Mahabharata — Karna Parva, Shloka 1
कर्णेन सैन्यस्थापनं तथा नानायुद्धसमवायः
Karna Reforms the Host and Multiple Duels Converge
अ्र-क्ा पज्चचत्वारिशो< ध्याय: कर्णका मद्र आदि बाहीक-निवासियोंके दोष बताना
hanta śalya vijānīhi hanta bhūyo bravīmi te | ucyamānaṃ mayā samyak tvam ekāgramanāḥ śṛṇu ||
Karna berkata: “Mari, Śalya—pahamilah apa yang telah dikatakan. Dan kini, sekali lagi, akan kukatakan kepadamu. Dengarkan dengan pikiran terpusat apa yang kuucapkan dengan jelas.”
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes disciplined listening and clarity in counsel: before reacting, one should understand what has been said and attend with focused mind to further instruction—an ethical prerequisite for dialogue amid conflict.
In the midst of the Kurukṣetra war tensions, Karna addresses Śalya directly, urging him to grasp the earlier points and to listen attentively as Karna continues his argument in their ongoing exchange.