Shloka 20
ततः कर्ण शरबव्रातै: कुरूनन्यान् सहस्रश: । अलम्बुषं चाभ्यवर्षन्मेघो मेर॒मिवाचलम्,अभियाति द्रुतं कर्ण तद् वारय महारथम् । संजय कहते हैं--राजन! युद्धस्थलमें इस प्रकार कर्णका वध करनेकी इच्छासे उद्यत हुए घटोत्कचको सूतपुत्रके रथकी ओर आते देख आपके पुत्र दुर्योधनने दःशासनसे इस प्रकार कहा--'भाई! यह राक्षस रणभूमिमें कर्णका वेगपूर्वक पराक्रम देखकर तीव्र गतिसे उसपर आक्रमण कर रहा है; अतः उस महारथी घटोत्कचको रोको तत्पश्चात् जैसे मेघ मेरुपर्वतपर जलकी वर्षा करता है, उसी प्रकार उसने भी कर्णपर, अन्यान्य सहस्रों कौरवयोद्धाओंपर तथा अलम्बुषपर भी बाण-समूहोंकी वर्षा प्रारम्भ कर दी
tataḥ karṇa-śaravarṣa-vrātaiḥ kurūn anyān sahasraśaḥ | alambuṣaṃ cābhyavarṣan megho merum ivācalaḥ | abhiyāti drutaṃ karṇa tad vārayā mahāratham |
Sanjaya said: “Then, with torrents of arrows, he rained upon Karna and upon thousands of other Kuru warriors, and also upon Alambusha—like a cloud pouring down upon the immovable Mount Meru. ‘Karna is being swiftly charged,’ (they cried); ‘check that great chariot-warrior!’”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya battlefield ethic of immediate response to threat: when a key warrior is targeted, allies must act swiftly to protect him. It also underscores how war amplifies violence—one fighter’s concentrated assault can endanger many, demanding coordinated restraint and defense.
A fierce attacker advances rapidly toward Karna. As he closes in, he unleashes a dense shower of arrows not only on Karna but also on thousands of Kuru fighters and on Alambusha. The scene is framed with a simile: the arrow-rain is like a cloud pouring down upon Mount Meru, conveying overwhelming force and urgency to block the charging mahāratha.