Shloka 20
कर्णार्जुनसमागमः — The Karṇa–Arjuna Confrontation
Cosmic Spectatorship and Vows
स छिन्नथन्वा परिघं वज्रस्पर्शसमं युधि । आदाय चिक्षेप तदा द्रोणपुत्र: किरीटिने
sa chinnathanvā parighaṃ vajrasparśasamaṃ yudhi | ādāya cikṣepa tadā droṇaputraḥ kirīṭine ||
Sañjaya sprach: Als sein Bogen zerschlagen war, ergriff Droṇas Sohn mitten im Kampf einen Parigha, eine eisenne Keule, hart im Griff wie ein Donnerkeil, und schleuderte sie sogleich auf den diademgeschmückten Arjuna.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
In the pressure of war, the loss of one’s main support (here, the bow) can provoke a turn to harsher measures; the episode highlights the ethical strain on warriors to maintain discipline and judgment even as violence escalates.
Aśvatthāmā, after his bow is cut, grabs a heavy iron club (parigha), described as thunderbolt-hard, and immediately hurls it at Arjuna, who is identified by his diadem (kirīṭin).