Shloka 226
काकोपमोपदेशः
The Crow-and-Swan Exemplum as Counsel to Karṇa
सर्वपारशवीं तीक्ष्णां महोल्काप्रतिमां तदा । भारत! इसके बाद राजा दुर्योधनने सम्पूर्णतः लोहेकी बनी हुई एक तीखी शक्ति चलायी, जो उस समय बड़ी भारी उल्काके समान प्रतीत हो रही थी
sarvapāraśavīṁ tīkṣṇāṁ maholkāpratimāṁ tadā | bhārata! tataḥ paraṁ rājā duryodhanaḥ samantato lohamayīṁ tīkṣṇāṁ śaktiṁ mumoca, yā tadā mahā-ulkāsadṛśī babhāsa |
Sanjaya said: “O Bharata, thereafter King Duryodhana hurled a sharp spear, wholly of iron. At that moment it appeared like a great meteor—an ominous, blazing missile of war.” The scene underscores how the battle’s violence escalates into ever more destructive acts, where royal power is expressed through fearsome weaponry rather than restraint.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral tension of war: royal prowess manifests as increasingly lethal force, while the imagery of a meteor suggests ominous, uncontrollable destruction—inviting reflection on restraint, responsibility, and the ethical cost of martial glory.
Sanjaya reports that Duryodhana, after the preceding exchange, hurls a sharp iron spear (śakti). Its flight is described as resembling a massive meteor, emphasizing its terrifying power and the intensity of the battle.