Shloka 3
तवाद्य पृथिवी वीर नि:ःसपत्ना नृपोत्तम | तां पालय यथा शक्रो हतशत्रुर्महामना:,वीर! नृपश्रेष्ठ! आज सारी पृथ्वी तुम्हारे लिये निष्कण्टक हो गयी है। जैसे महामना इन्द्र अपने शत्रुओंका संहार करके त्रिलोकीका पालन करते हैं, उसी प्रकार तुम भी इस पृथ्वीका पालन करो
tvādya pṛthivī vīra niḥsapatnā nṛpottama | tāṁ pālaya yathā śakro hataśatrur mahāmanāḥ ||
Karna said: “Today, O hero, O best of kings, the earth stands without a rival claimant for you. Therefore govern and protect her as the great-minded Indra, having slain his enemies, safeguards the worlds—so you too should uphold this realm, secure and unopposed.”
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
Power gained through victory is not an end in itself; it creates a duty of protection. The verse frames kingship as pālana—sustaining order and welfare—modeled on Indra, who after defeating foes is expected to safeguard the world.
Karna addresses a ruler as the uncontested master of the earth and urges him to rule responsibly. He uses Indra (Śakra) as a paradigm: after subduing enemies, the rightful task is to maintain and protect the realm.