Shloka 78
“रणभूमिमें अभिमन्युके सामने खड़े होनेकी शक्ति कर्णमें नहीं रह गयी थी। वह सुभद्राकुमारके बाणोंसे छिन्न-भिन्न हो खूनसे लथपथ एवं अचेत हो गया था ।। निःश्वसन् क्रोधसंदीप्तो विमुख: सायकार्दित: । अपयानकृतोत्साहो निराशश्वापि जीविते,“वह क्रोधसे चलकर लंबी साँस खींचता हुआ अभिमन्युके बाणोंसे पीड़ित हो युद्धसे मुँह मोड़ चुका था। अब उसके मनमें भाग जानेका ही उत्साह था। वह जीवनसे निराश हो चुका था
niḥśvasan krodha-saṃdīpto vimukhaḥ sāyakārdītaḥ | apayāna-kṛtotsāho nirāśaś cāpi jīvite ||
Sañjaya said: Panting heavily and inflamed with anger, Karṇa—wounded and harassed by Abhimanyu’s arrows—turned away from the fight. His spirit now leaned only toward retreat, and he had even lost hope for his own life. The scene shows how, in war, pride and wrath can collapse into despair when confronted by superior valor and relentless skill.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a moral-psychological truth of the battlefield: anger does not guarantee strength. When one’s conduct is driven by wrath and ego rather than steady dharma and discipline, courage can quickly degrade into panic and hopelessness under pressure.
Sañjaya reports that Karṇa, struck repeatedly by Abhimanyu’s arrows, is in visible distress—panting, enraged, yet turning away from combat. His resolve shifts toward retreat, and he becomes doubtful even about surviving.