Shloka 413
व्यधमच्च शरैर्मायां तां घटोत्कचनिर्मिताम् | अपने अस्त्रबलकी प्रशंसा करनेवाला एकमात्र अभिमानी कर्ण ही वहाँ खड़ा रहा। उसके मनमें तनिक भी व्यथा नहीं हुई। उसने अपने बाणोंसे घटोत्कचद्वारा निर्मित मायाको नष्ट कर दिया
vyadhamac ca śarair māyāṃ tāṃ ghaṭotkaca-nirmitām |
Sañjaya said: With his arrows he shattered that illusion conjured by Ghaṭotkaca. Standing there alone, Karṇa—proudly proclaiming the might of his own weapons—remained unshaken and without the slightest distress, and by his shafts he destroyed the deceptive magic raised against the Kaurava host.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage contrasts deceptive power (māyā) with steadiness and martial competence: illusion can terrify armies, but disciplined resolve and skill can dispel it. Ethically, it also hints at the danger of pride—Karṇa’s confidence is effective here, yet self-praise (ahaṅkāra) remains a moral vulnerability even when paired with courage.
Ghaṭotkaca unleashes a magical illusion on the battlefield. While others are shaken, Karṇa stands firm and uses his arrows to destroy the conjured māyā, restoring clarity and momentum to his side.