Shloka 433
द्रौणि-पार्षतयोर्युद्धम् | The Duel of Aśvatthāmā
Drauṇi) and Dhṛṣṭadyumna (Pārṣata
समाचिनोद् बाणगणै: शतघ्नीभिश्न शड्कुभि: । इस प्रकार अपने अत्यन्त वैरी कर्णको रथहीन करके मुसकराते हुए भीमसेनने उसे बाणसमूहों, शतप्नियों और शंकुओंसे आच्छादित कर दिया
samācinod bāṇagaṇaiḥ śataghnībhiś ca śaṅkubhiḥ |
Sañjaya dit : Bhīmasena, après avoir privé son ennemi juré Karṇa de son char, et souriant même en le faisant, le recouvrit de volées de flèches, de śataghnīs et de śaṅkus, pressant l’assaut sans répit dans l’élan impitoyable de la bataille.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the grim ethical tension of war: even great heroes may press advantage relentlessly once combat is joined. It reflects the Mahābhārata’s recurring concern with how kṣatriya-duty and personal enmity can harden the heart, making victory pursued not only as strategy but also as a display of dominance.
Sañjaya reports that Bhīma has forced Karṇa into a vulnerable state—without his chariot—and then showers him with dense volleys of weapons (arrows and heavy missiles), effectively blanketing him under sustained attack.