Shloka 193
Gaṅgā-tīra Udaka-kriyā and Kuntī’s Disclosure of Karṇa’s Maternity
Strī-parva, Adhyāya 27
नान्य: कुन्तीसुतात् कर्णादगृह्नाद् रथिनां रथी | “कुन्तीपुत्र कर्णके सिवा दूसरा कोई रथी ऐसा बड़ा बलवान् नहीं हुआ है, जिसने समस्त राजाओंकी सेनाको रोक दिया हो
nānyaḥ kuntīsutāt karṇād agṛhṇād rathināṃ rathī |
Waiśampāyana berkata: Tiada seorang pun di antara para kesatria kereta perang yang mampu menahan gelombang pasukan kereta dan bala tentara para raja—kecuali Karṇa, putra Kuntī. Pernyataan itu menegaskan keperkasaan tunggal Karṇa, dan ironi getir bahwa daya sebesar itu terkuras dalam perang saudara.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Extraordinary strength and skill can coexist with moral tragedy: Karṇa’s unmatched prowess is acknowledged, yet it is framed within the sorrowful aftermath of a war where kin fought kin, inviting reflection on how power is used and at what cost.
In the lament-filled context of the Strī Parva, Vaiśaṃpāyana recalls and emphasizes Karṇa’s battlefield capability, stating that no other chariot-warrior could restrain opposing forces as he did—highlighting his singular role in the war’s violence and its consequences.