आदि पर्व, अध्याय 67 — गान्धर्वविवाह-समयः
Duḥṣanta–Śakuntalā: Gandharva Marriage and Succession Condition
दुर्योधनस्यथ सचिवं मित्र शत्रुविनाशनम् | दिवाकरस्य त॑ विद्धि राजन्नंशमनुत्तमम्
duryodhanasyātha sacivaṃ mitraśatruvināśanam | divākarasya taṃ viddhi rājann aṃśam anuttamam ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Dia ialah menteri dan sahabat Duryodhana, serta pemusnah musuh-musuhnya. Wahai Raja, ketahuilah bahawa dia ialah bahagian yang tiada bandingan daripada Dewa Surya.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
The verse frames Karna’s worldly power and influence—minister, ally, and enemy-destroyer—as grounded in a divine source, reminding the listener that political and martial force in the epic is often tied to origin, destiny, and cosmic order.
Vaiśampāyana identifies the figure being described (Karna) as Duryodhana’s key counsellor and friend, and declares to the king (Janamejaya) that Karna is an unsurpassed portion of the Sun-god, emphasizing his extraordinary stature.