Shloka 38
द्रोणपुत्रस्याग्नेयास्त्रप्रयोगः — अर्जुनस्य ब्राह्मास्त्रप्रतिघातः — व्यासोपदेशः
Aśvatthāmā’s Agneyāstra, Arjuna’s Brāhmāstra Counter, and Vyāsa’s Instruction
अस्त्रैरस्त्राणि संवार्य तेषां कर्णस्य वा विभो । अविद्ध्यत् सात्यकि: क्रुद्धो वृषसेनं स्तनान्तरे,प्रभो! इससे कुपित हुए सात्यकिने उन सब योद्धाओं तथा कर्णके अस्त्रोंका अस्त्रोंद्वारा निवारण करके वृषसेनकी छातीमें गहरी चोट पहुँचायी
astrair astrāṇi saṃvārya teṣāṃ karṇasya vā vibho | aviddhyat sātyakiḥ kruddho vṛṣasenaṃ stanāntare ||
Sañjaya said: O mighty one, Sātyaki, enraged, countered the missiles of those warriors—and even of Karṇa—by means of his own weapons; then he struck Vṛṣasena in the chest, dealing him a deep, telling wound. The verse highlights the grim ethic of battlefield skill: mastery is shown not only in attack, but in disciplined defense and decisive action amid righteous fury.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in righteous warfare, excellence is measured by controlled defense (countering weapons without panic) and purposeful action; anger appears, but it is channeled into disciplined martial response rather than chaos.
Sātyaki, provoked in the thick of battle, neutralizes incoming missiles from multiple fighters, including Karṇa’s, and then lands a powerful chest-wound on Vṛṣasena.