Shloka 22
भीष्मस्य दुर्योधनं प्रति कुलहितोपदेशः | Bhīṣma’s Counsel to Duryodhana on Dynastic Welfare
अर्जुन हि निहत्याजौ सम्प्राप्तं स्थात् फलं मया | यशसा चापि युज्येयं निहतः सव्यसाचिना
arjuna hi nihatya ājau samprāptaṃ sthāt phalaṃ mayā | yaśasā cāpi yujyeyaṃ nihataḥ savyasācinā ||
Karna dit : «Si je tue Arjuna au combat, le vrai fruit de cette guerre sera mien. Et si, au contraire, je suis tué par Arjuna, l’archer aux deux mains, je serai malgré tout uni à la gloire.»
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
Karna frames the encounter with Arjuna as a twofold path to meaning: victory yields the ‘fruit’ of war, while an honorable death at the hands of a worthy opponent yields lasting fame. The verse highlights the kṣatriya valuation of honor and reputation, and a fatalistic acceptance that either outcome can be ethically ‘worthwhile’ within the warrior code.
In Udyoga Parva, as war becomes inevitable, Karna speaks with resolute confidence about facing Arjuna. He declares that killing Arjuna would secure the decisive reward of the conflict; but even if Arjuna kills him, Karna considers that death itself a source of renown because it comes in a great duel against the foremost archer.