Shloka 16
भीष्म-पर्व अध्याय १०० — त्रिगर्त-आक्रमण, भीष्म-केन्द्रित पुनर्संयोजन, तथा शक्त्यस्त्र-विनिमय
एवमुक्त्वा ततो राजन् कर्णमाह जनेश्वर: । अनुमान्य रणे भीष्ममेषो<हं द्विपदां वरम्
evam uktvā tato rājan karṇam āha janeśvaraḥ | anumānya raṇe bhīṣmam eṣo 'haṃ dvipadāṃ varam ||
O Hari, matapos sabihin iyon, si Duryodhana—panginoon ng mga tao—ay nagsalita kay Karna: “O manlulupig ng mga kaaway, hihikayatin ko muna si Bhishma, ang pinakadakila sa mga tao, na umurong mula sa labanan, at saka ako babalik agad sa iyo. Kapag lumihis na si Bhishma, saka mo hampasin ang mga kaaway sa larangan ng digmaan.”
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how political ambition and battlefield strategy can override reverence for elders: Duryodhana seeks Bhīṣma’s withdrawal to enable a more aggressive prosecution of war through Karṇa, raising ethical tension between respect (for Bhīṣma) and expedient victory.
Duryodhana tells Karṇa that he will go and persuade Bhīṣma—celebrated as the foremost of men—to step aside from the fighting; once Bhīṣma is removed from active command, Karṇa is to attack the enemies decisively on the battlefield.