Shloka 88
विधम्य राक्षसान् बाणै: साशथ्वसूतगजान् विभु: । ददाह भगवान् वद्ठिर्भूतानीव युगक्षये,जैसे प्रलयकालमें भगवान् अग्निदेव सम्पूर्ण भूतोंको भस्म कर डालते हैं, उसी प्रकार शक्तिशाली कर्णने अपने बाणोंद्वारा घोड़े, सारथि और हाथियोंसहित उन राक्षसोंको संतप्त करके जला डाला
vidhamya rākṣasān bāṇaiḥ sāśvasūtagajān vibhuḥ | dadāha bhagavān vahniḥ bhūtānīva yugakṣaye ||
Sañjaya said: Mighty Karṇa, striking down the rākṣasas with his arrows—along with their horses, charioteers, and elephants—burned them up, as the divine Fire at the end of an age consumes all beings. The verse underscores the terrifying, near-cosmic scale of violence on the battlefield, where martial prowess becomes indistinguishable from annihilating force.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how unchecked martial power can resemble cosmic destruction: in war, human agency can take on an impersonal, annihilating character. Ethically, it invites reflection on the catastrophic cost of conflict and the thin line between valor and devastation.
Sañjaya reports that Karṇa overwhelms rākṣasa fighters, killing them along with their mounts and crews. Their destruction is compared to Agni consuming all beings at the end of a cosmic age, emphasizing the intensity of Karṇa’s assault.