Shloka 553
Aśvatthāman’s Arrow-Screen and the Confrontation with Yudhiṣṭhira (द्रौणि–युधिष्ठिर-संग्रामः)
कर्ण वा जधघ्नतुः कृष्णौ कर्णो वा निजघान तौ । नीच देशमें उत्पन्न शल्य! आज यहाँ सुननेवाले सुनेंगे और देखनेवाले देख लेंगे कि “श्रीकृष्ण और अर्जुनने कर्णको मारा या कर्णने ही उन दोनोंको मार गिराया”
karṇa vā jighnatuḥ kṛṣṇau karṇo vā nijaghāna tau | nīca-deśe utpanna śalya! adya iha śrotāraḥ śroṣyanti draṣṭāraś ca drakṣyanti yat “śrīkṛṣṇa-arjunābhyāṃ karṇo hataḥ” athavā “karṇenaiva tau ubhau nipātitau” iti ||
Karna berkata: “Sama ada Krishna dan Arjuna akan menewaskan Karna, atau Karna akan menewaskan kedua-duanya. Wahai Shalya, yang lahir di negeri yang hina! Hari ini, di sini, yang mendengar akan mendengar dan yang melihat akan melihat mana yang benar—sama ada ‘Sri Krishna dan Arjuna membunuh Karna,’ atau ‘Karna sendiri menjatuhkan mereka berdua.’”
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights how warriors seek moral validation through public reputation, but also warns ethically about pride and contempt: Karna’s confidence is coupled with an insult to Shalya’s origin, showing how adharma can enter through speech even when one claims kshatriya honor.
On the eve of decisive combat, Karna declares that the outcome will settle, before all witnesses, whether Krishna and Arjuna defeat him or he defeats them. He addresses Shalya sharply, asserting that the battlefield will publicly prove whose claim stands.