Shloka 25
ते कर्णमासाद्य महाप्रभावा: सुतेजना गार्ध्रपत्रा: सुवेगा: । गात्रेषु सर्वेषु हयेषु चापि शरासने युगचक्रे ध्वजे च
te karṇam āsādya mahāprabhāvāḥ sutejanā gārdhrapatrāḥ suvegāḥ | gātreṣu sarveṣu hayeṣu cāpi śarāsane yugacakre dhvaje ca ||
Sañjaya dit : Ces flèches—puissantes dans leur effet, au tranchant aigu, empennées de plumes de vautour et d’une vitesse extrême—atteignirent Karṇa et le frappèrent partout : dans tous ses membres, dans ses chevaux aussi, et dans son arc ; elles se fichèrent encore dans le joug, les roues et l’étendard de son char.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, in war, force and skill can dismantle not only a warrior’s body but also the supports of his power—horses, bow, and chariot. Ethically, it points to the fragility of martial agency and the grave, cascading consequences of choosing the battlefield as the arena for resolving conflict.
Sañjaya describes a volley of exceptionally swift, sharp arrows reaching Karṇa and embedding in his limbs and equipment. The attack also strikes his horses and damages key chariot components—yoke, wheels, and banner—depicting Karṇa being heavily pressured and his mobility and combat capacity being threatened.