Shloka 18
कर्णेन सैन्यस्थापनं तथा नानायुद्धसमवायः
Karna Reforms the Host and Multiple Duels Converge
अथवा दुष्कृतस्य त्वं हर्ता तेषामरक्षिता । रक्षिता पुण्यभाग् राजा प्रजानां त्वं हपुण्यभाक्
athavā duṣkṛtasya tvaṁ hartā teṣām arakṣitā | rakṣitā puṇyabhāg rājā prajānāṁ tvaṁ ha-puṇyabhāk ||
Atau jika engkau gagal melindungi mereka, engkau menjadi pengambil bagian dari keburukan mereka dan orang yang membiarkan mereka tanpa penjagaan. Raja yang melindungi rakyatnya menjadi peserta dalam kebajikan mereka; tetapi engkau, karena mengabaikan perlindungan, menjadi peserta hanya dalam dosa mereka.
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches rājadharma: a ruler’s moral accountability is tied to protection. Protecting subjects makes the king a participant in their merit, while neglecting protection makes him liable for their wrongdoing and the resulting demerit.
Karna is admonishing a ruler/opponent in the context of wartime counsel and moral argument, stressing that kingship is justified by safeguarding the people; failure to protect turns authority into culpability.