Shloka 2
अर्जुनकर्णसंनिपातवर्णनम् / The Convergence of Arjuna and Karṇa
आशीविषसमं युद्धे सर्वशस्त्रविशारदम्,कर्ण युद्धमें विषधर सर्पके समान भयंकर, सम्पूर्ण शस्त्र-विद्याओंमें निपुण तथा कौरवोंका अगुआ था। वह शत्रुपक्षमें सबका कल्याण-साधक और कवच बना हुआ था। वृषसेन और सुषेण-जैसे धनुर्धर उसकी रक्षा करते थे
āśīviṣa-samaṁ yuddhe sarva-śastra-viśāradaṁ | karṇaṁ yuddhe viṣadhara-sarpa-samānaṁ bhayaṅkaraṁ sampūrṇa-śastra-vidyāsu nipuṇaṁ tathā kauravāṇām agraṇīṁ | sa śatru-pakṣe sarveṣāṁ kalyāṇa-sādhakaḥ kavaca-bhūta iva tiṣṭhati | vṛṣasena-suṣeṇa-prabhṛtayo dhanurdharās tasya rakṣakā āsan ||
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “In battle, Karṇa was like a venomous serpent—terrifying, and fully accomplished in every weapon-discipline. He stood as the Kauravas’ foremost leader, and on the enemy side he functioned like a protective armor, securing the welfare and advantage of all his own. Archers such as Vṛṣasena and Suṣeṇa guarded him.”
युधिषछ्िर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how a single exceptionally skilled and resolute warrior can become the ‘armor’ of an entire army—showing the ethical weight of leadership and competence in war, and how loyalty and protection of one’s side can decisively shape outcomes, even when viewed as threatening by the opponent.
Yudhiṣṭhira describes Karṇa’s battlefield presence: he is portrayed as terrifying and supremely trained in weapons, acting as the Kauravas’ foremost support. The verse also notes that Karṇa is guarded by capable archers such as Vṛṣasena and Suṣeṇa.