Shloka 17
कर्णवधप्रसङ्गः / The Context of Karṇa’s Fall
Krishna’s Dharmic Recollection and the Decisive Astra
न हान्ययोद्धा विद्यते सृञ्जयानां महारथं योउद्य सहेत कर्णम् । पाण्डुनन्दन! मैंने युद्धमें अपने सामने कर्णके इस विचित्र अस्त्रको देखा था। सूंजयोंमें दूसरा कोई ऐसा योद्धा नहीं है, जो आज महारथी कर्णका सामना कर सके ।। शैनेयो मे सात्यकिश्रक्ररक्षौ धृष्टय्युम्नश्वञापि तथैव राजन्
na hānyayoddhā vidyate sṛñjayānāṃ mahārathaṃ yo 'dya saheta karṇam | pāṇḍunandana! mayā yuddhe mama samakṣaṃ karṇasya etad vicitram astram dṛṣṭam āsīt | sṛñjayānām anyo na kaścid evaṃvidho yoddhāsti yo 'dya mahārathinaṃ karṇaṃ samāhantuṃ śaknoti || śaineyo me sātyakiś ca rakṣau dhṛṣṭadyumnaś ca tvam api tathaiva rājan ||
Arjuna dijo: «Entre los Sṛñjayas no hay hoy otro guerrero que pueda resistir a Karṇa, el gran combatiente de carros. Oh hijo de Pāṇḍu, yo vi en batalla, con mis propios ojos, esa extraña arma de Karṇa. Por ello, que Śaineya Sātyaki y yo permanezcamos como guardias; y que Dhṛṣṭadyumna—y tú también, oh rey—hagáis lo mismo.»
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes sober discernment in warfare: recognizing an opponent’s true capability, avoiding reckless overconfidence, and arranging protection and support around leadership. Ethical strategy here means safeguarding the king and coordinating capable defenders rather than seeking glory through imprudent single combat.
Arjuna warns the Pāṇḍava leadership that Karṇa is exceptionally formidable and that no other Sṛñjaya warrior can reliably face him that day. He recalls having personally witnessed Karṇa’s extraordinary weapon in earlier fighting, and he proposes a defensive arrangement: Sātyaki and Arjuna as guards, with Dhṛṣṭadyumna and the king also taking protective positions.