Shloka 15
अर्जुनस्य द्रोणिप्रतिघातः कर्णोपसर्पणं च
Arjuna Checks Droṇaputra; Karṇa Advances
भानुदेवं चित्रसेनं सेनाविन्दुं च भारत । तपन॑ शूरसेनं च पज्चालानहनद् रणे
sañjaya uvāca | bhānudevaṃ citrasenaṃ senāvinduṃ ca bhārata | tapanaṃ śūrasenaṃ ca pāñcālān ahanad raṇe ||
Sañjaya said: O Bhārata, in the battle Karṇa, the son of the charioteer (Vaikartana), having fitted and released five irresistible arrows, slew five Pāñcāla warriors—Bhānudeva, Citrasena, Senāvindu, Tapana, and Śūrasena. The verse underscores the grim ethic of kṣatriya warfare: prowess and resolve are praised, yet the cost is the swift extinguishing of lives amid dharma’s contested field.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the harsh reality of kṣatriya-dharma in war: martial excellence and unwavering resolve are celebrated, yet they operate within a morally weighty arena where victory is purchased through death. It invites reflection on how dharma is pursued amid violence and contested loyalties.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Karṇa, using five formidable arrows, kills five named Pāñcāla fighters—Bhānudeva, Citrasena, Senāvindu, Tapana, and Śūrasena—during the battle.