Shloka 22
धृतराष्ट्र–संजय संवादः: कर्ण–घटोत्कचयोर्निशायुद्धवर्णनम्
Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Sañjaya Dialogue: Description of the Night Engagement of Karṇa and Ghaṭotkaca
अर्जुनेन प्रतिज्ञाते वधे कर्णसुतस्य तु
arjunena pratijñāte vadhe karṇasutasya tu
Ketika Arjuna telah mengikrarkan sumpah untuk menewaskan putra Karṇa, arus pertempuran pun sarat oleh bobot dharma dari janji seorang ksatria.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the ethical gravity of a kṣatriya’s pratijñā (solemn vow): once publicly undertaken, it becomes a binding commitment tied to honor and dharma, even when it leads into harsh and tragic consequences on the battlefield.
Sañjaya reports a turning point in the battle narrative: Arjuna has vowed to kill Karṇa’s son, and this vow sets the immediate martial objective and heightens the stakes for both sides, shaping subsequent actions and confrontations.