Shloka 23
पृथिव्यां तु रणे पार्थ न योद्धा त्वत्सम: पुमान् । धनुग्रहा हि ये केचित् क्षत्रिया युद्धदुर्मदा:
sañjaya uvāca |
pr̥thivyāṁ tu raṇe pārtha na yoddhā tvat-samaḥ pumān |
dhanur-grahā hi ye kecit kṣatriyā yuddha-durmadāḥ |
prayāhi śīghraṁ govinda sūta-putra-jighāṁsayā ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Wahai Pārtha, di bumi ini, dalam pertempuran, tiada seorang pun setara denganmu sebagai pahlawan. Apa pun para Kṣatriya yang mengangkat busur—meski mabuk oleh keangkuhan perang—tiada yang menandingi dirimu. Maka, wahai Govinda, berangkatlah segera, dengan tekad membunuh putera sais kereta itu (Karna).”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse illustrates how martial dharma is reinforced through praise and urgency: Arjuna is reminded of his unmatched duty as a warrior, and Kṛṣṇa is urged to act swiftly toward a decisive objective. It also invites reflection on how rhetoric in war can intensify resolve and narrow ethical focus to victory and elimination of the opponent.
Sañjaya reports an exhortation addressed to Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa: Arjuna is declared unrivaled among archers, and Kṛṣṇa (Govinda) is urged to depart immediately with the intention of slaying Karna (called sūtaputra). The line functions as a spur toward rapid action in the climactic Karna-Arjuna confrontation.