Shloka 48
एष कर्णों महेष्वासो मतिमान् दृढविक्रम: । पाण्डवानामनीकेषु निहन्ति क्षत्रियर्षभान्
eṣa karṇo maheṣvāso matimān dṛḍha-vikramaḥ | pāṇḍavānām anīkeṣu nihanti kṣatriyarṣabhān ||
Vāyu said: “This Karṇa—an archer of mighty bow, intelligent and of unshakable valor—cuts down the bull-like heroes among the Kṣatriyas within the battle-formations of the Pāṇḍavas.” The line underscores the grim momentum of war: prowess and resolve, when yoked to hostility, become instruments of mass destruction, testing the moral endurance of all who witness it.
श्रीवायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how exceptional qualities—strength, skill, and intelligence—can serve either protection or devastation depending on one’s alignment in conflict. In the dharmic frame of the Mahābhārata, martial excellence is not morally neutral in its outcomes; it intensifies the ethical weight of one’s choices and alliances.
Vāyu points out Karṇa on the battlefield, describing him as a formidable archer who is actively cutting down leading Kṣatriya warriors within the Pāṇḍava forces. It is a report of Karṇa’s dominance and the heavy losses being inflicted in the ongoing battle.