Shloka 6
अर्जुन-कर्ण-सङ्ग्रामः
Arjuna–Karna Engagement in the Cattle-Raid Aftermath
एकश्न् पञ्च वर्षाणि ब्रह्म॒चर्यमधारयत् । एक: सुभद्रामारोप्य द्वैरथे कृष्णमाह्दयत्,उन्होंने अकेले ही पाँच वर्षतमक कठोर तप करते हुए ब्रह्मचर्यव्रतका पालन किया। अकेले ही सुभद्राको रथपर बिठाकर उसका अपहरण किया और द्वन्डयुद्धके लिये श्रीकृष्णको भी ललकारा
ekaśan pañca varṣāṇi brahmacaryam adhārayat | ekaḥ subhadrām āropya dvairathe kṛṣṇam āhvayat ||
Kripa berkata: “Dengan hanya makan sekali sehari, ia menegakkan kaul brahmacarya selama lima tahun dalam disiplin yang keras. Dan seorang diri ia menaikkan Subhadrā ke atas keretanya lalu membawanya pergi, bahkan menantang Śrī Kṛṣṇa sendiri untuk duel kereta.”
कृप उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse juxtaposes inner discipline (austerity and brahmacarya) with outward aggression (abduction and challenging Kṛṣṇa), prompting reflection on how virtues like self-control and courage can be ethically undermined when driven by pride or coercive action.
Kṛpa is describing a person’s remarkable feats: maintaining strict brahmacarya while living on one meal daily for five years, then single-handedly placing Subhadrā on a chariot and carrying her off, and even issuing a direct challenge to Kṛṣṇa for a chariot-duel.