ह्रियमाणे तदा कर्ण गन्धर्वैर् धृतराष्ट्रजे ॥
तदायुध्यन्त सैन्यानि त्वम् एकस् तु पलायथाः ॥
विराटनगरे चापि समेताः सर्वकौरवाः ॥
पार्थेन निर्जिता युद्धे त्वं च कर्ण सहानुजः ॥
एकस्याप्य् असमर्थस् त्वं फल्गुनस्य रणाजिरे ॥
कथम् उत्सहसे जेतुं सकृष्णान् सर्वपाण्डवान् ॥
अब्रुवन् कर्ण युध्यस्व बहु कत्थसि सूतज ॥
अनुक्त्वा विक्रमेद् यस् तु तद् वै सत्पुरुषव्रतम् ॥
hriyamāṇe tadā karṇa gandharvair dhṛtarāṣṭraje ||
tadāyudhyanta sainyāni tvam ekas tu palāyathāḥ ||
virāṭanagare cāpi sametāḥ sarvakauravāḥ ||
pārthena nirjitā yuddhe tvaṃ ca karṇa sahānujaḥ ||
ekasyāpy asamarthas tvaṃ phalgunasya raṇājire ||
katham utsahase jetuṃ sakṛṣṇān sarvapāṇḍavān ||
abruvan karṇa yudhyasva bahu katthasi sūtaja ||
anuktvā vikramed yas tu tad vai satpuruṣavratam ||
"When the son of Dhritarashtra [Duryodhana] was being carried off by the Gandharvas, Karna, then the armies fought, but you alone fled. And in the city of Virata all the Kauravas, gathered together, were defeated in battle by Partha — you too, Karna, with your brother. You are not a match even for Phalguna alone on the field of battle — how do you dare to conquer all the Pandavas together with Krishna? Without talking, Karna, fight; you boast much, son of the charioteer; but whoever displays valor without having spoken beforehand — that indeed is the vow of a worthy man."
2f5d7346bc73 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:40:45 PM UTC
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Kripa recalls Karna's disgraces — flight from the Gandharvas, defeat at Virata: memory exposes the boast. Telling is the rule stated: to show valor without proclaiming it beforehand is the vow of the worthy. The verse teaches that a true man speaks through deeds, not promises; and valor announced before its accomplishment is more often shamed, while silent action crowns honor.