Shloka 35
त॑ सूतपुत्र॑ रथिनां वरिष्ठ निष्कालिकं कालवशं नयाद्य । त॑ सूतपुत्रं रथिनां वरिष्ठ हत्वा प्रीतिं धर्मराजे कुरुष्व
taṁ sūtaputra rathināṁ variṣṭha niṣkālikaṁ kālavaśaṁ nayādya | taṁ sūtaputraṁ rathināṁ variṣṭha hatvā prītiṁ dharmarāje kuruṣva ||
Vāyu berkata: “Wahai yang terbaik antara pahlawan kereta perang, pada hari ini tundukkanlah putera sūta itu di bawah kuasa Kala (Waktu/Takdir)—dia tidak menganggap dirinya tertakluk kepada nasib. Bunuhlah Karṇa, yang terunggul antara para pejuang berkereta, dan dengan itu puaskan hati Dharmarāja Yudhiṣṭhira.”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even the mightiest warrior is subject to Kāla (Time/death); a kṣatriya must act decisively in accordance with duty, without being overawed by an opponent’s pride or reputation, when the larger cause of dharma requires it.
Vāyudeva urges the foremost chariot-warrior (implicitly Arjuna) to kill Karṇa that very day, portraying Karṇa as one who does not acknowledge subjection to fate, and framing Karṇa’s death as necessary to hearten and satisfy Dharmarāja Yudhiṣṭhira.