Shloka 3
वृतः सैन्येन महता याहि यत्र महाबल:,अभियाति द्रुतं कर्ण तद् वारय महारथम् । संजय कहते हैं--राजन! युद्धस्थलमें इस प्रकार कर्णका वध करनेकी इच्छासे उद्यत हुए घटोत्कचको सूतपुत्रके रथकी ओर आते देख आपके पुत्र दुर्योधनने दःशासनसे इस प्रकार कहा--'भाई! यह राक्षस रणभूमिमें कर्णका वेगपूर्वक पराक्रम देखकर तीव्र गतिसे उसपर आक्रमण कर रहा है; अतः उस महारथी घटोत्कचको रोको
sañjaya uvāca—vṛtaḥ sainyena mahatā yāhi yatra mahābalaḥ, abhiyāti drutaṃ karṇa tad vārayā mahāratham.
Sañjaya said: “Surrounded by a great host, go to the place where that mighty warrior is rushing swiftly toward Karṇa. Restrain that great chariot-fighter.” (In context, Duryodhana, seeing Ghaṭotkaca advancing with the intent to slay Karṇa, urges that he be checked—highlighting the battlefield ethic of protecting a key ally and preventing a decisive, potentially unfairly overwhelming assault.)
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
In the midst of war, leaders prioritize the protection of pivotal allies and issue swift, targeted commands; the verse reflects the kṣatriya ethic of shielding one’s side from a decisive threat and responding promptly to imminent danger.
Ghaṭotkaca, intent on killing Karṇa, rushes toward him. Observing this, Duryodhana instructs that the attacker be stopped—framed here through Sañjaya’s report and the imperative to restrain the ‘great chariot-warrior.’