Shloka 256
Adhyāya 35 — Bhīmasena’s Counter-Encirclement and the Karṇa Engagement Escalation
अत्यत:ः कड़्कपत्राणां सहस्राणि शतानि च | “शल्य! आज सैकड़ों और सहस्रों कंकपत्रयुक्त बाणोंकी वर्षा करते हुए मुझ कर्णके बाहुबलको अर्जुन देखें
atyataḥ kaṅkapatrāṇāṃ sahasrāṇi śatāni ca | “śalya! āja saikṛḍoṃ aura sahasroṃ kaṅkapatrayukta-bāṇoṃkī varṣā karate hue mujh karṇake bāhubalako arjuna dekhe”
قال سنجيا: «يا شَليَا، ليرَ أرجونا اليوم بأسَ ذراعِ كارنا، وهو يُمطر ساحة القتال سهاماً—مئاتٍ وآلافاً—كلُّ سهمٍ مُريَّشٌ بريشِ البلشون. فلتُشهَد هذه المهابة الحربية في ميدان المعركة».
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of demonstrating courage and skill in battle, while also showing how pride and rivalry drive warriors to seek public proof of their prowess—an ethical tension in war between duty and ego.
Sañjaya reports a battlefield utterance addressed to Śalya, urging that Arjuna should witness Karṇa’s arm-strength through a massive volley of heron-feathered arrows—an explicit challenge and display of force in the Karṇa–Arjuna confrontation.