Shloka 23
कर्णार्जुनसमागमः — The Karṇa–Arjuna Confrontation
Cosmic Spectatorship and Vows
ततः क्रुद्धो महाराज द्रोणपुत्रो महारथ: । ऐन्द्रेण चास्त्रवेगेन बी भत्सुं समवाकिरत्
tataḥ kruddho mahārāja droṇaputro mahārathaḥ | aindreṇa cāstravegena bībhatsuṃ samavākirat |
Sañjaya said: Then, O King, Droṇa’s son—the mighty chariot-warrior—enraged, showered Arjuna (Bībhatsu) with a fierce onslaught of the Indra-weapon.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how anger in warfare fuels escalation: a warrior, driven by wrath, resorts to powerful divine weapons. Ethically, it underscores the tension between martial capability and self-restraint—how inner states (krodha) can push combat beyond measured conduct.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Droṇa’s son Aśvatthāmā, enraged, unleashes the Aindra weapon with great force, showering Arjuna (called Bībhatsu) with a barrage of missiles.