Mahabharata — Karna Parva, Shloka 4
कर्णेन युधिष्ठिरानीकविदारणम् / Karṇa’s Breach of Yudhiṣṭhira’s Battle-Line
स त्वं देव प्रपन्नानां याचतां च दिवौकसाम् | कुरु प्रसादं देवेश दानवाज्जहि शड्कर,“देव! हम सब देवता आपकी शरणमें आकर याचना करते हैं। देवेश्वर शंकर! आप हमपर कृपा कीजिये और इन दानवोंको मार डालिये
sa tvaṃ deva prapannānāṃ yācatāṃ ca divaukasām | kuru prasādaṃ deveśa dānavāj jahi śaṅkara ||
Wahai Tuhan, engkaulah tempat berlindung bagi mereka yang berserah diri, dan pemberi anugerah bahkan kepada penghuni syurga apabila mereka memohon. Maka, wahai Tuan segala dewa, wahai Śaṅkara, tunjukkanlah belas kasihmu kepada kami dan tumpaskanlah kaum Dānava ini.
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) and the expectation that divine grace responds to sincere supplication, especially to protect those who seek shelter and to restrain forces that threaten cosmic and moral order.
Duryodhana addresses Śiva (Śaṅkara) with a plea: since the deity grants refuge and boons even to the gods when they implore, he asks Śiva to show favor and destroy the Dānavas—casting the situation as a crisis requiring divine intervention.