Shloka 60
कर्णेन व्यूहविधानम् — Karṇa’s Battle Formation and the Pāṇḍava Counter-Plan
Adhyāya 31
मन्ये चाभ्यधिकं शल्य गुणै: कर्ण धनंजयात् । भवन्तं वासुदेवाच्च लोको5यमिति मन्यते,“शल्य! मैं कर्णको अर्जुनसे अधिक गुणवान् मानता हूँ और यह सारा जगत् आपको वसुदेवनन्दन श्रीकृष्णसे श्रेष्ठ मानता है
manye cābhyadhikaṃ śalya guṇaiḥ karṇaṃ dhanañjayāt | bhavantaṃ vāsudevāc ca loko 'yam iti manyate ||
ಸಂಜಯನು ಹೇಳಿದರು—ಓ ಶಲ್ಯಾ! ಕರ್ಣನು ಗುಣಗಳಲ್ಲಿಯೂ ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠತೆಯಲ್ಲಿಯೂ ಧನಂಜಯ (ಅರ್ಜುನ)ನಿಗಿಂತ ಮೇಲು ಎಂದು ನಾನು ಮನಸಾರೆ ಭಾವಿಸುತ್ತೇನೆ; ಈ ಸಮಸ್ತ ಲೋಕವೂ ನಿಮಗೆ ವಾಸುದೇವ (ಶ್ರೀಕೃಷ್ಣ)ನಿಗಿಂತಲೂ ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠ ಸ್ಥಾನ ನೀಡುತ್ತದೆ ಎಂದು ನಾನು ನಂಬುತ್ತೇನೆ.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how assessments of “superiority” in war are often shaped by rhetoric and public perception. It implicitly cautions that fame and praise can be deployed strategically, and that ethical discernment is needed to separate genuine merit from persuasive speech.
Sañjaya addresses Śalya, asserting that Karṇa exceeds Arjuna in qualities and that people consider Śalya greater than Kṛṣṇa. The line serves to magnify Karṇa’s side through comparative praise, reflecting the tense atmosphere of the Kurukṣetra conflict where morale and status are continually contested.