Shloka 53
शल्य उवाच अजय्यमेनं प्रवदन्ति युद्धे महारथा: कर्ण रथप्रवीरम् । एकाकिनं किमु कृष्णाभिगुप्तं विजेतुमेनं क इहोत्सहेत,शल्यने कहा--कर्ण! रथियोंमें प्रमुख वीर अर्जुन अकेले भी हों तो महारथी योद्धा उन्हें युद्धमोें अजेय बताते हैं, फिर इस समय तो वे श्रीकृष्णसे सुरक्षित हैं; ऐसी दशामें कौन इन्हें जीतनेका साहस कर सकता है?
śalya uvāca | ajayyam enaṃ pravadanti yuddhe mahārathāḥ karṇa rathapravīram | ekākinaṃ kimu kṛṣṇābhiguptaṃ vijetum enaṃ ka ihotsaheta ||
शल्य म्हणाला—कर्णा! महारथी योद्धे युद्धात या रथप्रवीराला अजेय म्हणतात. तो एकटा असला तरी अजेय मानला जातो; मग आता श्रीकृष्णाच्या संरक्षणाखाली असताना, त्याला जिंकण्याचे धैर्य इथे कोण करील?
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the perceived invincibility of a righteous and divinely supported warrior: human prowess is formidable, but when joined with divine protection (Kṛṣṇa’s guardianship), it becomes a near-insurmountable force—prompting humility and strategic realism rather than reckless pride.
Śalya, serving as Karṇa’s charioteer, speaks in a discouraging tone, emphasizing that even great warriors call Arjuna unconquerable, and that with Kṛṣṇa protecting him, defeating Arjuna is beyond anyone’s daring—an instance of counsel that also functions as psychological pressure on Karṇa.