Shloka 163
कर्णेन युधिष्ठिरानीकविदारणम् / Karṇa’s Breach of Yudhiṣṭhira’s Battle-Line
तथैव बुद्ध्या विहितं विश्वकर्मकृतं शुभम् । देवता बोले--देवेश्वर! हमलोग तीनों लोकोंके तेजकी सारी मात्राओंको एकत्र करके आपके लिये परम तेजस्वी रथका निर्माण करेंगे। विश्वकर्माका बुद्धिपूर्वक बनाया हुआ वह रथ बहुत ही सुन्दर होगा
tathaiva buddhyā vihitaṃ viśvakarmakṛtaṃ śubham | vakṣaḥ paśya viśālaṃ ca sarvaśatrunibarhaṇam | na tveṣa prākṛtaḥ kaścit karṇo vaikartano vṛṣaḥ | mahātmā hoṣa rājendra rāmaśiṣyaḥ pratāpavān |
Duryodhana berkata: “Benar demikian—lihatlah kereta ini: bertuah, dibuat oleh Viśvakarman dengan kemahiran yang disengajakan. Lihat dadanya yang bidang, mampu menghancurkan segala musuh. Karṇa Vaikartana, ‘lembu jantan’ antara manusia, bukanlah orang biasa. Wahai raja, inilah dia—berjiwa besar, murid Rāma (Paraśurāma) yang perkasa.”
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames true worth as recognizable through signs of character and capability: Karṇa’s extraordinary strength and training are presented as evidence that he is not ‘ordinary.’ It also highlights how leaders use praise to confer legitimacy and morale in war—linking divine craftsmanship (Viśvakarman) and revered lineage of instruction (Paraśurāma) to ethical claims of merit and destiny.
Duryodhana is addressing a king (rājendra) and drawing attention to a splendid chariot said to be made by Viśvakarman, while simultaneously extolling Karṇa’s physique and prowess. He asserts that Karṇa—Paraśurāma’s disciple—is no common man and is fit to crush enemies in the impending battle.