Śalya’s Objection to Sārathya and Duryodhana’s Conciliation (शल्यमन्यु-प्रशमनम् / Sārathyāṅgīkāra)
आर्पयद् बहुभि: कर्णो न चैनं समपीडयत् | उन्हें अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंसे हीन देखकर कर्णने झुकी हुई गाँठवाले बहुसंख्यक बाणोंद्वारा और भी घायल कर दिया; परंतु उन्हें घातक पीड़ा नहीं दी
ārpayad bahubhiḥ karṇo na cainaṃ samapīḍayat |
Sañjaya said: Karṇa struck him with many arrows, yet he did not press the attack to the point of crushing him. Seeing him deprived of weapons, Karṇa wounded him further with numerous knot-jointed arrows, but he did not inflict a fatal, tormenting blow.
संजय उवाच
Even in warfare, power is ideally governed by dharma: the verse highlights restraint—Karna wounds his opponent but avoids delivering a crushing, fatal torment when the other is already disadvantaged, implying an ethical boundary within combat.
Sañjaya reports that Karna shoots many arrows at an opponent. Although he increases the wounding with numerous arrows, he does not fully overpower or kill him, especially noting the opponent’s weakened, weaponless condition.