Shloka 24
सारथिं च त्रिभिबाणैराजघान परंतप:,इतना ही नहीं, शत्रुओंको संताप देनेवाले कर्णने तीन बाणोंसे सहदेवके सारथिको भी मार डाला और पलक मारते-मारते द्रौपदीके पुत्रोंकी रथहीन कर दिया। भरतश्रेष्ठ) वह अद्भुत-सा कार्य हुआ
sārathiṁ ca tribhir bāṇair ājaghāna parantapaḥ |
Sañjaya said: Karṇa, the scorcher of foes, struck down even Sahadeva’s charioteer with three arrows. In a ruthless surge of battle, he swiftly deprived Draupadī’s sons of their chariots—an astonishing feat of martial skill.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, in war, tactical strikes often target enabling supports (like charioteers and chariots), revealing the harsh reality of kṣatriya-conflict: excellence is praised as ‘adbhuta’ (astonishing), even when it involves lethal efficiency. It invites reflection on the tension between martial duty and the moral cost of violence.
Sañjaya reports that Karṇa shoots Sahadeva’s charioteer with three arrows, effectively disabling Sahadeva’s chariot operation. In the same rapid sequence (as the surrounding narration indicates), Karṇa also renders Draupadī’s sons chariotless, demonstrating swift battlefield dominance.