Shloka 48
Śalya’s Objection to Sārathya and Duryodhana’s Conciliation (शल्यमन्यु-प्रशमनम् / Sārathyāṅgīkāra)
तमब्रवीत्तत: कर्णो व्यर्थ व्याहृतवानसि । वदेदानीं पुनर्हष्टो वध्यमान: पुन: पुन:
tam abravīt tataḥ karṇo vyarthaṁ vyāhṛtavān asi | vadedānīṁ punar hṛṣṭo vadhyamānaḥ punaḥ punaḥ ||
三阇耶说道：于是迦尔那对纳俱罗说：“你先前的夸口尽是虚言，徒然自矜。如今你一再被我的箭矢击倒，还能否再以同样的狂喜与自信，把那些话重说一遍？从今日起，莫再与强盛的俱卢勇士交战。孩子啊，只与与自己相当者对阵。摩德丽之子，不必羞惭；若你愿意，便回家去，或逃到奎师那与法尔古那（阿周那）所在之处。”说罢，迦尔那竟饶过纳俱罗，放他离去。
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage contrasts empty boasting with the reality of martial competence, and shows a complex warrior ethic: Karṇa humiliates Nakula verbally yet refrains from killing him, implying a code where victory may be asserted without necessarily taking life, and where one is urged to measure oneself against equals.
During the battle, Karṇa overpowers Nakula with repeated arrow-strikes, rebukes him for earlier bravado, advises him to avoid stronger Kaurava champions and to seek safety near Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, and then releases him instead of finishing him.