Shloka 16
कर्णेन व्यूहविधानम् — Karṇa’s Battle Formation and the Pāṇḍava Counter-Plan
Adhyāya 31
हतवीरमिदं सैन्यं पाण्डवै: समरे विभो । कर्णो होको महाबाहुरस्मत्प्रियहिते रत:,'प्रभो! पाण्डवोंने समरांगणमें मेरी सेनाके प्रमुख वीरोंको मार डाला है। एक महाबाहु कर्ण ही ऐसा है, जो हमारे प्रिय एवं हितसाधनमें लगा हुआ है
hatavīram idaṁ sainyaṁ pāṇḍavaiḥ samare vibho | karṇo hy eko mahābāhur asmatpriyahite rataḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Wahai tuanku yang perkasa, dalam pertempuran para Pāṇḍava telah menewaskan para wira utama tenteraku, sehingga bala ini kehilangan pahlawan-pahlawannya. Hanya Karṇa, sang pahlawan berlengan gagah, yang masih tinggal—teguh berbakti pada apa yang kita kasihi dan yang membawa manfaat bagi kita.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension of war: when many leaders fall, a kingdom clings to a single champion. It underscores loyalty and duty to one’s side, while implicitly revealing the fragility of power that depends on individual prowess rather than righteous policy.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Pāṇḍavas have slain the Kauravas’ principal warriors, leaving Karṇa as the lone great fighter still actively committed to advancing what the Kauravas consider their interest.