Shloka 25
Rukmī’s Offer of Aid and Arjuna’s Refusal (रुक्मिप्रस्तावः—अर्जुनप्रत्याख्यानम्)
कर्ण उवाच नाहं जीवति गाड़ेये राजन् योत्स्पे कथंचन । हते भीष्मे तु योत्स्यामि सह गाण्डीवधन्चना,कर्ण बोला--राजन! मैं गंगानन्दन भीष्मके जीते-जी किसी प्रकार युद्ध नहीं करूँगा। इनके मारे जानेपर ही गाण्डीवधारी अर्जुनके साथ लड़ूँगा
karṇa uvāca | nāhaṃ jīvati gāṅgeye rājan yotsye kathaṃcana | hate bhīṣme tu yotsyāmi saha gāṇḍīvadhanvanā ||
Karna berkata: “Wahai raja, selagi Bhīṣma, putera Sungai Gangga, masih hidup, aku tidak akan bertempur dalam apa jua keadaan. Hanya setelah Bhīṣma ditewaskan barulah aku akan bertempur—ketika itu aku akan beradu senjata dengan Arjuna, pemegang Gāṇḍīva.”
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a warrior’s code of honor and personal resolve: Karna will not fight while Bhishma commands, implying respect for hierarchy and a refusal to act in a situation he deems improper or dishonorable; he postpones his rivalry with Arjuna until Bhishma is removed.
In the pre-war deliberations of the Udyoga Parva, Karna declares to the king that he will abstain from battle as long as Bhishma lives, and that only after Bhishma’s fall will he enter the fight, specifically to confront Arjuna, famed as the Gandiva-bearer.