तपो ऽभ्युदीर्णं तपसैव गम्यते; बलं बलेनापि तथा मनस्विभिः ॥
मनश् च मे शत्रुनिवारणे ध्रुवं; स्वरक्षणे चाचलवद् व्यवस्थितम् ॥
एवं चैषां बुध्यमानः प्रभावं; गत्वैवाहं ताञ् जयाम्य् अद्य सूत ॥
मित्रद्रोहो मर्षणीयो न मे ऽयं; भग्ने सैन्ये यः सहायः स मित्रम् ॥
tapo 'bhyudīrṇaṃ tapasaiva gamyate; balaṃ balenāpi tathā manasvibhiḥ ||
manaś ca me śatrunivāraṇe dhruvaṃ; svarakṣaṇe cācalavad vyavasthitam ||
evaṃ caiṣāṃ budhyamānaḥ prabhāvaṃ; gatvaivāhaṃ tāñ jayāmy adya sūta ||
mitradroho marṣaṇīyo na me 'yaṃ; bhagne sainye yaḥ sahāyaḥ sa mitram ||
'Asceticism [is overcome] only by asceticism, and strength by strength — so too, men of firm mind [are met by their equals]. And my resolve is set firmly toward repelling the enemy, and stands immovable, like a mountain, in guarding my own. Thus, being aware of their might, I shall now go forth myself and conquer them today, O charioteer. Betrayal of a friend is not tolerable to me; for he who remains a companion when the army is broken — he is [truly] a friend.'
b8867106dc44 · published Jul 19, 2026, 2:46:26 PM UTC
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Karna states the law of correspondence: fervor is met by fervor, strength by strength, firmness of spirit by firmness; thus valor does not fear the enemy's might but meets it with equal resolve. But higher than battle-courage stands something else here — loyalty: 'that friend who stays when the army is broken.' In this saying lies the noblest thing in Karna: he goes not for victory but for friendship, not abandoning Duryodhana in ruin. And yet his tragedy is that this loyalty is given to one unworthy and to an unjust cause. The verse teaches that loyalty which does not abandon a friend in trouble is a high virtue; but that even it needs discernment — for to stand to the end for untruth is to share in its downfall.