Shloka 69
पदं पदसहस्रेण यश्चरन् नापराध्नुयात् । तेन कर्णेन ते तात कथमासीत् समागम:
padam padasahasreṇa yaś caran nāparādhnuyāt | tena karṇena te tāta katham āsīt samāgamaḥ ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: “Anak ko, paano naganap ang iyong sagupaan kay Karṇa—siya na habang sumusulong ay nakapagpapakawala ng mga palaso upang tamaan ang sanlibong puntirya nang sabay-sabay at hindi kailanman pumapalya? At paano naman nangyari ang iyong paglalaban kay Bhīṣma, na walang kapantay sa buong daigdig ng mga tao?”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the extraordinary standards of kṣatriya excellence—unerring skill, courage, and reputation—while framing war as a serious moral and narrative inquiry: confronting such peerless warriors is not casual bravado but a moment demanding explanation and accountability.
Vaiśampāyana, narrating the epic, asks (addressing a ‘dear child’) how the listener’s battle/encounter unfolded against two formidable figures—Karṇa, famed for flawless archery, and Bhīṣma, described as without equal among men—thereby setting up a detailed account of the confrontation.