Shloka 20
देवसत्रे मृत्युनिरोधः, पूर्वेन्द्राणां मानुषावतरणम्, द्रौपदी-वरकथनम्
Suspension of Death at the Devasatra; Former Indras’ Human Descent; Draupadī’s Boon Etiology
तमेवं वादिनं तत्र फाल्गुन: प्रत्यभाषत । नास्मि कर्ण थनुर्वेदो नास्मि राम: प्रतापवान्,कर्णके ऐसा कहनेपर अर्जुनने उसे इस प्रकार उत्तर दिया--'कर्ण! न तो मैं धनुर्वेद हूँ और न प्रतापी परशुराम”
tam evaṁ vādinaṁ tatra phālgunaḥ pratyabhāṣata | nāsmi karṇa dhanurvedo nāsmi rāmaḥ pratāpavān |
ਕਰਨ ਦੇ ਇਉਂ ਕਹਿਣ ‘ਤੇ, ਉੱਥੇ ਫਾਲਗੁਨ (ਅਰਜੁਨ) ਨੇ ਉਸ ਨੂੰ ਜਵਾਬ ਦਿੱਤਾ— “ਕਰਨ! ਨਾ ਮੈਂ ਧਨੁਰਵੇਦ ਆਪ ਹਾਂ, ਨਾ ਹੀ ਮੈਂ ਪ੍ਰਤਾਪੀ ਰਾਮ (ਪਰਸ਼ੁਰਾਮ) ਹਾਂ।”
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights restraint and humility in self-presentation: true worth is not established by claiming identity with exalted ideals (like Dhanurveda personified or Paraśurāma), but by measured speech and demonstrable conduct.
In a tense exchange, Karṇa has spoken assertively; Arjuna (Phālguna) responds directly, denying any grandiose self-comparison and positioning himself as a human warrior rather than an embodiment of the entire martial science or a legendary hero.