तथा दिव्यास्त्रवित् कर्णः संपृष्टः कुरुसंसदि ॥
पञ्चभिर् दिवसैर् हन्तुं स सैन्यं प्रतिजज्ञिवान् ॥
तस्माद् अहम् अपीच्छामि श्रोतुम् अर्जुन ते वचः ॥
कालेन कियता शत्रून् क्षपयेर् इति संयुगे ॥
एवम् उक्तो गुडाकेशः पार्थिवेन धनंजयः ॥
वासुदेवम् अवेक्ष्येदं वचनं प्रत्यभाषत ॥
सर्व एते महात्मानः कृतास्त्राश् चित्रयोधिनः ॥
असंशयं महाराज हन्युर् एव बलं तव ॥
अपैतु ते मनस्तापो यथासत्यं ब्रवीम्य् अहम् ॥
हन्याम् एकरथेनाहं वासुदेवसहायवान् ॥
tathā divyāstravit karṇaḥ saṃpṛṣṭaḥ kurusaṃsadi ||
pañcabhir divasair hantuṃ sa sainyaṃ pratijajñivān ||
tasmād aham apīcchāmi śrotum arjuna te vacaḥ ||
kālena kiyatā śatrūn kṣapayer iti saṃyuge ||
evam ukto guḍākeśaḥ pārthivena dhanaṃjayaḥ ||
vāsudevam avekṣyedaṃ vacanaṃ pratyabhāṣata ||
sarva ete mahātmānaḥ kṛtāstrāś citrayodhinaḥ ||
asaṃśayaṃ mahārāja hanyur eva balaṃ tava ||
apaitu te manastāpo yathāsatyaṃ bravīmy aham ||
hanyām ekarathenāhaṃ vāsudevasahāyavān ||
"And Karna, the knower of divine weapons, when asked in the assembly of the Kurus, promised to destroy this army in five days. Therefore I too wish to hear your word, O Arjuna: in what time would you destroy the enemy in battle?" Thus addressed by the king, Gudakesha Dhananjaya looked at Vasudeva and answered with these words: "All these great souls are armed and skilled in varied combat. Without doubt, O great king, they could indeed destroy your army. Let your anguish of mind depart: I speak the truth. I alone, on a single chariot, with Vasudeva as my helper, would destroy them."
7ce3dc3bbd95 · published Jul 17, 2026, 6:41:26 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
This chapter reveals a different kind of confidence: not Karna's boasting, but Arjuna's quiet knowledge of his own strength and of the limits within which it should be used. He acknowledges the might of Bhishma, Drona, Kripa, Ashvatthaman, and Karna, yet points to the Pashupata weapon received from Shiva as a power that surpasses ordinary warfare. Even so, Arjuna has no intention of turning divine weapons against common soldiers: victory must be won by honest battle. Here the dharma of the warrior comes into view -- one who wields destructive power yet does not let it override his conscience.