Shloka 12
कर्णार्जुनयुद्ध-प्रवृत्तिः
Renewal of the Karṇa–Arjuna Engagement at Day’s End
प्रमुखे वर्तमान तु द्विपं वज्गस्य सात्यकि: । नाराचेनोग्रवेगेन भित्त्वा मर्माण्यपातयत्,इसी समय सात्यकिने अपने सामने उपस्थित हुए वंगराजके हाथीके मर्मस्थानोंको भयंकर वेगवाले नाराचसे विदीर्ण करके उसे धराशायी कर दिया
pramukhe vartamānaṃ tu dvipaṃ vaṅgasya sātyakiḥ | nārācenogravegena bhittvā marmāṇy apātayat ||
Sanjaya said: Then Sātyaki, facing the elephant of the king of Vaṅga in the forefront, struck it with a razor-sharp nārāca arrow of terrible speed, piercing its vital points and bringing the great beast down. The scene underscores the grim ethic of battlefield necessity, where skill and resolve are turned toward disabling even mighty war-elephants to protect one’s side and break the enemy’s advance.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the harsh kṣatriya ethic in war: decisive action and precise knowledge of vulnerable points (marmas) are used to neutralize major threats like war-elephants, prioritizing protection of one’s forces and the turning of battle momentum.
Sañjaya reports that Sātyaki confronts the Vaṅga king’s elephant at the front line and, with a fast and powerful nārāca arrow, pierces its vital points and brings it down.