Shloka 65
अध्याय ९ — कर्णस्य प्रहारः, योधयुग्मनियोजनम्, शैनेय-कैकेययोर्युद्धविन्यासः
स नूनमृषभस्कन्धो हार्जुनेन कथं हतः । “गाण्डीव धनुष अथवा दोनों अक्षय तरकस मेरे उस बाणका क्या कर लेंगे, जो चिकने चन्दनसे चर्चित हो शत्रुओंपर बड़े वेगसे धावा करता है” ऐसी बातें कहनेवाला कर्ण, जिसके कंधे बैलोंके समान हृष्टपुष्ट थे, निश्चय ही अर्जुनके हाथसे कैसे मारा गया? ।। ६४ ई ।। यश्न गाण्डीवमुक्तानां स्पर्शमुग्रमचिन्तयन्
sa nūnam ṛṣabhaskandho hārjunena kathaṁ hataḥ | “gāṇḍīva-dhanuṣā athavā dvāv akṣayau tarakasau mama tasya bāṇasya kiṁ kariṣyataḥ, yaḥ ślakṣṇa-candana-carcitaḥ śatrūn prati mahā-vegena dhāvati” iti vadan karṇaḥ, yasya skandhā vṛṣabhavat hṛṣṭa-puṣṭāḥ, sa nūnam arjunena kathaṁ nihataḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “How indeed was Karṇa—broad-shouldered like a mighty bull—slain by Arjuna? He was the very man who used to boast, ‘What can Arjuna’s Gāṇḍīva bow, or even his two inexhaustible quivers, do against my arrow—smeared with smooth sandal-paste—that rushes upon enemies with tremendous speed?’ Yet he fell by Arjuna’s hand.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the fragility of pride based solely on strength and weapons. Even a celebrated warrior who boasts of irresistible arrows can be brought down when the wider forces of dharma, consequence, and destiny in the war turn against him.
Vaiśampāyana reflects with wonder on Karṇa’s death: despite Karṇa’s earlier taunts about Arjuna’s Gāṇḍīva and inexhaustible quivers being powerless before his own swift, sandal-smeared arrows, Karṇa was nevertheless slain by Arjuna.