Shloka 73
Adhyāya 141 — Night duels: Śaineya and Bhūriśravas; Droṇi and Ghaṭotkaca; Bhīma and Duryodhana
शत्रुघ्नं समरे क्रुद्धों दृढज्यं वेगवत्तरम् । व्यायच्छत् स शरान् कर्ण: कुन्तीपुत्रजिघांसया,सहस्रशो महाराज रुक्मपुड्खान् सुतेजनान् | यह देखकर अधिरथपुत्र कर्ण ठठाकर हँस पड़ा और समरांगणमें कुपित हो उसने शत्रुविनाशकारी सुदृढ़ प्रत्यंचावाला अत्यन्त वेगशाली दूसरा धनुष हाथमें लेकर उसपर कुन्तीपुत्रके वधकी इच्छासे सुवर्णमय पंखवाले सहस्रों अत्यन्त तीखे बाणोंका संधान किया
sañjaya uvāca |
śatrughnaṃ samare kruddho dṛḍhajyam vegavattaram |
vyāyacchat sa śarān karṇaḥ kuntīputrajighāṃsayā |
sahasraśo mahārāja rukmapuṅkhān sutejanān ||
Sañjaya said: Enraged in the battle, Karṇa—intent on killing Kuntī’s son—strung his firm-bowed, even swifter weapon and fixed upon him thousands of razor-sharp arrows with golden feathers.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how anger (krodha) and a fixed intent to kill can intensify conflict: martial excellence becomes ethically perilous when driven by wrath and personal vendetta rather than restraint and dharma.
Sañjaya describes Karṇa, furious in the thick of battle, stringing a powerful, swift bow and aiming thousands of sharp, gold-fletched arrows at Kuntī’s son, determined to slay him.