Shloka 44
एवमुक्क्त्वा ततः प्रायात् कर्ण प्रति नरेश्वर । किरन् शरगणांस्तीक्ष्णान् रुषितो रणमूर्थनि,'तू तबतक यहाँ प्रसन्नतापूर्वक खड़ा रह, जबतक कि मैं कर्णका वध नहीं कर लेता।' नरेश्वर! ऐसा कहकर क्रोधमें भरा हुआ घटोत्कच तीखे बाणसमूहोंकी वर्षा करता हुआ युद्धके मुहानेपर कर्णके पास चला गया
evam uktvā tataḥ prāyāt karṇaṃ prati nareśvara | kiran śaragaṇāṃs tīkṣṇān ruṣito raṇamūrdhani ||
Sañjaya said: “Having spoken thus, O king, Ghaṭotkaca advanced toward Karṇa. Enraged at the very forefront of the battle, he moved against him while showering volleys of sharp arrows.” The verse underscores the escalating moral tension of war: a vow of decisive violence is immediately enacted, and wrath becomes the driving force that propels a warrior into direct confrontation.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how intention and emotion—especially wrath—translate immediately into action in war. It implicitly warns that once anger governs a warrior, the conflict intensifies and ethical restraint becomes harder to maintain, even when one believes one is acting within kṣatriya duty.
After declaring his intent to kill Karṇa, Ghaṭotkaca advances straight toward him at the battle’s forefront, releasing a fierce shower of sharp arrows. Sañjaya reports this to the king as the confrontation between Ghaṭotkaca and Karṇa begins to peak.