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Shloka 17

अर्जुन-कर्ण-सङ्ग्रामः

Arjuna–Karna Engagement in the Cattle-Raid Aftermath

अकृतास्त्र: कृतास्त्रं वै बलवन्तं सुदुर्बल: । तादृशं कर्ण यः पार्थ योद्धुमिच्छेत्‌ स दुर्मति:,कर्ण! जिसने अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंकी पूर्ण शिक्षा न पायी हो, वह अत्यन्त दुर्बल पुरुष यदि अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंकी कलामें प्रवीण तथा कुन्तीपुत्र अर्जुन-जैसे बलवान्‌ वीरसे युद्ध करना चाहे, तो समझना चाहिये कि उसकी बुद्धि मारी गयी है

akṛtāstraḥ kṛtāstraṃ vai balavantaṃ sudurbalaḥ | tādṛśaṃ karṇa yaḥ pārtha yoddhum icchet sa durmatiḥ ||

കൃപാചാര്യൻ പറഞ്ഞു—കർണാ! ആയുധവിദ്യയിൽ പരിശീലനം ലഭിക്കാത്തവൻ, അത്യന്തം ദുർബലനായിട്ടും, കുന്തീപുത്രൻ അർജുനനെപ്പോലെ കൃതാസ്ത്രനും ബലവാനുമായ വീരനോട് യുദ്ധിക്കണമെന്ന് ആഗ്രഹിച്ചാൽ, അവന്റെ വിവേകം നശിച്ചുവെന്ന് കരുതണം; അത് ധൈര്യമല്ല, മോഹമാണ്.

अकृतास्त्रःone who has not learned weaponry (untrained in arms)
अकृतास्त्रः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअकृतास्त्र
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
कृतास्त्रंone trained in arms
कृतास्त्रं:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootकृतास्त्र
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
वैindeed
वै:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै
बलवन्तंstrong, powerful
बलवन्तं:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootबलवत्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
सुदुर्बलःvery weak
सुदुर्बलः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootसुदुर्बल
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तादृशंsuch a one
तादृशं:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootतादृश
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
कर्णO Karna
कर्ण:
TypeNoun
Rootकर्ण
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
यःwho
यः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootयद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
पार्थंArjuna (son of Pritha)
पार्थं:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootपार्थ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
योद्धुम्to fight
योद्धुम्:
TypeVerb
Rootयुध्
FormTumun (infinitive)
इच्छेत्would wish/desire
इच्छेत्:
TypeVerb
Rootइष्
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
सःhe
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
दुर्मतिःa fool; one of bad intellect
दुर्मतिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootदुर्मति
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular

कृप उवाच

K
Kṛpa
K
Karna
P
Pārtha (Arjuna)
K
Kuntī

Educational Q&A

Competence and discernment are part of dharma in warfare: challenging a superior, fully trained warrior without adequate training is not righteous valor but reckless folly born of impaired judgment.

Kṛpa addresses Karṇa, warning him that an untrained and weak fighter who seeks to battle a master of arms like Arjuna is acting with ruined judgment—implicitly cautioning against an ill-considered confrontation.