Shloka 32
अध्याय २९: कर्णस्य शल्यं प्रति शापस्मरणं च युद्धनिश्चयः | Chapter 29: Karṇa recalls curses to Śalya and declares resolve for battle
तद् वध्यमानं पाण्डूनां बल॑ कर्णास्त्रतेजसा । विशस्त्रपत्रदेहासु प्राय आसीत् पराड्मुखम्
tad vadhyamānaṃ pāṇḍūnāṃ balaṃ karṇāstratejasā | viśastrapatradehāsu prāya āsīt parāṅmukham ||
Sañjaya said: Struck down by the blazing power of Karṇa’s missiles, the Pāṇḍavas’ army—bereft of weapons, armor, and even bodily strength—was for the most part turned away from the battlefield, fleeing in disarray.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a recurring Mahābhārata insight: in battle, sheer martial power (astra-tejas) can collapse collective courage, and when fear dominates, even those bound by kṣatriya-duty may turn away. It invites reflection on steadiness, discipline, and the ethical weight of warfare where victory often hinges on morale as much as righteousness.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Karṇa’s weapon-power is devastating the Pāṇḍava forces. Many soldiers become effectively helpless—disarmed and weakened—and consequently retreat from the battlefield, fleeing rather than holding formation.