यदि हि स्यात् सकवचस् तथैव च सकुण्डलः ॥
सामरान् अपि लोकांस् त्रीन् एकः कर्णो जयेद् बली ॥
वासवो वा कुबेरो वा वरुणो वा जलेश्वरः ॥
यमो वा नोत्सहेत् कर्णं रणे प्रतिसमासितुम् ॥
गाण्डीवम् आयम्य भवांश् चक्रं वाहं सुदर्शनम् ॥
न शक्तौ स्वो रणे जेतुं तथायुक्तं नरर्षभम् ॥
त्वद्धितार्थं तु शक्रेण मायया हृतकुण्डलः ॥
विहीनकवचश् चायं कृतः परपुरंजयः ॥
yadi hi syāt sakavacas tathaiva ca sakuṇḍalaḥ ||
sāmarān api lokāṃs trīn ekaḥ karṇo jayed balī ||
vāsavo vā kubero vā varuṇo vā jaleśvaraḥ ||
yamo vā notsahet karṇaṃ raṇe pratisamāsitum ||
gāṇḍīvam āyamya bhavāṃś cakraṃ vāhaṃ sudarśanam ||
na śaktau svo raṇe jetuṃ tathāyuktaṃ nararṣabham ||
tvaddhitārthaṃ tu śakreṇa māyayā hṛtakuṇḍalaḥ ||
vihīnakavacaś cāyaṃ kṛtaḥ parapuraṃjayaḥ ||
"Were he indeed in armor and likewise with earrings, one mighty Karna alone would conquer even the three worlds together with the gods. Neither Vasava [Indra], nor Kubera, nor Varuna, lord of waters, nor Yama would dare to stand against Karna in battle. Having drawn the Gandiva, you, [and I] with the weapon, the discus Sudarshana -- the two of us could not conquer in battle this bull among men, so equipped. But for your own benefit, by Shakra [Indra], through magic he is deprived of earrings, and deprived of armor -- this conqueror of enemy cities has been made."
0ab7784e6675 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:58:11 PM UTC
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Krishna admits it plainly: armed with armor and earrings, Karna could not be overcome even by the two of them together, nor even by the guardians of the world. It is significant that this unreserved exaltation of the enemy comes from the Lord's own mouth. The verse teaches that truth does not diminish an adversary for the sake of comfort: an honest acknowledgment of Karna's might only sets off how subtly and mercifully his disarming was arranged; the greatness of a victory is measured by the greatness of the one who had to be overcome.