वरूथिना महता सध्वजेन; सुवर्णमुक्तामणिवज्रशालिना ॥
सदश्वयुक्तेन रथेन कर्णो; मेघस्वनेनार्क इवामितौजाः ॥
हुताशनाभः स हुताशनप्रभे; शुभः शुभे वै स्वरथे धनुर्धरः ॥
स्थितो रराजाधिरथिर् महारथः; स्वयं विमाने सुरराड् इव स्थितः ॥
varūthinā mahatā sadhvajena; suvarṇamuktāmaṇivajraśālinā ||
sadaśvayuktena rathena karṇo; meghasvanenārka ivāmitaujāḥ ||
hutāśanābhaḥ sa hutāśanaprabhe; śubhaḥ śubhe vai svarathe dhanurdharaḥ ||
sthito rarājādhirathir mahārathaḥ; svayaṃ vimāne surarāḍ iva sthitaḥ ||
On a great chariot with an armored body and a banner, gleaming with gold, pearls, gems, and diamonds, yoked with good horses, with a thunder-like roar, Karna [shone] like the sun, immeasurably mighty. Radiant as fire, beautiful, standing on his own beautiful, [as if] fiery chariot, the archer, the son of Adhiratha, the great chariot-warrior, shone like the very king of the gods [Indra] seated on his celestial chariot.
178c0ab5405e · published Jul 19, 2026, 2:46:26 PM UTC
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Karna is shown in the splendor of the sun, of fire, and of Indra himself — an image of valor at the very peak of its earthly glory. But this radiance, placed at the start of his journey, is filled with hidden sorrow: for a star blazes brightest just before it sets. The comparison with Indra on his celestial chariot is majestic — and yet it is only a comparison: Karna is like the king of the gods, but he is not him; his brilliance is borrowed and passing, like all earthly glory. The verse teaches that even the greatest radiance of a mortal is but a reflection, not a light self-existing; and that the narrative, crowning the hero with the halo of the sun on the threshold of battle, prepares us to see how swiftly all greatness fades when it is not rooted in the Everlasting.