Shloka 33
दुर्योधनस्य कर्णप्रार्थना — कृपकर्णसंवादः
Duryodhana’s Appeal to Karna — The Kripa–Karna Dialogue
पुनश्न सूतपुत्र॑ तु स्वर्णपुडुखै: शिलाशितै: । सुमुक्तैश्नित्रवर्माणं निर्बिभेद त्रिसप्तभि:,तत्पश्चात् विचित्र कवच धारण करनेवाले सूतपुत्रको सानपर चढ़ाकर तेज किये हुए सुवर्णमय पंखवाले तथा अच्छी तरह छोड़े हुए इक्कीस बाणोंद्वारा पुनः क्षत-विक्षत कर दिया
punaś ca sūtaputras tu svarṇapuṅkhaiḥ śilāśitaiḥ | sumuktaiś citravarmāṇaṃ nirbibheda trisaptabhiḥ ||
Then again Karṇa, the charioteer’s son, with well-released arrows—golden-fletched and whetted on stone—pierced the warrior clad in variegated armour with twenty-one shafts, once more wounding and tearing him.
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the harsh ethical tension of battlefield dharma: mastery and determination are used to incapacitate an enemy repeatedly, showing how kṣatriya-duty in war can demand relentless action even when it deepens suffering.
Karṇa again shoots a volley of twenty-one well-aimed, golden-fletched, stone-sharpened arrows, piercing and further injuring an opponent described as wearing splendid/variegated armour.