Shloka 13
दिधक्षमाणौ सचराचरं जगद् युगान्तसूर्याविव दुःसहौ रणे | रणभूमिमें वे दोनों वीर चराचर जगतको दग्ध करनेकी इच्छासे प्रकट हुए प्रलयकालके दो सूर्योके समान शत्रुओंके लिये दुःसह हो रहे थे। कर्ण और अर्जुनरूप वे दोनों सूर्य अपने विशाल धनुषरूपी मण्डलके मध्यमें प्रकाशित होते थे। सहस्नों बाण ही उनकी किरण थे और वे दोनों ही महान् तेजसे सम्पन्न दिखायी देते थे ।। १० ई ।। उभावजेयावहितान्तकावु भा- वुभौ जिघांसू कृतिनौ परस्परम्,ततो विसस्ः पुनरर्दिता नरा नरोत्तमाभ्यां कुरुपाण्डवाश्रया:
sañjaya uvāca |
didhakṣamāṇau sacarācaraṃ jagad yugāntasūryāv iva duḥsahau raṇe |
raṇabhūmau te dvau vīrau sacarācara-jagad-dagdhuṃ icchayā prādurabhūtau pralayakāla-dvau sūryāv iva śatrūṇāṃ duḥsahau babhūvatuḥ |
karṇārjunarūpau tau dvau sūryau vipula-dhanur-maṇḍala-madhye prakāśete |
sahasra-bāṇā eva teṣāṃ kiraṇāḥ, ubhau ca mahā-tejasā sampannau dṛśyete ||
ubhāv ajeyāv ahitāntakāv ubhau |
ubhau jighāṃsū kṛtinau parasparam |
tato viśasḥ punar arditā narā |
narottamābhyāṃ kuru-pāṇḍavāśrayāḥ ||
Sanjaya said: Burning to consume the whole world of moving and unmoving beings, the two were unbearable in battle—like a pair of suns at the end of an age. On the battlefield those two heroes, Karna and Arjuna, appeared as though desiring to scorch all creation; for their enemies they were as intolerable as the two suns of cosmic dissolution. Shining within the vast circle of their bows, those two ‘suns’ blazed forth; their thousands of arrows were their rays, and both seemed endowed with tremendous splendor. Both were unconquerable, both destroyers of foes; both, capable and intent on slaying one another. Then the warriors—aligned with the Kurus and the Pandavas—were again struck down and tormented by those two best of men.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how unchecked martial fury can resemble cosmic destruction: even the greatest heroes, when driven by the intent to annihilate, become ‘unbearable’ forces whose brilliance is inseparable from devastation. It implicitly warns that power and skill, without restraint and right intention, magnify suffering across both sides.
Sanjaya describes Karna and Arjuna facing each other in battle. Their bows and arrows are portrayed through a ‘two suns at the end of the age’ metaphor, emphasizing their overwhelming prowess. As they press the fight, warriors on both the Kuru and Pandava sides are struck down by the two champions.