Shloka 44
कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ५९
Arjuna Breaks the Encirclement; Bhīma Reinforces
असौ निवृत्तो राधेयो दृष्टवा ते वानरध्वजम् । प्रार्थयन् समरे पार्थ त्वया सह परंतप
asau nivṛtto rādheyo dṛṣṭvā te vānaradhvajam | prārthayan samare pārtha tvayā saha paraṃtapa ||
Sañjaya said: “Rādheya (Karna), seeing your chariot bearing the monkey-banner, turned back again. O Pārtha, scorcher of foes, he was seeking you out in the battle, desiring to engage with you face to face.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of directly seeking one’s chief opponent in battle—valor expressed as deliberate engagement rather than avoidance—while also underscoring how symbols (like Arjuna’s vānaradhvaja) can intensify resolve and rivalry.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Karna, upon noticing Arjuna’s distinctive monkey-banner, turns back and actively seeks Arjuna on the battlefield, intending a direct confrontation.