Shloka 13
राधेयो ह्ान्यथा पार्थान् सृञ्जयांश्व महारथान् । निःशेषान् समरे कुर्यात् पश्यतां नो जनार्दन
rādheyo hy anyathā pārthān sṛñjayāṁś ca mahārathān | niḥśeṣān samare kuryāt paśyatāṁ no janārdana ||
Arjuna berkata: “Wahai Janārdana, jika halnya menjadi sebaliknya—jika kita tidak bertindak sebagaimana sepatutnya—Rādheya (Karna) akan, di hadapan mata kita, menghapuskan para Pārtha dan para Sṛñjaya, para maharathi itu, di medan perang, tanpa meninggalkan seorang pun hidup.”
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ethic of timely action: hesitation in a crisis can lead to catastrophic harm to one’s dependents and allies. Arjuna frames his resolve as protective responsibility—preventing Karna from exterminating the Pāṇḍava-Sṛñjaya forces—thus linking personal valor with collective duty.
In the Karṇa Parva battle sequence, Arjuna addresses Kṛṣṇa (his charioteer) with urgency. He warns that if they do not proceed as needed, Karna will wipe out the Pāṇḍavas and their Sṛñjaya allies in full view. The statement motivates immediate engagement with Karna to avert annihilation.