Shloka 231
उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय २५: संजयदूतवाक्यम्
Sañjaya’s Envoy-Speech on Peace
यत् तत् कर्णो मन्यते पारणीयं युद्धे गृहीतायुधमर्जुनं वै । आसंभश्न युद्धानि पुरा महान्ति कथं कर्णो नाभवद् द्वीप एषाम्
yat tat karṇo manyate pāraṇīyaṃ yuddhe gṛhītāyudham arjunaṃ vai | āsaṃbhaśn yuddhāni purā mahānti kathaṃ karṇo nābhavad dvīpa eṣām |
Sañjaya berkata: “Jika Karṇa menyangka dia mampu menewaskan Arjuna di medan perang ketika Arjuna berdiri bersenjata dan siap bertempur, maka mengapa pada masa silam, tatkala peperangan besar mengamuk dan dunia digoncang, Karṇa tidak menjadi ‘pulau’—tempat berlindung yang menyelamatkan—di tengah segala krisis itu?”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse tests martial claims against past performance: true capability and dharmic worth are shown by consistent action in real crises, not by confident assertions made in anticipation of battle.
Sañjaya questions Karṇa’s confidence about defeating an armed Arjuna, pointing out that in earlier great conflicts Karṇa did not emerge as the decisive protector—likened to an ‘island’ of refuge—thereby casting doubt on his present claim.