Cakravyūha-saṃkalpaḥ, Saṃśaptaka-āhvānaṃ, Saubhadra-vikrīḍitam
Drona Parva, Adhyāya 32
पुन: कर्ण त्रिभि्बाणैर्बाह्वोरुरसि चार्पयत् । इसके बाद उन्होंने अच्छी तरह छोड़े हुए दो भल्लोंद्वारा कर्णके धनुषको काटकर पुनः तीन बाणोंद्वारा कर्णकी दोनों भुजाओं तथा छातीमें भी चोट पहुँचायी ।। ततो दुर्योधनो द्रोणो राजा चैव जयद्रथ:
punaḥ karṇaṃ tribhir bāṇair bāhv-orasi cārpayat | tato duryodhano droṇo rājā caiva jayadrathaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Once again he struck Karṇa with three arrows, planting them in his arms and chest. Then, with two well-shot bhalla shafts, he cut Karṇa’s bow; and again with three arrows he wounded Karṇa’s two arms and his breast. At that moment Duryodhana, Droṇa, the king (Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son), and Jayadratha came into prominence, as the battle’s weight shifted toward the foremost Kaurava champions.
संजय उवाच
The verse underscores the relentless momentum of war: skill and resolve can intensify violence, and loyalty to one’s side draws more leaders into the fray. It invites reflection on kṣatriya valor versus the ethical cost of escalating conflict.
Sañjaya reports that Karṇa is struck again—three arrows are lodged in his arms and chest. The narration then turns to the presence/arrival or prominence of major Kaurava figures—Duryodhana, Droṇa, and Jayadratha—signaling a shift toward a larger, more concentrated engagement among leading warriors.