Shloka 20
कर्णार्जुनसमागमः — The Karṇa–Arjuna Confrontation
Cosmic Spectatorship and Vows
स छिन्नथन्वा परिघं वज्रस्पर्शसमं युधि । आदाय चिक्षेप तदा द्रोणपुत्र: किरीटिने,धनुष कट जानेपर द्रोणपुत्रने युद्धस्थलमें एक ऐसा परिघ हाथमें लिया, जिसका स्पर्श वज्रके समान कठोर था। उसने उस परिघको तत्काल ही किरीटधारी अर्जुनपर दे मारा
sa chinnathanvā parighaṃ vajrasparśasamaṃ yudhi | ādāya cikṣepa tadā droṇaputraḥ kirīṭine ||
Sañjaya said: Having had his bow cut, Droṇa’s son seized a mace-like iron club in the midst of battle—hard to the touch like a thunderbolt—and at once hurled it at the diadem-wearing Arjuna.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
In the pressure of war, the loss of one’s main support (here, the bow) can provoke a turn to harsher measures; the episode highlights the ethical strain on warriors to maintain discipline and judgment even as violence escalates.
Aśvatthāmā, after his bow is cut, grabs a heavy iron club (parigha), described as thunderbolt-hard, and immediately hurls it at Arjuna, who is identified by his diadem (kirīṭin).