Shloka 73
कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ४०
Karṇa’s Pressure on the Pāñcālas; Duryodhana Disabled; Arjuna’s Counter-Advance
द्रोणद्रौणिकृपैर्गुप्तो भीष्मेणान्यैश्व कौरवै: । विराटनगरे पार्थमेक॑ कि नावधीस्तदा
droṇa-drauṇi-kṛpaiḥ gupto bhīṣmeṇānyaiś ca kauravaiḥ | virāṭa-nagare pārtham ekaṁ kiṁ na avadhīs tadā ||
द्रोणद्रौणिकृपैर्गुप्तो भीष्मेणान्यैश्च कौरवैः। विराटनगरे पार्थमेकं किं नावधीस्तदा॥
काक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse functions as a moral and strategic reproach: it highlights the gap between claimed prowess and actual performance, implying that true valor in war is proven by decisive action when opportunity arises, not by later boasting.
Kāka challenges a Kaurava-side warrior by recalling the Virāṭa episode: despite being backed by major Kuru champions (Droṇa, Aśvatthāmā, Kṛpa, Bhīṣma, and others), they failed to slay Arjuna when he confronted them alone, and Kāka questions this failure.