Shloka 24
अध्याय २९: कर्णस्य शल्यं प्रति शापस्मरणं च युद्धनिश्चयः | Chapter 29: Karṇa recalls curses to Śalya and declares resolve for battle
न ग्लानिरासीत् कर्णस्य क्षिपतः सायकान् बहून् । रणे विनिघ्नतः शत्रून् क्ुद्धस्येव शतक्रतो:
na glānir āsīt karṇasya kṣipataḥ sāyakān bahūn | raṇe vinighnataḥ śatrūn kruddhasyeva śatakratoḥ ||
Sañjaya said: As Karṇa, like Indra in wrath, showered countless arrows and struck down enemies on the battlefield, no fatigue or strain arose in him at all. The verse underscores the terrifying momentum of a warrior’s prowess in war—power that, while effective in destruction, also hints at the peril of anger-driven combat.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the intensity of martial energy: Karṇa’s anger-fueled prowess appears inexhaustible, likened to Indra’s might. Ethically, it also gestures to a Mahābhārata tension—power and success in war can be driven by krodha (wrath), which is effective yet spiritually perilous, as it amplifies destruction and clouds restraint.
Sañjaya reports that Karṇa is actively dominating the fight—launching many arrows and cutting down foes—without showing any fatigue. The simile ‘like wrathful Indra’ magnifies Karṇa’s battlefield presence and the fear he inspires among opponents.