Shloka 48
कर्णेन सैन्यस्थापनं तथा नानायुद्धसमवायः
Karna Reforms the Host and Multiple Duels Converge
ततो निवारित: कर्णों धार्तराष्ट्रेण मारिष | कर्णो5पि नोत्तरं प्राह शल्यो5प्यभिमुख: परान् । ततः प्रहस्य राधेय: पुनर्याहीत्यचोदयत्
tato nivāritaḥ karṇo dhārtarāṣṭreṇa māriṣa | karṇo 'pi nottaraṃ prāha śalyo 'py abhimukhaḥ parān | tataḥ prahasya rādheyaḥ punar yāhīty acodayat ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Wahai yang mulia, ketika Karṇa ditahan oleh putra Dhṛtarāṣṭra (Duryodhana), Karṇa tidak menjawab apa pun; dan Śalya pun memalingkan wajahnya ke arah musuh. Lalu Rādheya (Karṇa), sambil tertawa, mendorong Śalya dengan perintah, ‘Majulah—jalan lagi ke depan!’”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
In the midst of conflict, restraint and silence can be strategic, but they also reveal strained alliances: Karṇa’s refusal to answer and his laughing command to Śalya highlight how pride and interpersonal friction can shape decisions even during dharma-yuddha.
Duryodhana restrains Karṇa; Karṇa does not respond. Śalya, the charioteer, turns toward the enemy. Karṇa then laughs and orders Śalya to drive the chariot forward again, signaling renewed engagement in battle.