Mahabharata · 1.181.17–18
॥
Devanāgarī
आत्मप्रच्छादनार्थं वै बाहुवीर्यम् उपाश्रितः ॥
विप्ररूपं विधायेदं ततो मां प्रतियुध्यसे ॥
न हि माम् आहवे क्रुद्धम् अन्यः साक्षाच् छचीपतेः ॥
पुमान् योधयितुं शक्तः पाण्डवाद् वा किरीटिनः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ātmapracchādanārthaṃ vai bāhuvīryam upāśritaḥ ||
viprarūpaṃ vidhāyedaṃ tato māṃ pratiyudhyase ||
na hi mām āhave kruddham anyaḥ sākṣāc chacīpateḥ ||
pumān yodhayituṃ śaktaḥ pāṇḍavād vā kirīṭinaḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
आत्मप्रच्छादनार्थं वै बाहुवीर्यम् उपाश्रितःātmapracchādanārthaṃ vai bāhuvīryam upāśritaḥ"for the sake of concealing yourself, resorting [only] to the valor of your arms,
विप्ररूपं विधाय इदं ततः मां प्रतियुध्यसेviprarūpaṃ vidhāya idaṃ tataḥ māṃ pratiyudhyasehaving taken this form of a vipra, you fight with me;
न हि माम् आहवे क्रुद्धम् अन्यः साक्षात् शचीपतेःna hi mām āhave kruddham anyaḥ sākṣāt śacīpateḥfor in battle, enraged as I am, no other man
पुमान् योधयितुं शक्तः पाण्डवात् वा किरीटिनःpumān yodhayituṃ śaktaḥ pāṇḍavāt vā kirīṭinaḥbesides the very husband of Shachi [Indra] is able to fight me, or the crowned Pandava [Arjuna]";
विधायेदंvidhāyedaṃoriginal form "vidhāyedaṃ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
ततोtatooriginal form "tato", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
साक्षाच्sākṣācoriginal form "sākṣāc", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
छचीपतेःchacīpateḥoriginal form "chacīpateḥ", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
पाण्डवाद्pāṇḍavādoriginal form "pāṇḍavād", added to complete the word-by-word coverage
Translation
"For the sake of concealing yourself, resorting only to the valor of your arms, you have taken this form of a vipra and fight with me; for in battle, enraged as I am, no man but Indra himself, or the crowned Pandava, is able to withstand me."
Version
e9a63047bda1 · published Jul 12, 2026, 5:44:41 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Here Karna comes close to guessing the truth without knowing it. It is telling that he names Indra and Arjuna as the only ones equal to himself -- and is fighting Arjuna at that very moment, without recognizing him: the truth is on his lips, yet hidden from his understanding. Here is the irony of providence: the enemy speaks his opponent's name without knowing he speaks the truth. Thus the verse shows how near insight can come while remaining blind; and Karna, having named Arjuna, still does not recognize him beneath the guise of a brahmin.