Shloka 11
Aśvatthāman’s Arrow-Screen and the Confrontation with Yudhiṣṭhira (द्रौणि–युधिष्ठिर-संग्रामः)
सर्वेषां वृष्णिवीराणां कृष्णे लक्ष्मी: प्रतिष्ठिता । सर्वेषां पाण्डुपुत्राणां जयः पार्थे प्रतेष्ठित:
sarveṣāṁ vṛṣṇivīrāṇāṁ kṛṣṇe lakṣmīḥ pratiṣṭhitā | sarveṣāṁ pāṇḍuputrāṇāṁ jayaḥ pārthe pratiṣṭhitaḥ ||
వృష్ణివీరులందరిలో లక్ష్మి—ఐశ్వర్యమూ మంగళమూ—కృష్ణునిలో స్థిరంగా నిలిచింది; పాండుపుత్రులందరిలో జయం పార్ధుని (అర్జునుని) లో స్థిరంగా నిలిచింది.
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a moral-psychological truth of the epic: enduring success is not merely a product of force but of alignment with auspiciousness and right guidance. Karna concedes that Lakṣmī (fortune and legitimacy) abides with Kṛṣṇa, and that the Pāṇḍavas’ victory is anchored in Arjuna—suggesting that where divine counsel and dharmic orientation are present, victory becomes stable.
In the midst of the Kurukṣetra war (Karna Parva), Karna speaks with a clear-eyed assessment of the opposing side’s strengths. He recognizes Kṛṣṇa as the locus of auspicious power for the Vṛṣṇis and identifies Arjuna as the decisive bearer of victory among the Pāṇḍavas, implicitly acknowledging the formidable combination of Kṛṣṇa’s guidance and Arjuna’s prowess.