Shloka 5959
कर्णार्जुनसमागमः — The Karṇa–Arjuna Confrontation
Cosmic Spectatorship and Vows
कर्णके बाणोंद्वारा मारे जाते हुए उन सैनिकोंका आर्तनाद सुनकर तथा वहाँ महाभयंकर भार्गवास्त्रका प्रयोग हुआ देखकर कुन्तीपुत्र अर्जुनने भगवान् श्रीकृष्णसे कहा -ए
karṇake bāṇoṃdvārā māre jāte hue una sainikoṃ kā ārtanāda sunkar tathā vahāṃ mahābhayaṅkara bhārgavāstrakā prayoga huā dekhkar kuntīputra arjunane bhagavān śrīkṛṣṇase kahā—e
Sañjaya said: Hearing the anguished cries of the soldiers being cut down by Karṇa’s arrows, and seeing that the dread Bhārgava weapon had been unleashed there, Kuntī’s son Arjuna spoke to Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the ethical gravity of warfare: when violence escalates through fearsome astras and mass suffering becomes audible and visible, a responsible warrior seeks counsel and acts with discernment rather than mere rage—here, Arjuna turns to Kṛṣṇa for guidance amid crisis.
Karna’s arrows are slaughtering soldiers, their cries rising across the battlefield. At the same time, the terrifying Bhārgava weapon is seen being employed. Witnessing this escalation, Arjuna addresses Kṛṣṇa, setting up Arjuna’s response to Karna’s onslaught and the use of divine missiles.