Shloka 53
कृष्णोपदेशः, अर्जुनस्य क्षमा-याचनम्, कर्णवध-अनुज्ञा
Krishna’s Counsel, Arjuna’s Apology, and Authorization for Karṇa’s Slaying
रथा: पञ्चशताश्षान्ये ह्रादिनश्चर्मवर्मिण: । भीममभ्यद्रवन् घ्नन्त: शरपूगै: समन्तत:
rathāḥ pañcaśatāś cānye hrādinaś carmavarmiṇaḥ | bhīmam abhyadravan ghnantaḥ śarapūgaiḥ samantataḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Five hundred other chariots—resounding and protected by leather-armour—rushed straight at Bhīma, striking him from every side with dense volleys of arrows. The scene underscores the war’s ruthless logic: many unite to overwhelm a single formidable warrior, testing endurance and resolve amid relentless violence.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the harsh ethical terrain of battlefield dharma: collective force is marshalled to check a single powerful warrior, showing how courage and steadfastness are tested amid overwhelming opposition, and how war often prioritizes victory over fairness.
Sañjaya reports that a large contingent—five hundred chariot-warriors—charges Bhīma and assails him from all directions with concentrated arrow volleys, attempting to surround and suppress him.