Shloka 21
द्रौणि-पार्षतयोर्युद्धम् | The Duel of Aśvatthāmā
Drauṇi) and Dhṛṣṭadyumna (Pārṣata
प्रगृह्ा च महाशक्ति कालशक्तिमिवापराम् | समुत्क्षिप्प च राधेय: संधाय च महाबल:
pragṛhya ca mahāśaktiṃ kālaśaktim ivāparām | samutkṣipya ca rādhēyaḥ saṃdhāya ca mahābalaḥ ||
قال سانجيا: إنَّ كارنا، عظيمَ البأس، قبض على رمحٍ عظيمٍ من «الشَّكتي»—كأنّه قدرةُ الزمانِ نفسِه التي لا تُقاوَم. رفعه عاليًا، وثبّتَ نظرَه إلى الهدف، مُتهيِّئًا لقذفه، إذ كانت المعركةُ تُدفَع نحو لحظةٍ فاصلةٍ مثقلةٍ بالقَدَر.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames martial action under the shadow of Kāla (Time/Death): even heroic strength and weapon-skill operate within an inexorable moral and existential horizon. It highlights how war compresses choice into moments where intent, consequence, and fate converge.
Sañjaya describes Karṇa taking up a powerful spear, lifting it, and carefully aiming—signaling an imminent, high-stakes throw that could decide the immediate encounter.