Shloka 18
कर्णेन सैन्यस्थापनं तथा नानायुद्धसमवायः
Karna Reforms the Host and Multiple Duels Converge
अथवा दुष्कृतस्य त्वं हर्ता तेषामरक्षिता । रक्षिता पुण्यभाग् राजा प्रजानां त्वं हपुण्यभाक्,अथवा उनकी रक्षा न करनेके कारण तुम केवल उनके पापोंमें ही हिस्सा बँटाते हो। प्रजाकी रक्षा करनेवाला राजा ही उसके पुण्यका भागी होता है; तुम तो केवल पापके ही भागी हो
athavā duṣkṛtasya tvaṁ hartā teṣām arakṣitā | rakṣitā puṇyabhāg rājā prajānāṁ tvaṁ ha-puṇyabhāk ||
又或者，由于你未能护佑他们，你便成了取受他们罪业之人，也成了使他们失于守护之人。唯有护民之王，方能分得臣民之福德；而你因怠于守护，只会分担他们的罪过。
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches rājadharma: a ruler’s moral accountability is tied to protection. Protecting subjects makes the king a participant in their merit, while neglecting protection makes him liable for their wrongdoing and the resulting demerit.
Karna is admonishing a ruler/opponent in the context of wartime counsel and moral argument, stressing that kingship is justified by safeguarding the people; failure to protect turns authority into culpability.