Mahabharata · 1.181.12–13
॥
Devanāgarī
कृते प्रतिकृतं पश्य पश्य बाहुबलं च मे ॥
इति शूरार्थवचनैर् आभाषेतां परस्परम् ॥
ततो ऽर्जुनस्य भुजयोर् वीर्यम् अप्रतिमं भुवि ॥
ज्ञात्वा वैकर्तनः कर्णः संरब्धः समयोधयत् ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kṛte pratikṛtaṃ paśya paśya bāhubalaṃ ca me ||
iti śūrārthavacanair ābhāṣetāṃ parasparam ||
tato 'rjunasya bhujayor vīryam apratimaṃ bhuvi ||
jñātvā vaikartanaḥ karṇaḥ saṃrabdhaḥ samayodhayat ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
कृते प्रतिकृतं पश्य पश्य बाहुबलं च मेkṛte pratikṛtaṃ paśya paśya bāhubalaṃ ca me"for a blow, see the counter-blow; see too the strength of my arms!" --
इति शूरार्थवचनैः आभाषेतां परस्परम्iti śūrārthavacanaiḥ ābhāṣetāṃ parasparamwith such heroic words they called out to one another;
ततः अर्जुनस्य भुजयोः वीर्यम् अप्रतिमं भुविtataḥ arjunasya bhujayoḥ vīryam apratimaṃ bhuvithen, having recognized the incomparable, on earth,
ज्ञात्वा वैकर्तनः कर्णः संरब्धः समयोधयत्jñātvā vaikartanaḥ karṇaḥ saṃrabdhaḥ samayodhayatvalor of Arjuna's arms, Vaikartana Karna, enraged, [went on] fighting;
शूरार्थवचनैर्śūrārthavacanairoriginal form "śūrārthavacanair", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ततोtatooriginal form "tato", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ऽर्जुनस्य'rjunasyaoriginal form "'rjunasya", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
भुजयोर्bhujayororiginal form "bhujayor", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
"'For a blow, see the counter-blow; see too the strength of my arms!' -- with such heroic words they called out to one another; and then, having recognized the incomparable valor of Arjuna's arms on earth, Karna, enraged, went on fighting."
Version
733035b7b32f · published Jul 12, 2026, 5:44:41 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here between opponents there flickers a respect for valor. It is telling that they exchange not abuse but a challenge of prowess: "see the strength of my arms" -- heroes honor strength even in each other. Here it is shown that the noble preserve their dignity even in battle: enmity does not cancel recognition of an enemy's valor. Thus the verse displays the chivalry of the duel; and Karna, acknowledging his rival's strength, does not flee but fights on with honor.