a test of valor and status, implying an ethical preference for fair, matched combat rather than easy or ignoble advantage.
Sañjaya addresses Karṇa (Rādhēya), observing that the present war has brought exactly what heroic fighters seek—equally powerful kṣatriya champions facing one another. He presents the moment as the long-awaited, decisive confrontation now standing before them.