Shloka 1
भीकम (2 अमान पञठ्चमो<ध्याय: कर्णके बल और पराक्रमका वर्णन, उसके द्वारा जरासंधकी पराजय और जरासंधका कर्णको अंगदेशमें मालिनी नगरीका राज्य प्रदान करना नारद उवाच आविष्कृतबलं कर्ण श्रुत्वा राजा स मागध: । आह्वयद् द्वैरथेनाजी जरासंधो महीपति:,नारदजी कहते हैं--राजन्! कर्णके बलकी ख्याति सुनकर मगधदेशके राजा जरासंधने द्वैरथ युद्धके लिये उसे ललकारा
nārada uvāca | āviṣkṛtabalaṃ karṇaṃ śrutvā rājā sa māgadhaḥ | āhvayad dvairathenājau jarāsandho mahīpatiḥ ||
Wika ni Narada: “O Hari, nang mabalitaan ni Jarasandha—ang pinuno ng Magadha—ang bagong nahayag na lakas ni Karna, hinamon niya ito sa digmaan at ipinatawag upang magtunggali sa isang tunggalian ng mga karwaheng pandigma, bilang pagsubok ng dangal.”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
Public reputation (kīrti) and demonstrated power compel rulers to respond within kṣatriya norms: challenges are issued to test merit and establish hierarchy. The ethical tension lies in how honor-driven contests can escalate conflict, even when prompted merely by hearing of another’s prowess.
Narada reports that Jarasandha, king of Magadha, hears of Karna’s manifest strength and therefore summons him to a chariot duel (dvairatha) on the battlefield, initiating a direct test of martial superiority.