Shloka 231
उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय २५: संजयदूतवाक्यम्
Sañjaya’s Envoy-Speech on Peace
यत् तत् कर्णो मन्यते पारणीयं युद्धे गृहीतायुधमर्जुनं वै । आसंभश्न युद्धानि पुरा महान्ति कथं कर्णो नाभवद् द्वीप एषाम्
yat tat karṇo manyate pāraṇīyaṃ yuddhe gṛhītāyudham arjunaṃ vai | āsaṃbhaśn yuddhāni purā mahānti kathaṃ karṇo nābhavad dvīpa eṣām |
Dijo Sañjaya: «Si Karṇa cree posible vencer a Arjuna en batalla cuando Arjuna está armado y dispuesto, ¿cómo es que en tiempos pasados, cuando rugían grandes guerras y el mundo era sacudido, Karṇa no llegó a ser la “isla”—el refugio salvador—en medio de aquellas crisis?»
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse tests martial claims against past performance: true capability and dharmic worth are shown by consistent action in real crises, not by confident assertions made in anticipation of battle.
Sañjaya questions Karṇa’s confidence about defeating an armed Arjuna, pointing out that in earlier great conflicts Karṇa did not emerge as the decisive protector—likened to an ‘island’ of refuge—thereby casting doubt on his present claim.