Shloka 44
कर्णार्जुनसमागमः — The Karṇa–Arjuna Confrontation
Cosmic Spectatorship and Vows
महावीर राधापुत्र कर्णने दुर्योधनकी यह बात सुनकर मद्रराज शल्यसे हँसते हुए-से इस प्रकार कहा-- ।। पश्य मे भुजयोरवीर्यमस्त्राणां च जनेश्वर । अद्य हन्मि रणे सर्वान् पञज्चालान् पाण्डुभि: सह
pashya me bhujayor vīryam astrāṇāṃ ca janeśvara | adya hanmi raṇe sarvān pāñcālān pāṇḍubhiḥ saha ||
Sañjaya berkata: Mendengar kata-kata Duryodhana tentang wira agung Karṇa, putera Rādhā, raja Madra—Śalya—berkata sambil tersenyum seakan mengejek: “Wahai tuan manusia, lihatlah kekuatan kedua lenganku dan kemahiranku dalam senjata. Hari ini di medan perang akan kutewaskan semua Pāñcāla bersama putera-putera Pāṇḍu.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse illustrates how pride and martial boasting can intensify conflict: a warrior’s confidence in strength and weapons, when expressed as a vow of total destruction, underscores the ethical peril of letting ego and rivalry override restraint and dharmic reflection in war.
After Duryodhana speaks about Karṇa, Śalya (king of Madra) responds with a smile that suggests mockery or sharp confidence, declaring to Duryodhana that he will demonstrate his own prowess and, that very day, kill the Pāñcālas along with the Pāṇḍavas in battle.