Shloka 223
कर्णपर्व — पञ्चदशोऽध्यायः | Karṇa Parva, Chapter 15: Pāṇḍya’s Advance and Aśvatthāmā’s Counterstroke
ततः सर्वात्मना त्वद्य युद्धातिथ्यं प्रयच्छ मे । “वीर! यदि तुम मुझे यहाँ आया हुआ पूजनीय अतिथि मानो तो सब प्रकारसे आज युद्धके द्वारा मेरा आतिथ्य-सत्कार करो”
tataḥ sarvātmanā tvadya yuddhātithyaṃ prayaccha me |
Sabi ni Sañjaya: “Kaya nga, O bayani, ngayong araw ay igawad mo sa akin ang ‘pagpapatuloy ng digmaan’ nang buong pagkatao mo. Kung ituturing mo akong marangal na panauhing dumating dito, tanggapin mo ako sa lahat ng paraan—sa pamamagitan ng labanan.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse reframes battlefield encounter through the ethical idiom of ātithi-satkara (guest-honor): for a kṣatriya, the fitting ‘hospitality’ to a worthy challenger is wholehearted, fair, and courageous combat.
In Sañjaya’s narration, a warrior addresses another as a ‘hero’ and asks to be received as an honored guest—by granting a full engagement in battle that very day.