Shloka 226
धृतराष्ट्र–संजय संवादः: कर्ण–घटोत्कचयोर्निशायुद्धवर्णनम्
Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Sañjaya Dialogue: Description of the Night Engagement of Karṇa and Ghaṭotkaca
महान् सुतुमुल: शब्दो बभूव रथिनां तदा । इस प्रकार अर्जुनके द्वारा कर्णपुत्र वृषसेनके वधकी प्रतिज्ञा होनेपर उस समय वहाँ रथियोंका महान् एवं भयंकर कोलाहल छा गया
mahān sutumulaḥ śabdo babhūva rathināṃ tadā |
Sañjaya sprach: In jenem Augenblick erhob sich unter den Wagenkämpfern ein gewaltiges, wild aufwühlendes Getöse—ein Aufruhr, entfacht durch Arjunas Gelübde, Vṛṣasena, den Sohn Karṇas, zu erschlagen.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical weight of a warrior’s public vow: once proclaimed, it binds honor and duty, intensifies collective emotions, and drives the conflict forward—showing how speech (a pledge) can become a moral and strategic force in war.
After Arjuna makes a vow to kill Vṛṣasena (Karṇa’s son), the assembled chariot-fighters react with a massive, frightening uproar—signaling heightened tension and imminent clashes around that pledge.