Shloka 47
कर्ण उवाच न नाग कर्णोडउद्य रणे परस्य बल॑ समास्थाय जयं बुभूषेत्
karṇa uvāca na nāga-karṇo 'dyaraṇe parasya balaṃ samāsthāya jayaṃ bubhūṣet
کرن نے کہا— “آج کی جنگ میں ناگکرن بھی دوسرے کے زور کا سہارا لے کر فتح کی خواہش نہ کرے گا۔ سپاہی کو چاہیے کہ وہ اپنی ہی بہادری سے جیت چاہے، کسی اور کی قوت پر تکیہ نہ کرے۔”
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
Karna asserts a warrior’s code: victory should be pursued through one’s own valor and rightful effort, not by depending on another’s strength. The ethical emphasis is on honor, personal responsibility, and the integrity of martial conduct.
In the midst of the Karna Parva battle, Karna speaks to frame the contest in terms of kshatriya honor. By invoking Nāgakarṇa as a benchmark, he argues that even renowned fighters would not seek victory by leaning on another’s power, thereby challenging any strategy that appears dependent or dishonorable.