Shloka 27
Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 37: Sañjaya’s Account of Abhimanyu’s Precision Disruption of a Chariot Contingent
तदनन्तर कर्ण, कृपाचार्य, द्रोणाचार्य, अश्वत्थामा, गान्धारराज शकुनि, शल, शल्य, भूरिश्रवा, क्राथ, सोमदत्त, विविंशति, वृषसेन, सुषेण, कुण्डभेदी, प्रतर्दन, वृन्दारक, ललित्थ, प्रबाहु, दीर्घलोचन तथा अत्यन्त क्रोधमें भरे हुए दुर्योधनने अभिमन्युपर बाणोंकी वर्षा आरम्भ कर दी ।। सो&5तिविद्धो महेष्वासैरभिमन्युरजिद्ागै: । शरमादत्त कर्णाय वर्मकायावभेदिनम्,इन महाथनुर्धर वीरोंके चलाये हुए बाणोंसे अत्यन्त घायल होकर अभिमन्युने कर्णको लक्ष्य करके एक ऐसा बाण हाथमें लिया, जो उसके कवच और कायाको विदीर्ण कर डालनेवाला था
tad-anantaraṁ karṇaḥ kṛpācāryaḥ droṇācāryaḥ aśvatthāmā gāndhārarājaḥ śakuniḥ śalaḥ śalyaḥ bhūriśravāḥ krāthaḥ somadattaḥ viviṁśatiḥ vṛṣasenaḥ suṣeṇaḥ kuṇḍabhedī pratardanaḥ vṛndārakaḥ lalitthaḥ prabāhuḥ dīrghalocanaḥ tathā atyanta-krodha-bhareṇa duryodhanena abhimanyau bāṇānāṁ varṣaḥ ārabdhaḥ || so 'tividdho maheṣvāsair abhimanyur ajid-āgaiḥ | śaram ādatt karṇāya varma-kāyāvabhedinam ||
Sañjaya said: Thereafter Karṇa, Kṛpa, Droṇa, Aśvatthāmā, Śakuni the king of Gāndhāra, Śala, Śalya, Bhūriśravas, Krātha, Somadatta, Viviṁśati, Vṛṣasena, Suṣeṇa, Kuṇḍabhedī, Pratardana, Vṛndāraka, Lalittha, Prabāhu, Dīrghalocana—and Duryodhana, seething with extreme wrath—began a shower of arrows upon Abhimanyu. Struck again and again by those great bowmen, Abhimanyu, though assailed by warriors famed as unconquered, took up an arrow aimed at Karṇa—one capable of piercing both armour and body.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharmic strain in warfare: when many celebrated warriors concentrate violence on a single opponent, the imbalance raises ethical questions, yet Abhimanyu’s steadfast counteraction exemplifies kṣatriya courage—meeting force with resolve rather than surrender.
A group of major Kaurava-side fighters, along with an enraged Duryodhana, begins a heavy arrow-barrage on Abhimanyu. Though badly wounded, Abhimanyu selects a powerful armor-and-body-piercing arrow and aims it at Karṇa.