Shloka 41

Karna Reproves Shalya; Brahmin Reports on Bāhlīkas; Shalya’s Universalizing Rebuttal (कर्ण–शल्य संवादः)

Devanagari script

प्राणे शौर्येडथ विज्ञाने विक्रमे चापि भारत । निमित्तज्ञानयोगे च सव्यसाची न मत्सम:

Transliteration

prāṇe śaurye ’tha vijñāne vikrame cāpi bhārata | nimittajñānayoge ca savyasācī na matsamaḥ ||

Translation

ກັນນະໄດ້ກ່າວວ່າ: «ໂອ ພາຣະຕະ! ໃນພະລັງຊີວິດແລະຄວາມອົດທົນ, ໃນຄວາມກ້າຫານ, ໃນຄວາມຊໍານານອາວຸດແລະຄວາມຮູ້, ໃນວິລະກໍາການຮົບ—ແມ່ນແຕ່ໃນປັນຍາອັນມີວິໄນທີ່ຮູ້ຈັກຄົ້ນຫາວິທີເອົາຊະນະສັດຕູ—ສະວຽສາຈີ ອາຣະຈຸນ ກໍບໍ່ເທົ່າຂ້າ»។

Word by Word

• प्राणे: in (matters of) life/strength
• प्राणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• शौर्ये: in valor
• शौर्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौर्य
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• अथ: and/then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• विज्ञाने: in knowledge/skill
• विज्ञाने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विज्ञान
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• विक्रमे: in prowess
• विक्रमे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विक्रम
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• भारत: O Bharata (Dhṛtarāṣṭra)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• निमित्त-ज्ञान-योगे: in the method/skill of knowing means (strategy)
• निमित्त-ज्ञान-योगे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: निमित्तज्ञानयोग
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• सव्यसाची: Savyasācin (Arjuna)
• सव्यसाची: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सव्यसाचिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• मत्समः: equal to me
• मत्समः: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत्सम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

कर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Karna
• Arjuna (Savyasācī)
• Bhārata (addressee)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the Kṣatriya ideal of excellence in strength, courage, skill, and strategy, while also illustrating how pride and rivalry can shape ethical judgment in war—Karna asserts superiority rather than reflecting on restraint or dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Karṇa Parva, Karna speaks in the context of the Kurukṣetra war, asserting that Arjuna—renowned as Savyasācī—is not equal to him in physical vitality, valor, weapon-skill, prowess, and strategic discernment for defeating enemies.