Shloka 35
Adhyāya 40 (Book 7, Droṇa-parva): Abhimanyu’s Rapid Advance and Battlefield Disruption
ततो मुहूर्तात् कर्णस्य बाणेनैकेन वीर्यवान्
tato muhūrtāt karṇasya bāṇenaikena vīryavān
Lalu, dalam sekejap, sang kesatria perkasa itu roboh oleh satu anak panah Karna—seakan dalam perhitungan perang yang kejam, kepahlawanan dan takdir berbalik dalam seketika, dan satu proyektil menentukan apa yang tak mampu ditentukan oleh bala tentara.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The line underscores the fragility of embodied life in war: even the mighty can fall in a moment. Ethically, it highlights the grave weight of martial action—skill and valor operate within a field where consequences are immediate and irreversible.
Sañjaya reports that, after a short interval, a valiant warrior is brought down by Karṇa with a single arrow, emphasizing Karṇa’s lethal effectiveness and the swift reversals typical of the Kurukṣetra battle.