Shloka 97
और उसके द्वारा बाणोंकी वर्षा करके अर्जुनने कर्णको आच्छादित कर दिया। इसके बाद भी वे लगातार बाणोंका प्रहार करते रहे। तब कर्णने तेज किये हुए पैने बाणोंसे अर्जुनके धनुषकी डोरी काट डाली ।।
sañjaya uvāca | atha tasya śaraughaiḥ pārthaḥ karṇaṃ samantataḥ āvṛṇot; sa cāpi satataṃ śarān prāhiṇot | tataḥ karṇaḥ tīkṣṇaiḥ śitaiḥ śaraiḥ pārthasya dhanurjyāṃ ciccheda || dvitīyāṃ ca tṛtīyāṃ ca caturthīṃ pañcamīṃ tathā | ṣaṣṭhīm athāsya ciccheda saptamīṃ ca tathāṣṭamīm ||
Sañjaya said: Then Arjuna, showering volleys of arrows, completely covered Karṇa. Even so, Karṇa continued striking without pause. Thereupon Karṇa, with keen and sharpened shafts, cut Arjuna’s bowstring. In sequence he severed the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, the sixth, the seventh, and the eighth bowstrings as well—displaying relentless martial skill amid the fierce contest.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights steadfastness and technical mastery in the performance of one’s warrior-duty (kṣatriya-dharma): even when overwhelmed, Karṇa persists, and the contest turns on disciplined skill rather than mere force.
Arjuna blankets Karṇa with a dense arrow-shower; Karṇa continues returning fire and then repeatedly cuts Arjuna’s bowstring—second through eighth—showing rapid, successive disruption of Arjuna’s weapon in the duel.