Shloka 18
कर्णपुत्रवधः (The Fall of Vṛṣasena) — Karṇa Parva, Adhyāya 62
एवमुक्तो5पि कर्णस्तु मद्रराजेन संयुगे,प्रहस्य समरे कर्णश्च॒कार विमुखं शरै: । युद्धस्थलमें मद्रराज शल्यके ऐसा कहनेपर भी कर्ण पूर्ववत् रोषमें भरकर युधिष्ठिरको बाणोंद्वारा पीड़ित करता रहा। माद्रीकुमार पाण्डुपुत्र नकुल-सहदेवको तीखे बाणोंसे घायल करके कर्णने हँसकर समरांगणमें बाणोंके प्रहारसे युधिष्ठिरको युद्धसे विमुख कर दिया
sañjaya uvāca | evam ukto 'pi karṇas tu madrarājena saṃyuge, prahasya samare karṇaś cakāra vimukhaṃ śaraiḥ |
Sañjaya said: Though thus addressed by the king of Madra, Śalya, in the midst of battle, Karṇa—laughing in the fight—continued to act as before. With his arrows he drove Yudhiṣṭhira away from the combat, showing how, in the heat of war, pride and anger can override counsel and restraint.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a moral tension central to the epic: wise counsel may be offered, yet a warrior driven by anger, pride, or rivalry can ignore it. In dharma terms, self-mastery and receptivity to guidance are portrayed as crucial, especially when power and violence are at hand.
In the Karṇa–Śalya episode, Śalya speaks to Karṇa during the battle. Despite being addressed, Karṇa laughs and continues fighting aggressively, using arrows to force Yudhiṣṭhira to withdraw from the immediate combat.