Shloka 1116
Adhyāya 141 — Night duels: Śaineya and Bhūriśravas; Droṇi and Ghaṭotkaca; Bhīma and Duryodhana
प्राहिणोत् सूतपुत्राय केशवेन प्रचोदित: । राजन्! इस प्रकार कर्णने भीमसेनको रथहीन करके जब वृष्णिवंशके सिंह भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण और महामना अर्जुनके सामने ही अपनी इतनी प्रशंसा की, तब श्रीकृष्णकी प्रेरणासे कपिध्वज अर्जुनने शिलापर स्वच्छ किये हुए बहुत-से बाणोंको सूतपुत्र कर्णपर चलाया
sañjaya uvāca | prāhiṇot sūtaputrāya keśavena pracoditaḥ | rājan, evaṁ karṇenāpi bhīmasenaṁ rathahīnaṁ kṛtvā vṛṣṇivaṁśasya siṁhaḥ bhagavān śrīkṛṣṇaḥ mahāmanā arjunaś ca sammukhe eva svātmanaḥ atipraśaṁsāṁ kṛtavān; tataḥ śrīkṛṣṇasya preraṇayā kapidhvajo 'rjunaḥ śilāyāṁ svacchīkṛtān bahūn bāṇān sūtaputra-karṇe prāhiṇot |
Sanjaya said: Urged on by Keshava, Arjuna loosed a volley of arrows at Karna, the charioteer’s son. O King, when Karna had stripped Bhimasena of his chariot and then, before Sri Krishna—the lion of the Vrishni line—and the high-minded Arjuna, praised himself beyond measure, Krishna’s prompting stirred Arjuna, bearer of the monkey-banner, to send forth many arrows, cleansed and honed upon stone, against Karna.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how boastful self-praise in a righteous struggle invites a corrective response; Krishna’s guidance channels Arjuna’s action toward disciplined, duty-bound retaliation rather than impulsive anger.
After Karna renders Bhima chariotless and then boasts of his prowess in front of Krishna and Arjuna, Krishna prompts Arjuna to answer militarily; Arjuna releases many sharpened arrows at Karna.