Shloka 296
कर्णस्यासीन्महीपाल सव्यदक्षिणमस्यत: । भूपाल! दायें-बायें बाण चलाते हुए कर्णका मण्डलाकार धनुष अग्निचक्रके समान भयंकर प्रतीत होता था
karṇasyāsīn mahīpāla savyadakṣiṇam asyataḥ | bhūpāla! dāyeṃ-bāyeṃ bāṇa calāte hue karṇakā maṇḍalākāra dhanuṣ agnicakre ke samān bhayaṅkara pratīta hotā thā |
Sanjaya said: O king, as Karna shot arrows with both his left and right hands, his bow—sweeping in a circular arc—appeared terrifying, like a blazing wheel of fire. The scene underscores how martial excellence, when driven by wrath and rivalry, becomes an awe-inspiring yet fearsome instrument of destruction on the battlefield.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the double-edged nature of extraordinary skill: prowess can inspire awe, yet in war it also magnifies harm. It invites reflection on how power and talent should be governed by dharma and restraint, not merely by rivalry or anger.
Sanjaya describes Karna’s rapid, ambidextrous archery. As he releases arrows to the left and right, the bow’s circular motion looks like a terrifying fiery wheel, emphasizing the intensity of the battle and Karna’s formidable presence.