Карна
कर्ण उवाच
आचार्यं मा विगर्हस्व शक्त्या युध्यत्य् असौ द्विजः ॥
अजय्यान् पाण्डवान् मन्ये द्रोणेनास्त्रविदा मृधे ॥
तथा ह्य् एनम् अतिक्रम्य प्रविष्टः श्वेतवाहनः ॥
दैवदृष्टो ऽन्यथाभावो न मन्ये विद्यते क्व चित् ॥
ततो नो युध्यमानानां परं शक्त्या सुयोधन ॥
सैन्धवो निहतो राजन् दैवम् अत्र परं स्मृतम् ॥
karṇa uvāca
ācāryaṃ mā vigarhasva śaktyā yudhyaty asau dvijaḥ ||
ajayyān pāṇḍavān manye droṇenāstravidā mṛdhe ||
tathā hy enam atikramya praviṣṭaḥ śvetavāhanaḥ ||
daivadṛṣṭo 'nyathābhāvo na manye vidyate kva cit ||
tato no yudhyamānānāṃ paraṃ śaktyā suyodhana ||
saindhavo nihato rājan daivam atra paraṃ smṛtam ||
[Karna:] 'Do not revile the teacher — that brahmin fights to the measure of his strength; invincible I consider the Pandavas, [even] by Drona, master of weapons, in battle. For thus, having passed him by, the white-horsed one [Arjuna] entered; another [outcome], foreseen by fate, I do not think exists anywhere. Then, with us fighting with our last strength, Suyodhana, Saindhava was slain, O king — fate here is acknowledged as supreme.'
8d1c653de2d5 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:31:38 PM UTC
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Karna defends the teacher: 'do not revile the teacher — he fights to the measure of his strength.' It is telling that he traces the outcome to fate (daiva) rather than to betrayal: the noble man seeks the cause in destiny, not in slander against the faithful. The verse teaches that it is nobler to ascribe defeat to fate than to slander a comrade; and one who, having suffered defeat, does not blame his companions but acknowledges the limit of human strength, preserves both friendship and dignity.