Shloka 52
तदस्य हत्वा विरराज कर्णो मुक्त्वा शरान् मेघ इवाम्बुधारा: । समीक्ष्य कर्णेन किरीटिनस्तु तथा55जिमध्ये निहतं तदस्त्रम्
tadasya hatvā virarāja karṇo muktvā śarān megha ivāmbudhārāḥ | samīkṣya karṇena kirīṭinastu tathā yuddhamadhye nihataṃ tad astram ||
Sañjaya dit : Après avoir anéanti cette (arme/mesure) de son adversaire, Karṇa resplendit, décochant des flèches comme un nuage qui déverse des nappes de pluie. Voyant que son propre trait avait ainsi été détruit par Karṇa au cœur du combat, Arjuna au diadème se trouva confronté à la prouesse de Karṇa. La scène montre comment l’éclat guerrier et la résolution peuvent renverser les stratagèmes les plus redoutables, tandis que les héros demeurent liés à leurs devoirs sous le poids moral d’une guerre entre parents.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in a morally fraught war, warriors act within the constraints of their chosen duty (kṣatriya-dharma). The verse highlights steadfast effort and skill: a powerful opponent’s weapon can be neutralized through resolve and mastery, reminding readers that outcomes hinge on both capability and the relentless momentum of action.
Karna destroys a weapon/missile deployed by Arjuna and then unleashes a dense volley of arrows, compared to rain from a cloud. Arjuna, identified as the diademed Kirīṭin, sees his weapon neutralized in the thick of battle, marking a moment of Karna’s ascendancy in the duel.