Adhyāya 40 (Book 7, Droṇa-parva): Abhimanyu’s Rapid Advance and Battlefield Disruption
ततो मुहूर्तात् कर्णस्य बाणेनैकेन वीर्यवान्
tato muhūrtāt karṇasya bāṇenaikena vīryavān
قال سانجيا: ثم في لحظةٍ وجيزة سقط ذلك البطلُ صريعًا بسهمٍ واحدٍ من سهامِ كَرْنَة—صورةٌ تُبيّن كيف أنّ في اقتصادِ الحربِ الوحشي قد ينقلب البأسُ والقدرُ في آنٍ، وأنّ مقذوفًا واحدًا قد يحسم ما عجزت عنه الجيوش.
संजय उवाच
The line underscores the fragility of embodied life in war: even the mighty can fall in a moment. Ethically, it highlights the grave weight of martial action—skill and valor operate within a field where consequences are immediate and irreversible.
Sañjaya reports that, after a short interval, a valiant warrior is brought down by Karṇa with a single arrow, emphasizing Karṇa’s lethal effectiveness and the swift reversals typical of the Kurukṣetra battle.