Shloka 78
यथोग्ररश्मि: शुचिशुक्रम ध्यग: सुखं विवस्वान् हरते जलौघान् | तथार्जुनो बाणगणान् निरस्य ददाह सेनां तव पार्थिवेन्द्र,राजेन्द्र! जैसे ज्येष्ठ और आषाढ़के मध्यवर्ती प्रचण्ड किरणोंवाले सूर्यदेव धरतीके जलसमूहोंको अनायास ही सोख लेते हैं, उसी प्रकार अर्जुन अपने बाणसमूहोंका प्रहार करके आपकी सेनाको भस्म करने लगे
yathogra-raśmiḥ śuci-śukra-madhyagaḥ sukhaṁ vivasvān harate jalaughān | tathārjuno bāṇa-gaṇān nirasyā dadāha senāṁ tava pārthivendra rājendra ||
Wahai raja di atas para raja! Seperti matahari pada musim terang di pertengahan Jyeṣṭha dan Āṣāḍha, dengan sinar yang garang, tanpa susah payah menyerap kumpulan air dari bumi, demikian pula Arjuna—menghamburkan rentetan panah—mulai membakar bala tentaramu hingga menjadi abu.
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the overwhelming, seemingly unstoppable momentum of martial power in war: when a great force is unleashed, it can operate with the inevitability of nature. Ethically, it also hints at the tragedy of battle—human lives and armies can be consumed as effortlessly as the sun dries up waters—inviting reflection on the cost of kṣatriya violence even when pursued as duty.
Karna describes to his king (addressed as ‘pārthivendra, rājendra’) how Arjuna is attacking: Arjuna releases dense volleys of arrows and is burning/annihilating the opposing army. Karna uses a simile of the blazing sun in mid-season drawing up water to convey the ease and intensity of Arjuna’s destruction.