Shloka 19
Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 20 — Yudhiṣṭhira–Duryodhana Encounter and Escalation of Arms
योधमुख्या महावीर्या: पाण्डूनां कर्णमाहवे । शीघ्रास्त्रास्तूर्णमावृत्य परिवद्रु: समन््ततः
yodhamukhyā mahāvīryāḥ pāṇḍūnāṃ karṇam āhave | śīghrāstrās tūrṇam āvṛtya parivavruḥ samantataḥ ||
Then, on the battlefield, the foremost warriors of the Pāṇḍavas—men of great valor and swift in the discharge of weapons—rushed in at once and surrounded Karṇa on every side.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a battlefield ethic where victory depends not only on individual heroism but also on disciplined coordination and tactical unity; it reflects the harsh reality of kṣatriya-dharma in which even renowned champions must face collective opposition.
Sañjaya reports that the Pāṇḍavas’ leading, highly skilled warriors swiftly advance and form an encirclement around Karṇa, pressing him from all directions in the ongoing combat.