Shloka 18
Chapter 136: Pandava Counter-Encirclement and the Vāyavya-Astra Disruption
त्वरमाणो< भ्ययात् कर्ण भीम॑ चावारयच्छरै: । दुर्मुखं प्रेक्ष्य संग्रामे सूतपुत्रपदानुगम्
sañjaya uvāca | tvaramāṇo 'bhyayāt karṇaḥ bhīmaṃ cāvārayac charaiḥ | durmukhaṃ prekṣya saṅgrāme sūtaputrapadānugam ||
Sañjaya said: Hastening forward, Karṇa advanced and checked Bhīma with volleys of arrows. Seeing Durmukha on the battlefield following in the footsteps of the charioteer’s son (Karṇa), he pressed on—an image of martial loyalty and emulation amid the moral turbulence of war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights battlefield dharma as expressed through decisive action and leadership: a powerful warrior restrains an opponent, while another fighter models himself on that leader. Ethically, it points to how allegiance and imitation operate in war—courage and loyalty can be admirable, yet they also bind individuals to the larger moral consequences of the side they serve.
In the Drona Parva battle sequence, Karna quickly charges and halts Bhima’s advance by showering him with arrows. Durmukha is seen in the fight following Karna’s lead—moving as his adherent and imitator on the field.