Shloka 37
Adhyāya 36: Ghora-yuddha-varṇanam
A Clinical Description of the Intensified Engagement
स्मरसि ननु यदा परैह्तः स च धृतराष्ट्रसुतो5पि मोक्षित: । दिनकरसदूृशै: शरोत्तमैर्युधा कुरुषु बहून् विनिहत्य तानरीन्
smarasi nanu yadā parāhṛtaḥ sa ca dhṛtarāṣṭrasuto 'pi mokṣitaḥ | dinakarasadṛśaiḥ śarottamair yudhā kuruṣu bahūn vinihatya tān arīn, karṇa |
Wahai Karṇa, apakah engkau ingat peristiwa ketika putra Dhṛtarāṣṭra diculik oleh musuh, lalu dibebaskan? Saat itu Arjuna, dengan panah-panah unggul yang menyala laksana sinar matahari, menewaskan banyak lawan dalam pertempuran dan melepaskan sang pangeran dari tawanan.
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
Śalya underscores an ethical point through a historical reminder: one should acknowledge proven merit and benefaction. Arjuna’s earlier act of freeing Duryodhana demonstrates both capability and a deed that ought to be remembered with honesty rather than dismissed in pride or rivalry.
In the Karṇa–Śalya dialogue, Śalya needles and admonishes Karṇa by recalling the Ghoṣa-yātrā incident: Duryodhana was seized by enemies (Gandharvas), and Arjuna fought them with brilliant arrows and released him. Śalya uses this to highlight Arjuna’s strength and to unsettle Karṇa’s confidence.