Shloka 65
उपर्युपरि सैन्यानामस्य शत्रोस्तदञ्जसा । शिर: कर्णस्य सोत्सेधमिषु: सो<5प्यहरद् द्रुतम्,उस बाणने सारी सेनाके ऊपर-ऊपर जाकर अर्जुनके शत्रुभूत कर्णके शरीरसहित मस्तकको वेगपूर्वक अनायास ही काट डाला था
uparyupari sainyānām asya śatros tad añjasā | śiraḥ karṇasya sotsedham iṣuḥ so 'py aharad drutam ||
Sañjaya said: That arrow, flying swiftly over and above the ranks of the army, effortlessly struck down Karṇa—Arjuna’s formidable foe—severing his head together with its crest in a single, rapid stroke.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the battlefield’s harsh moral reality: power and reputation do not guarantee safety. When conditions ripen—through destiny, prior actions, and immediate circumstance—outcomes can be sudden and irreversible, urging reflection on dharma, restraint, and the consequences of one’s choices.
Sañjaya describes a decisive arrow that passes over the massed troops and strikes Karṇa, Arjuna’s chief adversary, cutting off his head (with its crest/top portion) swiftly and with apparent ease—marking a climactic turning point in the battle.