Shloka 39
Adhyāya 10: Śrutakarmā’s Engagements; Prativindhya–Citra Duel; Drauṇi Advances toward Bhīma
तामाशां हृदये कृत्वा कर्णमेवं तदाब्रवीत् । सूतपुत्र न ते पार्थ: स्थित्वाग्रे संयुयुत्मति
tām āśāṁ hṛdaye kṛtvā karṇam evaṁ tadābravīt | sūtaputra na te pārthaḥ sthitvāgre saṁyuyutsati ||
ആ പ്രത്യാശ ഹൃദയത്തിൽ ധരിച്ച് അവൻ അപ്പോൾ കർണ്ണനോട് ഇങ്ങനെ പറഞ്ഞു— “സൂതപുത്രാ! പാർഥൻ (അർജുനൻ) നിന്റെ മുന്നിൽ നിന്നുകൊണ്ട് യുദ്ധം ചെയ്യാൻ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നില്ല।”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how hope and pride can be used as tools of persuasion in conflict: by asserting that the opponent will not face him, the speaker tries to strengthen Karṇa’s resolve. Ethically, it points to the danger of self-deception and manipulative rhetoric in war, where confidence is cultivated not by truth but by strategic speech.
Sañjaya narrates that Duryodhana, holding onto a strong hope of victory through Karṇa, addresses Karṇa and claims that Arjuna will not stand before him to fight. It is a morale-boosting (and provocative) assertion aimed at pushing Karṇa toward decisive engagement.