Shloka 10
कर्णभीमयुद्धम्
Karna–Bhīma Combat Report
तमापतन्तं सहसा व्यादितास्यमिवान्तकम् | वीरधन्वा महेष्वासस्त्वरमाण: समभ्ययात्,मुँह बाये हुए कालके समान सहसा आक्रमण करनेवाले धृष्टकेतुका सामना करनेके लिये महाधनुर्धर वीरधन्वा बड़े वेगसे आ पहुँचे
tam āpatantaṃ sahasā vyāditāsyam ivāntakam | vīradhanvas tvaramāṇaḥ samabhyayāt ||
Sañjaya said: Seeing him rushing in suddenly—like Death itself with gaping jaws—Vīradhvan, the great archer, hurried forward at speed to confront the oncoming attacker. The scene underscores the relentless, death-haunted momentum of battle, where courage and duty drive warriors to meet peril head-on.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of meeting danger directly: even when the opponent appears like Death itself, a warrior bound by duty advances without hesitation. It also reminds the listener of mortality’s constant presence in war, sharpening the ethical weight of choosing and performing one’s role.
In Sañjaya’s battlefield report, an enemy warrior charges fiercely, compared to Death with open jaws. In response, Vīradhvan, renowned as a great archer, rushes forward quickly to face and counter that assault.