Mahabharata 7.184.36 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 184, Shloka 36
कर्ण कर्ण महेष्वास रणेडमितपराक्रम । नान्यस्य शक्तिरेषा ते मोक्तव्या जयतां वर
karṇa karṇa maheṣvāsa raṇe 'damitaparākrama | nānyasya śaktir eṣā te moktavyā jayatāṃ vara ||
വായു പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ കര്ണാ, മഹാധനുര്ധരാ! യുദ്ധത്തില് അപ്രതിഹത പരാക്രമമുള്ളവനേ, ജയികളില് ശ്രേഷ്ഠനേ! നിന്റെ ഈ ശക്തി മറ്റാരുടെയും മേല് പ്രയോഗിക്കരുത്; ഇത് ആര്ക്കായി നിയതമായിട്ടുണ്ടോ അവനുവേണ്ടി തന്നെ സൂക്ഷിക്ക.
श्रीवायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in war, power should be governed by discernment: a decisive weapon is to be used with restraint and purpose, not squandered on lesser targets. The verse frames martial strength as something to be ethically and strategically directed.
Vāyu addresses Karṇa directly, praising his prowess and warning him not to release his special weapon-power (śakti) against anyone else, implying it must be saved for a particular, decisive opponent in the unfolding battle.
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