Shloka 12
Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 58 — Arjuna’s Arrow-Storm and Relief of Bhīmasena
तथैव राजन् कर्णो5पि पार्षतं शत्रुतापनम्
sañjaya uvāca | tathaiva rājan karṇo 'pi pārṣataṁ śatrutāpanam viṣadhara-sarpavat viṣaileṣubhir bāṇair āchādayām āsa | punaś ca droṇaśatruḥ mahādhanurdharaḥ dhṛṣṭadyumno 'pi karṇaṁ tīkṣṇaiḥ śaraiḥ kṣatam akarot |
Sañjaya dit : «De même, ô roi, Karṇa couvrit sur le champ de bataille Dhṛṣṭadyumna —fils de Pṛṣata, fléau des ennemis— de flèches venimeuses, tel un serpent porteur de poison. Alors Dhṛṣṭadyumna, le tueur de Droṇa et puissant archer, frappa à son tour Karṇa et le blessa de traits acérés.»
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the relentless reciprocity of violence in war: even the greatest warriors alternately overpower and are overpowered. It implicitly underscores the Mahabharata’s ethical tension—kshatriya valor and duty operate within a tragic cycle where skill and fury do not guarantee moral clarity or lasting victory.
Sanjaya reports to Dhritarashtra that Karna showers Dhrishtadyumna with venom-like arrows, overwhelming him. Immediately afterward, Dhrishtadyumna—renowned as Drona’s slayer—counterattacks and wounds Karna with sharp arrows, showing the back-and-forth intensity of the duel.