Shloka 253
कर्णवधोत्तरं शल्य-दुर्योधनसंवादः
Aftermath of Karṇa’s Fall: Śalya’s Address to Duryodhana
स केशवेनोहा[मान: कथं त्वं कर्णाद् भीतो व्यपयातो$सि पार्थ । “कुन्तीनन्दन! तुम्हारा रथ साक्षात् विश्वकर्माका बनाया हुआ है, उसके धुरेसे कोई आवाज नहीं होती। उसपर वानरध्वजा फहराती रहती है, ऐसे शुभलक्षण रथपर आरूढ़ हो सुवर्णजटित खड़ग और चार हाथके श्रेष्ठ धनुष गाण्डीवको लेकर तथा भगवान् श्रीकृष्णजैसे सारथिके द्वारा संचालित होकर भी तुम कर्णसे भयभीत होकर कैसे भाग आये?
sa keśavenohamānaḥ kathaṁ tvaṁ karṇād bhīto vyapayāto'si pārtha | kuntīnandana! tavāyaṁ rathaḥ sākṣād viśvakarmaṇā kṛtaḥ, tasya dhure na kaścid nādaḥ śrūyate | tasmin vānara-dhvajā phalati | evaṁ śubha-lakṣaṇe rathe samārūḍhaḥ suvarṇa-jaṭitaṁ khaḍgaṁ catur-hastaṁ śreṣṭhaṁ dhanuḥ gāṇḍīvaṁ gṛhītvā bhagavatā śrīkṛṣṇa-sārathinā sañcālyamāno'pi tvaṁ karṇāt kathaṁ bhīto dhāvasi?
三阇耶说道：“噢，帕尔塔啊，你既有凯沙瓦护持引导，怎会因惧怕迦尔纳而退却？噢，昆蒂之子！人们说你的战车乃毗湿瓦羯磨亲手所造，车轴无声；其上猴旗长飘。乘此吉祥战车，佩金嵌宝剑，执四肘长的上乘神弓甘狄瓦，又由主克里希纳亲为御者驱驰——你怎还能畏惧迦尔纳而撤退？”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension between external advantages (divine chariot, famed weapons, Krishna’s guidance) and inner steadiness. It implies that a warrior’s dharma requires courage and composure; fear is not removed merely by possessing power, but by aligning one’s mind with duty and right resolve.
Sanjaya reports a pointed question addressed to Arjuna: despite having an extraordinary, auspicious chariot and being driven by Krishna, how could Arjuna retreat in fear from Karna? The line underscores Karna’s formidable presence and frames Arjuna’s withdrawal as surprising given his divine support.