Shloka 55
अजिशीर्षे प्रातःसंध्यायां संग्रामवर्णनम् / Dawn-Transition Battle at Ajiśīrṣa
Chapter 161
तस्मै बाणान् शिलाधौतान प्रसन्नाग्रानजिद्दागान् । प्राहिणोत् सूतपुत्राय त्रिशतं शत्रुतापन:,शत्रुओंको संताप देनेवाले महाबली अर्जुन कर्णकी इस फुर्तीको न सह सके। उन्होंने सूतपुत्र कर्णजो शिलापर तेज किये हुए स्वच्छ अग्रभागवाले तीन सौ बाण मारे
sañjaya uvāca |
tasmai bāṇān śilādhautān prasannāgrān ajihmagān |
prāhiṇot sūtaputrāya triśataṁ śatrutāpanaḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: Tak sanggup menahan kelincahan itu, Arjuna sang pembakar musuh mengirim kepada Karna, putra sais, tiga ratus anak-panah—diasah dan dipoles di batu, berujung terang, melesat lurus. Demikianlah pertempuran terus meningkat: daya dijawab dengan daya yang lebih besar.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya battlefield ethic: when challenged, a warrior responds with disciplined, intensified effort. It also hints at the moral tension of war—skill and determination can magnify destruction even when performed as ‘duty’.
In the midst of the Arjuna–Karṇa encounter, Arjuna (described as ‘scorcher of enemies’) counters Karṇa by releasing a concentrated volley of three hundred straight-flying, stone-polished, bright-tipped arrows.