Shloka 20
तत् समीक्ष्य ततः कर्णों ब्रह्मास्त्रेण धनंजयम् | अभ्यवर्षत् पुनर्यत्नमकरोद् रथसर्जने,यह देख कर्णने अर्जुनपर ब्रह्मास्त्रका प्रयोग करके बाणोंकी झड़ी लगा दी और पुनः रथको उठानेका प्रयत्न किया
tat samīkṣya tataḥ karṇo brahmāstreṇa dhanañjayam | abhyavarṣat punar yatnam akarod rathasarjane ||
Sañjaya said: Seeing that situation, Karṇa again showered Dhanañjaya (Arjuna) with a rain of arrows by employing the Brahmāstra. Even while pressing the attack, he once more strove to free and raise his chariot—revealing the grim ethic of the battlefield, where a warrior must simultaneously uphold resolve under adversity and pursue victory through the most formidable means at hand.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the battlefield ethic of sustained resolve: even amid setbacks (a chariot needing to be freed), a warrior continues his duty with focused effort, combining immediate practical action with the strategic use of powerful resources—raising questions about proportionality and responsibility in deploying supreme weapons.
Sañjaya reports that Karṇa, after assessing the moment, attacks Arjuna by invoking the Brahmāstra and showering him with arrows, while simultaneously attempting again to extricate and lift his chariot.