Mahabharata 7.185.43 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 185, Shloka 43
उपदिष्टो वधोपाय: कर्णस्य गुरुणा स्वयम् | व्यायच्छतश्न खड्गेन द्विधा खड्गं चकार ह
upadiṣṭo vadhopāyaḥ karṇasya guruṇā svayam | vyāyacchataś ca khaḍgena dvidhā khaḍgaṃ cakāra ha ||
ഗുരു ദ്രോണൻ സ്വയം കർണനോട് വധോപായം ഉപദേശിച്ചിരുന്നു; എന്നാൽ കർണൻ വാൾ കൈയിൽ പിടിച്ച് കഠിനമായി പോരാടിക്കൊണ്ടിരിക്കെ, അതേ ഗുരുവാണ് അവന്റെ വാൾ രണ്ടായി പിളർത്തിയത്.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the instability of power gained through instruction and strategy in war: even a guru-given advantage can be negated, raising ethical questions about loyalty, the limits of teacherly authority, and the harsh reversals that characterize dharma in wartime.
Sañjaya reports that Karṇa had been taught a killing-stratagem by his guru, but during intense sword-fighting the guru himself split Karṇa’s sword into two, abruptly undermining Karṇa’s effort in battle.
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