Shloka 18
संजय उवाच घटोत्कचं यदा कर्णो न विशेषयते नृप । ततः प्रादुश्चकारोग्रमस्त्रमस्त्रविदां वर:,संजय कहते हैं--राजन्! जब अस्त्रवेत्ताओंमें श्रेष्ठ कर्ण घटोत्कवसे अपनी विशेषता न दिखा सका, तब उसने एक भयंकर अस्त्र प्रकट किया
sañjaya uvāca ghaṭotkacaṃ yadā karṇo na viśeṣayate nṛpa | tataḥ prāduścakārograṃ astram astravidāṃ varaḥ ||
Sanjaya berkata: “Wahai Raja, ketika Karna—yang terunggul di antara para mahir senjata—tak lagi mampu menegakkan keunggulannya atas Ghaṭotkaca, maka ia pun menampakkan sebuah senjata yang mengerikan.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how battlefield pressure can drive escalation: when ordinary prowess fails, a warrior may resort to more fearsome means. It invites reflection on restraint, pride, and the ethical weight of deploying extraordinary weapons, even within the accepted framework of kṣatriya warfare.
Sanjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Karna is unable to dominate Ghaṭotkaca by his usual skill. In response, Karna reveals and prepares to use a formidable astra, marking a decisive intensification in their confrontation.