Shloka 44
द्रोणपर्व (अध्याय १) — भीष्मनिधनानन्तरं धृतराष्ट्रस्य शोकः, सेनायाः स्थितिः, कर्णस्मरणं च
Droṇa Parva, Chapter 1: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s grief after Bhīṣma’s fall and the army’s reorientation toward Karṇa
उन महापराक्रमी सत्यप्रतिज्ञ शूरवीर भीष्मके मारे जानेपर आपके पुत्रोंने कर्णका उसी प्रकार स्मरण किया, जैसे पार जानेकी इच्छावाले पुरुष नावकी इच्छा करते हैं ।। तावकास्तव पुत्रा श्न सहिता: सर्वराजभि: । हा कर्ण इति चाक्रन्दन् कालोड्यमिति चाब्रुवन्,समस्त राजाओंसहित आपके पुत्र और सैनिक 'हा कर्ण" कहकर विलाप करने लगे और बोले--'कर्ण! तुम्हारे पराक्रमका यह अवसर आया है”
tāvakās tava putrāś ca sahitāḥ sarvarājabhiḥ | hā karṇa iti cākrandan kālodayam iti cābruvan || bhīṣmasya mahāparākramiṇaḥ satyapratijñasya śūravīrasya māraṇe sati te kṛṣṇāḥ (tava putrāḥ) karṇam eva tathā smṛtavantaḥ yathā pāragaṃtum icchantaḥ puruṣā nāvam icchanti ||
ମହାପରାକ୍ରମୀ, ସତ୍ୟପ୍ରତିଜ୍ଞ ଶୂରବୀର ଭୀଷ୍ମ ବଧ ହେବା ପରେ ଆପଣଙ୍କ ପୁତ୍ରମାନେ କର୍ଣ୍ଣଙ୍କୁ ସେହିପରି ସ୍ମରଣ କଲେ, ଯେପରି ପାର ହେବାକୁ ଇଚ୍ଛୁକ ପୁରୁଷ ନାଉକାକୁ ଆଶ୍ରୟ କରେ। ସମସ୍ତ ରାଜାଙ୍କ ସହିତ ଆପଣଙ୍କ ପୁତ୍ର ଓ ସେନା ‘ହା କର୍ଣ୍ଣ!’ ବୋଲି କାନ୍ଦିଲେ ଏବଂ କହିଲେ—“କର୍ଣ୍ଣ, ଏହି ହେଉଛି ତୁମ ପରାକ୍ରମର ସମୟ।”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, when a principal protector falls, people instinctively seek a new refuge—often treating a powerful individual as the ‘boat’ to cross danger. Ethically, it points to the vulnerability of relying solely on martial strength in a war where dharma is already strained; ‘kāla’ (the decisive time) arrives, but it does not guarantee righteousness or victory.
After Bhīṣma’s fall, the Kaurava side—Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons along with their allied kings—breaks into lamentation and calls upon Karṇa. They urge him that the moment for his heroism has come, effectively looking to him to replace Bhīṣma as the main pillar of their army.