Shloka 693
अध्याय ९ — कर्णस्य प्रहारः, योधयुग्मनियोजनम्, शैनेय-कैकेययोर्युद्धविन्यासः
न वध: पुरुषेन्द्रस्यथ संयुगेष्वपलायिन: । जब अधिरथपुत्र कर्ण अपने धनुषकी प्रत्यंचाका स्पर्श कर रहा हो अथवा दस्ताने पहन चुका हो, उस समय कोई पुरुष उसके सामने नहीं ठहर सकता था। सम्भव है यह पृथ्वी चन्द्रमा और सूर्यकी प्रकाशमयी किरणोंसे वंचित हो जाय, परंतु युद्धमें पीठ न दिखानेवाले पुरुषशिरोमणि कर्णके वधकी कदापि सम्भावना नहीं थी
vaiśampāyana uvāca | na vadhaḥ puruṣendrasya tha saṃyugeṣv apalāyinaḥ | yadādhirathaputraḥ karṇaḥ svadhanurjyā-sparśaṃ karoti vā hastatrāṇaṃ paridhatte vā, tadā tasya purataḥ kaścid api pumān na tiṣṭhati | sambhavatiyaṃ pṛthivī candrasūryayoḥ prabhāmayībhir raśmibhir vihīnā syāt, kintu raṇe pṛṣṭhaṃ na darśayataḥ puruṣaśiromaṇeḥ karṇasya vadhasya kadācid api na sambhāvanā |
Vaiśampāyana disse: Não havia possibilidade de matar aquele senhor entre os homens, que jamais recuava em combate. Quando Karṇa, filho de Adhiratha, sequer tocava a corda de seu arco, ou já havia calçado suas luvas protetoras, nenhum homem podia manter-se diante dele. A terra talvez pudesse ser privada dos raios luminosos da lua e do sol; mas a morte de Karṇa—joia suprema dos guerreiros que nunca mostravam as costas na guerra—era tida por impossível.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage extols the kṣatriya ideal of steadfast courage: a warrior’s excellence is measured by refusal to flee and by unwavering presence in battle. It frames Karṇa’s valor as so absolute that his defeat seems as unlikely as the world losing the sun and moon’s rays—highlighting how reputation, resolve, and martial readiness (even touching the bowstring) become ethical symbols of duty in war.
Vaiśampāyana delivers a eulogistic description of Karṇa’s battlefield dominance. He says that when Karṇa prepares for combat—touching his bowstring or putting on protective hand-gear—no opponent can stand before him, and thus his death in battle appears virtually impossible.