Shloka 47
ततो हताश्वादवरुह्म याना- दन्तर्मना: कुरुषु प्राद्रवत्सु । दिव्ये चास्त्रे मायया वध्यमाने नैवामुहाच्चिन्तयन् प्राप्तकालम्,तब कर्ण उस अश्वहीन रथसे उतरकर मनको एकाग्र करके कुछ सोचने लगा। उस समय सारे कौरव-सैनिक भाग रहे थे। उसके दिव्यास्त्र भी घटोत्कचकी मायासे नष्ट होते जा रहे थे, तो भी वह समयोचित कर्तव्यका चिन्तन करता हुआ मोहमें नहीं पड़ा
tato hatāśvād avaruhya yānād antarmanāḥ kuruṣu prādravatsu | divye cāstre māyayā vadhyamāne naivāmuhāc cintayan prāptakālam ||
Then Karṇa, his horses slain, climbed down from his chariot. With his mind gathered inward, he reflected on what the moment demanded. Even as the Kuru troops were fleeing in disorder and his divine missiles were being neutralized by māyā, he did not fall into delusion; instead, he considered the timely course of action—steadfast in crisis and attentive to duty amid collapse.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights prāptakāla-cintā—discerning the right action for the moment. Even when one’s resources fail and allies panic, dharma in practice is steadiness of mind, clear judgment, and timely decision-making rather than surrender to moha (bewilderment).
Sañjaya describes Karṇa after his horses are killed: he gets down from the chariot while the Kuru forces scatter. His celestial weapons are being rendered ineffective by māyā (associated with Ghaṭotkaca in this episode), yet Karṇa remains unconfused and thinks through the appropriate next step.