Shloka 40
अस्त्रयुद्धे द्रौणिपार्थसंघर्षः — Karṇa’s Bhārgavāstra and the Search for Yudhiṣṭhira
Chapter 45
जो प्राचीन कालमें क्रमशः ब्रह्मा, रुद्र, इन्द्र और वरुणकी सवारीमें आ चुका था, उसी आदि रथपर बैठकर श्रीकृष्ण और अर्जुन शत्रुओंकी ओर बढ़े चले जा रहे थे ।। अथ तं रथमायान्तं दृष्ट्वात्यद्भुतदर्शनम् । उवाचाधिरथिं शल्य: पुनस्तं युद्धदुर्मदम्,अत्यन्त अद्भुत दिखायी देनेवाले उस रथको आते देख शल्यने रणदुर्मद सूतपुत्र कर्णसे पुन: इस प्रकार कहा--
yaḥ prācīna-kāle kramaśaḥ brahmā-rudra-indra-varuṇānāṁ vāhanatām āgato ’bhūt, tasminn ādi-rathe niṣadya śrī-kṛṣṇaḥ pārthaś ca śatrūn prati prasthitau || atha taṁ ratham āyāntaṁ dṛṣṭvāty-adbhuta-darśanam | uvāca sūtaputraṁ karṇaṁ śalyaḥ punas taṁ yuddha-durmadam ||
Sañjaya sprach: Jener uranfängliche Wagen—der in alter Zeit nacheinander Brahmā, Rudra, Indra und Varuṇa getragen hatte—trug nun Śrī Kṛṣṇa und Arjuna, als sie gegen den Feind vorrückten. Als Śalya diesen Wagen herankommen sah, wunderbar anzuschauen, redete er Karṇa, den Sohn des Wagenlenkers, der vom Kampfesrausch berauscht war, abermals an und sprach—
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how divine order and inherited sacred power (symbolized by the primeval chariot once used by great deities) stand behind Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, while also warning—through the epithet “battle-intoxicated”—that pride in war clouds judgment and invites ethical and strategic downfall.
Sañjaya describes Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna advancing toward the enemy on a wondrous, ancient chariot. As Śalya sees this extraordinary chariot approaching, he turns again to address Karṇa, setting up further dialogue meant to unsettle or admonish him amid the battle.