Shloka 523
Cakravyūha-saṃkalpaḥ, Saṃśaptaka-āhvānaṃ, Saubhadra-vikrīḍitam
Drona Parva, Adhyāya 32
प्रादुश्चक्रे तदाग्नेयमस्त्रमस्त्रविदां वर: । उस समय अस्त्रवेत्ताओंमें श्रेष्ठ, भरतवंशियोंके श्रेष्ठ महारथी तथा सम्पूर्ण भारतीय सेनाका हर्ष बढ़ानेवाले कर्णने आग्नेयास्त्र प्रकट किया
sañjaya uvāca |
prāduścakre tadāgneyaṁ astram astravidāṁ varaḥ |
Saat itu Karṇa, yang terunggul di antara para ahli senjata dan pengobar semangat pasukan Bharata, menampakkan senjata api (Agneya-astra).
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how mastery of power (astra-vidyā) can intensify conflict: the ethical tension lies in choosing escalation through destructive weapons versus restraint aligned with dharma, especially when armies are inflamed by displays of might.
Sanjaya narrates that, at that moment in the battle, a supreme weapon-expert brings forth the Agneya (fire) weapon. In the surrounding narrative context of Droṇa Parva, this is understood as Karṇa’s deployment of a formidable astric force to press the Kaurava advantage and energize their troops.