Shloka 18
तत्पश्चात् उन्होंने अधिरथपुत्र कर्णपर पुनः एक भारी गदा छोड़ी। परंतु कर्णने तेज किये हुए सुन्दर पंखवाले दूसरे-दूसरे बहुत-से बाण मारकर उस गदाको बींध डाला। इससे वह पुनः भीमपर ही लौट आयी ।। व्यालीव मन्त्राभिहता कर्णबाणैरभिद्रुता । तस्या: प्रतिनिपातेन भीमस्य विपुलो ध्वज:
vyālīva mantrābhihatā karṇabāṇair abhidrutā | tasyāḥ pratinipātena bhīmasya vipulo dhvajaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Then Bhīma hurled yet another massive mace at Karṇa, the son of Adhiratha. But Karṇa, with many swift, well-feathered arrows, pierced that mace and drove it back; and by its recoil it returned again toward Bhīma. Thus, in the clash of prowess, power was checked by precision, and violence rebounded upon the one who unleashed it.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that raw force is not supreme; disciplined skill and alert intelligence can neutralize and even reverse an attack. Ethically, it also suggests a recurring epic motif: violence, once released, can recoil upon its source.
Bhīma throws a heavy mace at Karṇa. Karṇa counters by striking it with many arrows, piercing and repelling it so that it rebounds and returns toward Bhīma, demonstrating Karṇa’s mastery in missile warfare.