Shloka 20
देवसत्रे मृत्युनिरोधः, पूर्वेन्द्राणां मानुषावतरणम्, द्रौपदी-वरकथनम्
Suspension of Death at the Devasatra; Former Indras’ Human Descent; Draupadī’s Boon Etiology
तमेवं वादिनं तत्र फाल्गुन: प्रत्यभाषत । नास्मि कर्ण थनुर्वेदो नास्मि राम: प्रतापवान्,कर्णके ऐसा कहनेपर अर्जुनने उसे इस प्रकार उत्तर दिया--'कर्ण! न तो मैं धनुर्वेद हूँ और न प्रतापी परशुराम”
tam evaṁ vādinaṁ tatra phālgunaḥ pratyabhāṣata | nāsmi karṇa dhanurvedo nāsmi rāmaḥ pratāpavān |
جب کرن نے اس طرح کہا تو وہاں پھالگن (ارجن) نے اسے جواب دیا— “کَرن! نہ میں خود علمِ تیراندازی (دھنُروید) ہوں اور نہ ہی میں پرتاب والا رام (پرشورام) ہوں۔”
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights restraint and humility in self-presentation: true worth is not established by claiming identity with exalted ideals (like Dhanurveda personified or Paraśurāma), but by measured speech and demonstrable conduct.
In a tense exchange, Karṇa has spoken assertively; Arjuna (Phālguna) responds directly, denying any grandiose self-comparison and positioning himself as a human warrior rather than an embodiment of the entire martial science or a legendary hero.