Shloka 45
द्रोणपर्व (अध्याय १) — भीष्मनिधनानन्तरं धृतराष्ट्रस्य शोकः, सेनायाः स्थितिः, कर्णस्मरणं च
Droṇa Parva, Chapter 1: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s grief after Bhīṣma’s fall and the army’s reorientation toward Karṇa
एवं ते सम हि राधेयं सूतपुत्र तनुत्यजम् | चुक्कुशु: सहिता योधास्तत्र तत्र महाबला:,इस प्रकार आपके महाबली योद्धालोग राधानन्दन सूतपुत्र कर्णको, जो दुर्योधनके लिये अपना शरीर निछावर किये बैठा था, एक साथ पुकारने लगे
evaṁ te sama hi rādheyaṁ sūtaputra tanutyajam | cukruśuḥ sahitā yodhās tatra tatra mahābalāḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Thus, your mighty warriors, gathered together, repeatedly cried out to Rādheya—Karna, the charioteer’s son—who was ready to lay down his very body for Duryodhana. The scene highlights the warriors’ dependence on Karna’s prowess and their admiration for his fierce loyalty, even as the war’s moral weight presses on all sides.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the ethical tension between personal loyalty and the broader demands of dharma: Karna’s readiness to sacrifice himself for Duryodhana is portrayed as extraordinary devotion and courage, yet it also raises questions about whether unwavering allegiance to a flawed cause can be morally justified.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Kaurava warriors, assembled and moving about the battlefield, repeatedly call out to Karna (Rādheya), recognizing him as a decisive champion—one prepared to give his life for Duryodhana.