Shloka 89
स हत्वा राक्षसीं सेनां शुशुभे सूतनन्दन: । पुरेव त्रिपुरं दग्ध्वा दिवि देवो महेश्वर:,जैसे पूर्वकालमें भगवान् महेश्वर आकाशमें त्रिपुरासुरका दाह करके सुशोभित हुए थे, उसी प्रकार उस राक्षस-सेनाका संहार करके सूतनन्दन कर्ण बड़ी शोभा पाने लगा
sa hatvā rākṣasīṃ senāṃ śuśubhe sūtanandanaḥ | pureva tripuraṃ dagdhvā divi devo maheśvaraḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Having slain the rākṣasa host, Karṇa—the charioteer’s son—shone with renewed splendor, just as in former times Lord Maheśvara shone in the heavens after burning the Triple City (Tripura). The verse frames Karṇa’s battlefield prowess through a divine analogy, highlighting the awe and moral gravity of destructive power when directed toward the defeat of a formidable, unrighteous force.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how extraordinary martial power, when portrayed as overcoming a fearsome and ‘demonic’ force, is interpreted through a sacred lens: Karṇa’s victory is elevated by comparison to Śiva’s cosmic act of burning Tripura, suggesting that the defeat of destructive forces can be seen as restoring order and inspiring awe.
Sañjaya reports that Karṇa has destroyed a rākṣasa-like army and now appears radiant on the battlefield; the narrator intensifies the scene by likening Karṇa’s splendor after the slaughter to Śiva’s splendor after incinerating Tripura in the heavens.