Shloka 463
Adhyāya 141 — Night duels: Śaineya and Bhūriśravas; Droṇi and Ghaṭotkaca; Bhīma and Duryodhana
उपारोहदनादृत्य तस्य वीर्य महात्मन: । सूतपुत्र कर्ण नाना प्रकारके बाणोंद्वारा भीमसेनको आच्छादित करता हुआ उन महामनस्वी वीरके पराक्रमका तिरस्कार करके उनपर चढ़ आया
upārohadanādṛtya tasya vīryaṃ mahātmanaḥ | sūtaputraḥ karṇaḥ nānāprakārakaiḥ bāṇaiḥ bhīmasenaṃ ācchādayan tasya mahāmanasvinaḥ vīrasya parākramam avajñāya tam abhyārohata |
Sañjaya said: Disregarding the might of that great-souled warrior, Karṇa—the charioteer’s son—rushed upon him. Showering Bhīmasena with arrows of many kinds, he advanced in contempt of that noble hero’s prowess. The scene shows how, in war’s fury, pride and rivalry can harden into deliberate disregard for an opponent’s valor, even when that valor is widely acknowledged.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a recurring ethical tension in the Mahābhārata: true valor includes recognizing an opponent’s worth, yet war often amplifies pride and contempt. It invites reflection on how disregard for another’s merit can arise from rivalry and how such attitudes shape conduct in conflict.
Sañjaya describes Karṇa charging at Bhīma. Karṇa overwhelms him with a varied barrage of arrows and advances while dismissing the renowned prowess of the great-hearted warrior he confronts.