Shloka 32
अर्जुनस्य द्रोणिप्रतिघातः कर्णोपसर्पणं च
Arjuna Checks Droṇaputra; Karṇa Advances
अथान्यं परिजग्राह सुपर्वाणं सुतेजनम् । सुषेणायासृजद् भीमस्तमप्यस्याच्छिनद् वृष:,तब भीमसेनने सुन्दर गाँठ और तेज धारवाले दूसरे बाणको हाथमें लिया और उसे सुषेणपर चला दिया; किंतु कर्णने उसको भी काट डाला
athānyaṃ parijagrāha suparvāṇaṃ sutejanam | suṣeṇāyāsṛjad bhīmas tam apy asyācchinad vṛṣaḥ ||
Sañjaya sprach: Da ergriff Bhīma einen weiteren Pfeil, wohlgefügt und scharf geschliffen, und schoss ihn auf Suṣeṇa. Doch Vṛṣa (Karṇa), unbeirrbar im Kampf, hieb auch diesen Pfeil entzwei.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
In the battlefield ethic of the Mahābhārata, valor must be joined to trained skill and steadiness. The verse highlights how determined effort (Bhīma’s repeated shots) meets disciplined mastery (Karna’s precise counter), illustrating that righteous intent in action still requires competence and self-control to be effective.
Bhīma takes up a second, well-made, sharp arrow and shoots it at Suṣeṇa. Karna (called Vṛṣa) intercepts and cuts that arrow as well, preventing it from reaching its target.