Shloka 19
Chapter 136: Pandava Counter-Encirclement and the Vāyavya-Astra Disruption
वायुपुत्र: प्रहष्टे> भूत् सक्किणी परिसंलिहन् । भरतनन्दन! दुर्योधनकी यह बात सुनकर दुर्मुख बड़ी उतावलीके साथ कर्णके समीप आ पहुँचा और भीमसेनको अपने बाणोंद्वारा रोका। संग्राममें सूतपुत्रके चरणोंका अनुसरण करनेवाले दुर्मुखको देखकर वायुपुत्र भीमसेन बड़े प्रसन्न हुए। वे अपने दोनों गलफर चाटने लगे |। तत: कर्ण महाराज वारयित्वा शिलीमुखै:
vāyuputraḥ prahṛṣṭo 'bhūt sakkiṇī pariṃlihan | bharatanandana duryodhanakī yaha bāta sunkar durmukha baṛī utāvalī ke sātha karṇake samīpa ā pahū̃cā aur bhīmasenako apne bāṇoṃ dvārā rokā | saṃgrāmameṃ sūtaputrake caraṇoṃkā anusaraṇa karanevāle durmukhako dekhkar vāyuputra bhīmasena baṛe prasanna hue | ve apne donoṃ galaphar cāṭne lage | tataḥ karṇa mahārāja vārayitvā śilīmukhaiḥ ||
Putra Vayu, Bhīma, bersukacita dan menjilat kedua sudut bibirnya. Wahai keturunan Bharata, mendengar ucapan Duryodhana, Durmukha bergegas mendekati Karṇa dan menahan Bhīmasena dengan anak panahnya. Melihat Durmukha—yang di medan laga mengikuti jejak putra sais (Karṇa)—Bhīma yang lahir dari Vayu makin girang, seakan haus pertempuran, lalu menjilat kedua sudut bibirnya. Kemudian Raja Karṇa, setelah menahan (lawan) dengan anak panah tajam, melanjutkan pertempuran.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights the battlefield ethic of steadfast loyalty and the psychological dimension of war: followers rally to a leader (Durmukha to Karna), while a formidable warrior (Bhima) reads such moves as a challenge and responds with heightened resolve. It implicitly contrasts devotion to a commander with the escalating cycle of provocation and retaliation.
After Duryodhana speaks, Durmukha rushes to Karna and uses arrows to check Bhima’s advance. Bhima, seeing Durmukha acting as Karna’s adherent in battle, becomes pleased—eager for combat—and licks his lips. Karna then restrains the opponent with sharp arrows as the fight continues.