Shloka 26
Śalya’s Objection to Sārathya and Duryodhana’s Conciliation (शल्यमन्यु-प्रशमनम् / Sārathyāṅgīkāra)
कर्णचापच्युतैर्बाणै्व ध्यमानास्तु सोमका: । अवालीयन्त राजेन्द्र वेदनार्ता भृशार्दिता:,राजेन्द्र! कर्णके धनुषसे छूटे हुए बाणोंकी मार खाकर सोमक-योद्धा वेदनासे कराह उठे और अत्यन्त पीड़ित हो इधर-उधर छिपने लगे
karṇacāpacyutair bāṇair vidhyamānās tu somakāḥ | avālīyanta rājendra vedanārtā bhṛśārditāḥ ||
Sañjaya dit : Frappés par les flèches décochées de l’arc de Karṇa, les guerriers somakas—se tordant de douleur, cruellement atteints—rompirent les rangs et se dispersèrent de tous côtés, cherchant un abri, ô roi.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the human cost of war: even trained warriors, when overwhelmed by pain and fear, abandon formation and seek safety. It implicitly cautions that battlefield glory is inseparable from suffering, and that skill in arms can rapidly turn the tide by breaking morale.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Karṇa’s arrows are striking the Somaka fighters so severely that they cry out in pain, become greatly distressed, and scatter in different directions, trying to hide or find cover.