Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 58 — Arjuna’s Arrow-Storm and Relief of Bhīmasena
ते वर्म हेमविकृतं भित्त्वा तस्य महात्मन: । शोणिताक्ता व्यराजन्त शक्रगोपा इवानघ
te varma hemavikṛtaṁ bhittvā tasya mahātmanaḥ | śoṇitāktā vyarājanta śakragopā ivānagha niṣpāpa nareśa |
قال سانجيا: أيها الملكُ الذي لا عيبَ فيه، لقد اخترقت تلك السهامُ الدرعَ الذهبيَّ المصوغَ بإتقان لذلك المحاربِ العظيمِ النفس؛ ولمّا تلطّخت بالدم أشرقت كحشرات الإندراجوبا.
संजय उवाच
The verse highlights the paradox of war: splendour and skill coexist with suffering. Even the ‘great-souled’ are not immune to injury; martial excellence and destiny can overcome the finest protections, reminding the listener of the cost inherent in kṣatriya warfare.
Sañjaya describes arrows that have pierced a noble warrior’s golden armour (contextually identified as Dhṛṣṭadyumna). Stained with blood, the arrows gleam red, compared to indragopa insects, emphasizing both the vividness and brutality of the battlefield.