Shloka 26
Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 54 — Missile-Exchange and Tactical Redirection
Arjuna, Aśvatthāman, Karṇa
ततस्त्वभूद् वै तलतालशब्द: सशड्रभेरीपणवप्रणाद: । प्रक्षेडितज्यातलनि:स्वनं तं वैकर्तनं पूजयतां कुरूणाम्
tatas tv abhūd vai talatālaśabdaḥ saśaṅkhabherīpaṇavapraṇādaḥ | prakṣeditajyātalaniḥsvanaṃ taṃ vaikartanaṃ pūjayatāṃ kurūṇām ||
Vaiśampāyana dit : Alors s’éleva un tonnerre d’applaudissements et d’acclamations, mêlé au son des conques, au fracas des timbales et au grondement profond des tambours paṇava. Et tandis que Vaikartana (Karṇa) bandait et relâchait sans cesse la corde de son arc, sa vibration retentissante se répandait dans les rangs des Kaurava qui l’honoraient et l’exaltaient.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how public acclaim and martial spectacle can amplify collective confidence and aggression. Ethically, it invites reflection on how crowds and praise can intensify the momentum toward conflict, sometimes eclipsing sober discernment (dharma-vicāra).
In the Kaurava camp, Karṇa repeatedly draws his bowstring to produce a loud twang, and the Kauravas celebrate him. The scene is filled with applause, conches, and drums—signaling readiness for battle and rallying the troops around Karṇa’s prowess.