Shloka 23
कर्णभीमयुद्धम्
Karna–Bhīma Combat Report
अथीनं छिन्नधन्वानं त्वरमाणो महारथ: । शरैरनेकसाहसी: पूरयामास सर्वतः,धनुष काट देनेके पश्चात् महारथी द्रोणाचार्यने बड़ी उतावलीके साथ कई हजार बाणोंकी वर्षा करके उन्हें सब ओरसे ढक दिया
athainaṃ chinnadhanvānaṃ tvaramāṇo mahārathaḥ | śarair anekasāhasīḥ pūrayāmāsa sarvataḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Then the great chariot-warrior, acting in haste, showered him—now deprived of his bow—with countless shafts, filling and covering him from every side. The scene underscores the ruthless momentum of battle, where advantage is pressed immediately and the fallen are given little respite.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how quickly advantage is exploited in war: once an opponent is disarmed, the attacker intensifies pressure. Ethically, it reflects the harsh reality of kṣatriya warfare, where compassion is often overridden by strategic urgency and the drive to secure victory.
Sañjaya describes a great warrior rapidly pelting a foe whose bow has been cut, surrounding him with a dense rain of arrows from all directions, effectively covering and overwhelming him.