Shloka 20
तमेवं वादिनं तत्र फाल्गुन: प्रत्यभाषत । नास्मि कर्ण थनुर्वेदो नास्मि राम: प्रतापवान्,कर्णके ऐसा कहनेपर अर्जुनने उसे इस प्रकार उत्तर दिया--'कर्ण! न तो मैं धनुर्वेद हूँ और न प्रतापी परशुराम”
tam evaṁ vādinaṁ tatra phālgunaḥ pratyabhāṣata | nāsmi karṇa dhanurvedo nāsmi rāmaḥ pratāpavān |
वैसा कहते हुए कर्ण को वहाँ फाल्गुन (अर्जुन) ने उत्तर दिया— “कर्ण! न तो मैं स्वयं धनुर्वेद हूँ और न ही मैं प्रतापी राम (परशुराम) हूँ।”
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights restraint and humility in self-presentation: true worth is not established by claiming identity with exalted ideals (like Dhanurveda personified or Paraśurāma), but by measured speech and demonstrable conduct.
In a tense exchange, Karṇa has spoken assertively; Arjuna (Phālguna) responds directly, denying any grandiose self-comparison and positioning himself as a human warrior rather than an embodiment of the entire martial science or a legendary hero.