Shloka 3
आहूतो न निवर्तेयमिति तस्य महाव्रतम् । स्वयं मार्गयितव्य: स सूतपुत्रेण फाल्गुन:,अर्जुनका तो यह महान् व्रत ही है कि युद्धमें किसीके बुलानेपर मैं पीछे नहीं लौट सकता; ऐसी दशामें सूतपुत्र कर्णको स्वयं ही अर्जुनकी खोज करनी चाहिये थी
āhūto na nivarteyam iti tasya mahāvratam | svayaṃ mārgayitavyaḥ sa sūtaputreṇa phālgunaḥ ||
Vāyu said: “It is his great vow: ‘When summoned, I shall not turn back.’ Therefore, in such a situation, the son of a charioteer (Karna) ought to have sought out Phālguna (Arjuna) himself.” The statement underscores a warrior’s binding vow and the ethical burden it places on others: when one party is constrained by a pledged rule of conduct, responsibility shifts to the opponent to act accordingly rather than expecting the bound person to violate his dharma.
श्रीवायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
A solemn vow (mahāvrata) functions as a binding ethical constraint: if a warrior has pledged not to withdraw when challenged, others should not demand that he break his word; instead, they must act within that reality, taking responsibility for the next step.
Vāyu explains that Arjuna is bound by a great vow not to turn back when summoned; therefore Karna, rather than expecting Arjuna to retreat or disengage, should personally go in search of Arjuna (Phālguna) to meet him in battle.