Mahabharata — Virata Parva, Shloka 19
अध्याय ५०: उत्तरेण सह अर्जुनस्य रथप्रयाणे ध्वजचिह्नैः कौरवसेनानिर्देशः
Arjuna directs Uttara by identifying Kaurava commanders through banners
त्वत्तो विशिष्ट वीयेंण धनुष्यमरराट्समम् | वासुदेवसमं युद्धे तं॑ पार्थ को न पूजयेत्
tvattō viśiṣṭa-vīryeṇa dhanuṣy amararāṭ-samam | vāsudeva-samaṁ yuddhe taṁ pārtha ko na pūjayet, karṇa ||
हे कर्ण! अर्जुन पराक्रमात तुझ्यापेक्षा श्रेष्ठ आहेत; धनुर्विद्येत ते देवराज इंद्रासमान, आणि युद्धकलेत साक्षात वासुदेव—श्रीकृष्ण—यांच्यासमान आहेत. अशा पार्थाचा कोण सन्मान-स्तुती करणार नाही?
कृप उवाच
Educational Q&A
True kṣatriya conduct includes recognizing merit even in a rival: Kṛpa frames praise of Arjuna as an ethical obligation—excellence in valor and skill naturally deserves honor, not denial out of envy or factionalism.
In the Virāṭa context, Kṛpa addresses Karṇa and underscores Arjuna’s superior prowess, likening his archery to Indra and his battlecraft to Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa), thereby arguing that Arjuna is worthy of universal admiration.
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