Shloka 323
Droṇasya raudra-prayogaḥ
Droṇa’s intensified assault and the Pāṇḍava response
अवेक्षेतां तदान्योन्यं समरे कर्णपाण्डवौ | राजन्! आपकी सेनाके प्रमुख भागमें कर्ण और शत्रुओंकी सेनाके अग्रभागमें अर्जुन खड़े थे। वे दोनों उस समय विजयके लिये रोषावेशमें भरकर एक-दूसरेका वध करनेकी इच्छासे रणक्षेत्रमें परस्पर दृष्टिपात करने लगे
avekṣetāṃ tadānyonyaṃ samare karṇapāṇḍavau |
Lalu, di tengah pertempuran, Karṇa dan sang Pāṇḍava (Arjuna) saling menatap. Wahai Raja, Karṇa berdiri di barisan depan pasukanmu, sedangkan Arjuna berada di muka pasukan lawan. Dikuasai amarah demi kemenangan, masing-masing menginginkan kematian yang lain, dan di medan laga mereka mengunci pandang satu sama lain.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how wrath and the thirst for victory can dominate a warrior’s mind, turning a duty-bound battle into a personal vendetta. It invites reflection on the ethical tension between kṣatriya-duty (fighting when required) and the moral danger of being driven by anger and the desire to kill.
Sañjaya describes a charged face-off: Karṇa stands among the foremost leaders of the Kaurava force, while Arjuna stands at the head of the opposing army. They glare at each other on the battlefield, each intent on slaying the other, signaling an imminent and decisive clash.