Mahabharata · 7.148.29–30
॥
Devanāgarī
नैतद् अस्योत्सहे सोढुं चरितं रणमूर्धनि ॥
प्रत्यक्षं वृष्णिशार्दूल पादस्पर्शम् इवोरगः ॥
स भवान् अत्र यात्वाशु यत्र कर्णो महारथः ॥
अहम् एनं वधिष्यामि मां वैष मधुसूदन ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
naitad asyotsahe soḍhuṃ caritaṃ raṇamūrdhani ||
pratyakṣaṃ vṛṣṇiśārdūla pādasparśam ivoragaḥ ||
sa bhavān atra yātvāśu yatra karṇo mahārathaḥ ||
aham enaṃ vadhiṣyāmi māṃ vaiṣa madhusūdana ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
न एतत् अस्य उत्सहे सोढुम्na etat asya utsahe soḍhumI cannot bear this his; I cannot bear this conduct of his
चरितम् रणमूर्धनिcaritam raṇamūrdhaniconduct at the forefront of battle; conduct at the forefront of battle
प्रत्यक्षम् वृष्णिशार्दूलpratyakṣam vṛṣṇiśārdūlabefore my very eyes, o tiger of the Vrishnis; before my very eyes, o tiger among the Vrishnis
पादस्पर्शम् इव उरगःpādasparśam iva uragaḥas a serpent [cannot bear] the touch of a foot; as a serpent cannot bear the touch of a foot
सः भवान् अत्र यातु आशुsaḥ bhavān atra yātu āśugo there quickly, my lord; go there quickly, my lord
यत्र कर्णः महारथःyatra karṇaḥ mahārathaḥwhere Karna, the great chariot-warrior, is; where Karna, the great warrior, is
अहम् एनम् वधिष्यामिaham enam vadhiṣyāmiI will slay him; I will slay him
माम् वा एषः मधुसूदनmām vā eṣaḥ madhusūdanaor he me, o Madhusudana; or he me, o Madhusudana
Translation
"I cannot bear this conduct of his at the forefront of battle, before my very eyes, o tiger among the Vrishnis — as a serpent cannot bear the touch of a foot. Go there quickly, my lord, to where Karna, the great warrior, is: I will slay him — or he me, o Madhusudana."
Version
fef852b73295 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:49:34 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Arjuna compares his intolerance of Karna to a serpent's fury at a foot that tramples it: wounded dignity demands an immediate answer. It is telling that he is ready for an all-or-nothing outcome — to kill or be killed. The verse teaches that there are insults the valiant cannot endure; yet in this very resolve lies rashness — Krishna will restrain him at once, for wisdom discerns when courage is timely and when it is ruinous.