Shloka 22
ततः कर्णो लघुचित्रास्त्रयो धी सर्वा दिश: प्रावणोद् बाणजालै: । न वै किज्चित् प्रापतत् तत्र भूत॑ तमोभूते सायकैरन्तरिक्षे,तब शीतघ्रतापूर्वक विचित्र रीतिसे अस्त्रयुद्ध करनेवाले कर्णने अपने बाणोंके समूहसे सम्पूर्ण दिशाओंको ढक दिया। उस समय बाणोंसे आकाशमें अँधेरा छा गया था तो भी वहाँ कोई प्राणी ऊपरसे मरकर गिरा नहीं
tataḥ karṇo laghucitrāstrayo dhī sarvā diśaḥ prāvaṇod bāṇajālaiḥ | na vai kiñcit prāpatat tatra bhūtaṃ tamobhūte sāyakair antarīkṣe ||
Sañjaya said: Then Karṇa, swift and skilled in deploying varied and wondrous missiles, showered volleys of arrows so thick that they seemed to cover all directions. The sky, filled with those shafts, turned as if into darkness; yet in that arrow-darkened air no living being fell down from above.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how war magnifies displays of power and fear—an overwhelming barrage can darken the sky—yet it also suggests that visible destruction does not always immediately follow from sheer force. It invites reflection on the difference between spectacle and outcome, and on the moral weight of martial prowess when used in battle.
Sañjaya describes Karṇa unleashing a rapid, varied shower of arrows that seems to blanket every direction, making the sky appear dark. Despite this, no living being is seen falling from above at that moment, emphasizing the intensity of the exchange and the visual terror of the battlefield.