Shloka 4
रामादुपात्तेन महामहिम्ना ह्याथर्वणेनारिविनाशनेन । तदर्जुनास्त्रं व्यधमद् दहन्तं कर्णस्तु बाणैर्निशितैर्महात्मा,महामनस्वी वीर कर्णने परशुरामजीसे प्राप्त हुए महाप्रभावशाली शत्रुनाशक आथर्वण अस्त्रका प्रयोग करके पैने बाणोंद्वारा अर्जुनके उस अस्त्रको, जो कौरव-सेनाको दग्ध कर रहा था, नष्ट कर दिया
sañjaya uvāca |
rāmādupāttena mahāmahimnā hyātharvaṇenārivināśanena |
tadarjunāstraṃ vyadhamad dahantaṃ karṇastu bāṇair niśitair mahātmā mahāmanasvī ||
Sañjaya sprach: Da setzte Karṇa, hochgesinnt und von großem Geist, die Atharvaṇa-Waffe von ungeheurer Macht ein—von Rāma (Paraśurāma) empfangen und als Feindvernichter berühmt—und zerschmetterte mit seinen scharfen Pfeilen Arjunas loderndes Geschoss, das das Heer der Kauravas verbrannte.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that power in battle is not only personal valor but also disciplined knowledge received through legitimate transmission (guru-lineage). Ethically, it shows how warfare tends to intensify: even a devastating weapon is met with an equally formidable counter, reminding readers of the tragic momentum of conflict.
Arjuna releases a blazing weapon that is burning the Kaurava forces. Karna counters it by employing the Atharvaṇa weapon he learned from Paraśurāma, and with sharp arrows he breaks/neutralizes Arjuna’s missile.