Shloka 48
फाल्गुन! मेरे हृदयमें जिस कर्णकी शठतारूपी वायुसे प्रेरित हो अमर्षकी आग सदा प्रज्वलित रहती है “उस कर्णको आज युद्धमें पाकर मैंने मार डाला” ऐसा कहते हुए क्या तुम आज मेरी उस अताको बुझा दोगे? ।। ब्रवीहि मे दुर्लभमेतदद्य कथं त्वया निहतः सूतपुत्र: । अनुध्याये त्वां सततं प्रवीर वृत्रे हतेडसौ भगवानिवेन्द्र:
bravīhi me durlabham etad adya kathaṁ tvayā nihataḥ sūtaputraḥ | anudhyāye tvāṁ satataṁ pravīra vṛtre hate ’sau bhagavān ivendraḥ ||
坚战说道：“法尔古那啊！在我心中，因迦尔纳的诡诈之风不断煽动，怨怒之火常燃不息。若你今日在战场上与迦尔纳相遇，真能说出‘我已将他杀死’，你是否终于能熄灭我胸中积压已久的怒焰？告诉我——此事在今日几乎难以置信——你究竟如何杀死那车夫之子？最卓越的英雄啊，我时时思念你，正如人们在因陀罗诛灭弗栗陀罗之后，常念那蒙福的因陀罗一般。”
युधिषछ्िर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral psychology of war: righteous victory is not merely strategic but also ethical and emotional. Yudhiṣṭhira seeks assurance that a major source of injustice and deceit (as he perceives Karna) has been removed, so that his inner fire of resentment can finally be calmed; it also shows how heroic deeds are framed through dharmic exemplars (Arjuna compared to Indra).
After the climactic battle in which Karna has fallen, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses Arjuna (Phalguna) and asks him to explain how Karna was slain. He expresses that his long-held anger—kept burning by memories of Karna’s perceived treachery—will be extinguished if Arjuna can truly declare that Karna has been killed, praising Arjuna by comparing him to Indra after slaying Vṛtra.