Shloka 74
प्रपातैरायुधान्युग्राण्युद्वहन्तं न चुक्षुभे । स्मयन्निव तत: कर्णो दिव्यमस्त्रमुदैरयत्,घटोत्कचको अंजनराशिके समान काला पर्वत बनकर अपने झरनोंद्वारा भयंकर अस्त्र- शस्त्रोंको प्रवाहित करते देखकर भी कर्णके मनमें तनिक भी क्षोभ नहीं हुआ। उसने मुसकराते हुए-से अपना दिव्यास्त्र प्रकट किया
prapātair āyudhāny ugrāṇy udvahantaṃ na cukṣubhe | smayann iva tataḥ karṇo divyam astram udairayat |
Sañjaya said: Even on seeing Ghaṭotkaca—like a dark mountain, hurling down torrents of dreadful weapons—Karna’s mind did not waver in the least. Rather, as though smiling, Karna brought forth and set in motion his divine missile, meeting overwhelming force with unwavering resolve and mastery of arms.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights steadiness of mind under extreme pressure: a warrior’s composure and trained resolve can remain unshaken even amid terrifying displays of force. It also points to the ethical tension of war—calm mastery can enable escalation through the use of powerful, even divine, weapons.
Ghaṭotkaca is depicted as unleashing torrents of dreadful weapons like a dark mountain with cascading streams. Karna, undisturbed and seemingly smiling, responds by deploying a divine missile (divyāstra), signaling a decisive and intensified phase of the combat.