Shloka 3
कर्णस्य दानप्रतिज्ञा–शल्योपदेश–वाक्ययुद्धम्
Karna’s Gift-Vows, Shalya’s Counsel, and the Battle of Words
सतुतंप्रतिविव्याध नवभिर्निशितै: शरै: । सारथिं चास्य भल््लेन भृशं क्रुद्धोभ्यताडयत्
sa tu taṁ prativivyādha navabhir niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ | sārathiṁ cāsya bhallena bhṛśaṁ kruddho 'bhyatāḍayat ||
Sañjaya sprach: Von Zorn entbrannt, vergalt er es, indem er ihn mit neun scharf geschliffenen Pfeilen durchbohrte, und in seiner Wut traf er auch den Wagenlenker hart mit einer bhalla. Die Begebenheit zeigt, wie im Hitze des Kampfes krodha (Zorn) zu schneller Vergeltung treibt und selbst auf jene übergreifen kann, die nur dienen — und so die moralische Gefahr des Zorns unter den Forderungen des Krieges offenbart.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical danger of krodha (anger): retaliation in war can become excessive and indiscriminate, extending even to non-combatant aides like a charioteer. It cautions that loss of self-control distorts judgment, even within the accepted framework of kṣatriya warfare.
In the ongoing battle, Duryodhana—angered—repays an attack by shooting Yudhiṣṭhira with nine sharp arrows and then, in heightened fury, also strikes Yudhiṣṭhira’s charioteer with a bhalla.