Shloka 2
कर्णभीमसेनयुद्धम् | Karṇa–Bhīmasena Engagement
Chapter 111
तयो: प्रतिभयं युद्धमासीद् राक्षससिंहयो: । कुर्वतोर्विविधा माया: शक्रशम्बरयोरिव,वे दोनों राक्षसोंमें सिंहके समान पराक्रमी थे और इन्द्र तथा शम्बरासुरके समान नाना प्रकारकी मायाओंका प्रयोग करते थे। उन दोनोंमें बड़ा भयंकर युद्ध हुआ
tayoḥ pratibhayaṃ yuddham āsīd rākṣasasiṃhayoḥ | kurvator vividhā māyāḥ śakraśambarayor iva ||
Sañjaya said: Between those two lion-like Rākṣasas there arose a truly terrifying battle. As they fought, they deployed many kinds of deceptive powers and stratagems, like Indra and the Asura Śambara of old—making the combat not only a test of strength, but also of discernment amid illusion.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how warfare can involve not only physical valor but also māyā—deception and illusion—requiring discernment. It implicitly cautions that terror and confusion in conflict often arise from manipulative stratagems as much as from brute force.
Sañjaya describes a fierce duel between two powerful Rākṣasa warriors. Their fight becomes especially dreadful because both employ varied magical or deceptive tactics, compared to the legendary conflict involving Indra (Śakra) and the Asura Śambara.