Shloka 78
कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ४०
Karṇa’s Pressure on the Pāñcālas; Duryodhana Disabled; Arjuna’s Counter-Advance
कर्ण! वहाँ कुन्तीकुमार अर्जुनने ही रणभूमिमें चित्रसेन आदि गन्धर्वोकोी मार-पीटकर उनपर विजय पायी थी और स्त्रियोंसहित दुर्योधनको उनकी कैदसे छुड़ाया था ।। पुन: प्रभाव: पार्थस्य पौराण: केशवस्य च । कथित: कर्ण रामेण सभायां राजसंसदि,कर्ण! पुनः तुम्हारे गुरु परशुरामजीने भी उस दिन राजसभामें अर्जुन और श्रीकृष्णके पुरातन प्रभावका वर्णन किया था
Karṇa! tatra Kuntīkumāra Arjuna eva raṇabhūmau Citrāsena-ādi-gandharvān jitvā tān parājitya strī-sahitaṃ Duryodhanaṃ teṣāṃ bandhanāt mocitavān. Punaḥ prabhāvaḥ Pārthasya paurāṇaḥ Keśavasya ca kathitaḥ Karṇa Rāmeṇa sabhāyāṃ rāja-saṃsadi; Karṇa! punaḥ tava guruḥ Paraśurāmaḥ api tadā rāja-sabhāyāṃ Arjunasya Śrī-Kṛṣṇasya ca purātana-prabhāvaṃ varṇitavān.
“Karna, foi Arjuna, filho de Kuntī, quem naquele campo de batalha abateu e venceu os Gandharvas liderados por Chitrasena, e resgatou Duryodhana—com as mulheres—do cativeiro. E mais uma vez, Karna, na assembleia real teu mestre Rama (Paraśurāma) falou do antigo e consagrado poder e da glória de Pārtha (Arjuna) e de Keśava (Krishna).”
काक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores that true prowess is recognized even by rivals and authorities: Arjuna’s strength and Krishna’s enduring greatness are publicly affirmed, reminding Karna that fame grounded in demonstrated deeds and righteous protection (rescuing captives) carries moral weight in royal and martial ethics.
A speaker addresses Karna, recalling an earlier episode where Arjuna defeated Chitrasena and the Gandharvas and freed Duryodhana (with the women) from captivity. It adds that Parashurama, Karna’s own teacher, had also described in the royal court the ancient, renowned power of Arjuna and Krishna.