Shloka 48
कर्णपर्व — पञ्चदशोऽध्यायः | Karṇa Parva, Chapter 15: Pāṇḍya’s Advance and Aśvatthāmā’s Counterstroke
पुन्द्रौर्णि महाशैलं नाराचैर्वज्संनिभै: । निर्बिभेद महावेगैस्त्वरन् वज्रीव पर्वतम्
puṇḍrauṇi mahāśailaṃ nārācair vajrasaṃnibhaiḥ | nirbibheda mahāvegais tvaran vajrīva parvatam ||
Sañjaya dijo: Con gran velocidad, atravesó el cuerpo macizo de Puṇḍra, semejante a una montaña, con flechas nārāca afiladas, duras como el rayo de Indra; velozmente, como si el propio Indra, portador del rayo, hendiera un monte.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, in the chaos of war, even what seems immovable (‘mountain-like’) can be shattered by concentrated force and skill. It implicitly cautions that physical might and steadfastness are not absolute protections when adharma-driven conflict escalates into overwhelming violence.
Sañjaya narrates a battlefield moment where a warrior (implied by context) rapidly strikes Puṇḍra with powerful nārāca arrows, comparing the action to Indra cleaving a mountain with the vajra.