Shloka 21
कर्णपरर्वणि त्रयोचत्वारिंशदध्यायः (Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 43) — Kṛṣṇa’s Battlefield Assessment and the Reversal Around Bhīma
अपूपान् सक्तुपिण्डांश्व प्राश्नन्तो मथितान्वितान् | पथि सुप्रबला भूत्वा कदा सम्पततो5ध्वगान्
apūpān saktupiṇḍāṁś ca prāśnanto mathitānvitān | pathi suprabalā bhūtvā kadā sampatato 'dhvagān ||
अपूप व सत्तूचे गोळे खात, आणि मथित दही सोबत घेऊन—हे रस्त्यावरील प्रवासी कधी खरेच बलवान होऊन झडप घालून पुढे धावतील?
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse uses sarcasm to stress that in a dharmic battle, warriors must show disciplined strength and swift resolve; those who behave like comfort-seeking travellers with provisions are unfit for the urgency of combat duty.
Karna is speaking in the midst of the war narrative and mocks the opposing side, portraying them as mere road-travellers eating travel-food (cakes, parched-grain balls, churned curds) and asking when they will ever become strong enough to charge.