Shloka 52
स्वप्स्थे वा निहतस्ताभ्यामनित्यो हि रणे जय: । कृतार्थोड्द्य भविष्यामि हत्वा वाप्यथवा हत:,अथवा उन्हीं दोनोंके हाथों मारा जाकर सदाके लिये सो जाऊँगा, क्योंकि रणमें विजय अनिश्चित होती है। आज मैं उन दोनोंको मारकर अथवा मारा जाकर सर्वथा कृतार्थ हो जाऊँगा
svapsthe vā nihatastābhyām anityo hi raṇe jayaḥ | kṛtārtho ’dya bhaviṣyāmi hatvā vāpy athavā hataḥ ||
Karna dit : «Ou bien je tomberai sous les mains de ces deux-là et dormirai à jamais, car la victoire au combat est incertaine ; ou bien, les ayant tués — ou étant tué par eux — aujourd’hui je serai entièrement accompli».
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse stresses that victory in war is not guaranteed; therefore a warrior measures fulfillment by steadfast resolve and readiness to accept either outcome—slaying the foe or falling in the attempt—rather than by certainty of success.
Karna declares his determination to confront a pair of opponents. He acknowledges the unpredictability of battle and states that he will be satisfied either by defeating them or by dying at their hands, treating the day’s combat as the decisive completion of his purpose.