Shloka 10
Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 58 — Arjuna’s Arrow-Storm and Relief of Bhīmasena
ते वर्म हेमविकृतं भित्त्वा तस्य महात्मन: । शोणिताक्ता व्यराजन्त शक्रगोपा इवानघ
te varma hemavikṛtaṁ bhittvā tasya mahātmanaḥ | śoṇitāktā vyarājanta śakragopā ivānagha niṣpāpa nareśa |
Sañjaya dit : Ô roi sans reproche ! Ayant percé l’armure d’or finement ouvragée de ce guerrier à la grande âme, ces flèches, maculées de sang, resplendirent telles des insectes indragopa.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the paradox of war: splendour and skill coexist with suffering. Even the ‘great-souled’ are not immune to injury; martial excellence and destiny can overcome the finest protections, reminding the listener of the cost inherent in kṣatriya warfare.
Sañjaya describes arrows that have pierced a noble warrior’s golden armour (contextually identified as Dhṛṣṭadyumna). Stained with blood, the arrows gleam red, compared to indragopa insects, emphasizing both the vividness and brutality of the battlefield.