Shloka 16
Chapter 61: Karṇa’s martial assurances and Bhīṣma’s strategic rebuttal in the Kuru assembly
आवन्त्यकालिड्रजयद्रथेषु चेदिध्वजे तिष्ठति बाह्विके च । अहं हनिष्यामि सदा परेषां सहस्रशश्नायुतशश्न॒ योधान्,(कर्ण कहता था)--अवन्तीनरेश, कलिंगराज, जयद्रथ, चेदिश्रेष्ठ वीर तथा बाह्लिकके रहते हुए भी मैं सदा अकेला ही शत्रुओंके सहस्न-सहस्र एवं अयुत-अयुत योद्धाओंका संहार कर डालूँगा
āvantya-kāliṅga-jayadratheṣu cedi-dhvaje tiṣṭhati bāhvike ca | ahaṃ haniṣyāmi sadā pareṣāṃ sahasraśaś cāyutaśaś ca yodhān ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana dit : «Quand bien même le roi d’Avanti, le roi de Kaliṅga, Jayadratha, le plus grand héros de Cedi et Bāhlika tiendraient bon, bannières levées, moi, seul et sans relâche, j’anéantirai les guerriers ennemis — par milliers et par dizaines de milliers.»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of fearlessness and martial confidence, while also exposing the ethical risk of overweening pride—boasting of slaughter on a massive scale in a war where dharma and adharma are under scrutiny.
In the Udyoga Parva’s war-preparation context, a warrior (as noted in the Gītā Press gloss, Karṇa) proclaims that even with renowned allies present—Avanti’s king, Kaliṅga’s king, Jayadratha, the Cedi champion, and Bāhlika—he alone can annihilate the opposing army in vast numbers.