Shloka 12
तत्र मे बुद्धिरुत्पन्ना वाहयात्र महारथम् | नाहत्वा समरे कर्ण निवर्तिष्ये कथठ्चन
tatra me buddhir utpannā vāhayātra mahāratham | nāhatvā samare karṇa nivartiṣye kathaṃcana, janārdana |
Arjuna berkata: “Pada saat ini, suatu tekad telah bangkit dalam diriku: pandulah kereta agung ini ke sana, ke tempat Karṇa berdiri. Wahai Janārdana, aku tidak akan berpaling dari medan perang dengan apa cara sekalipun tanpa membunuh Karṇa. Jika tidak, putera Rādhā itu, di hadapan mata kita, akan membinasakan habis para Pāṇḍava dan para maharathi keturunan Sūñjaya di gelanggang perang—tidak seorang pun akan dibiarkannya hidup.”
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds kṣatriya-duty expressed as unwavering resolve: Arjuna frames the slaying of Karṇa as a necessary act to prevent catastrophic loss of life among his side. Ethically, it presents a wartime calculus—decisive action against a principal threat to protect one’s community—while also showing reliance on Kṛṣṇa as charioteer and guide.
In the Karṇa Parva battle sequence, Arjuna addresses Kṛṣṇa (Janārdana) and commands him to drive the chariot directly toward Karṇa. Arjuna declares he will not retreat until Karṇa is slain, fearing that otherwise Karṇa will annihilate the Pāṇḍavas and allied great warriors on the battlefield.