Shloka 9
छिद्रेष्वेतेषु तं बाणैर्माद्रीपुत्रो 5 भ्यवाकिरत् । परीप्संस्त्वत्सुतं कर्णस्तदन््तरमवाप तत्,उसकी दुर्बलताके इन्हीं अवसरोंपर माद्रीकुमार सहदेव उसे बाणोंसे ढक देते थे। उस समय आपके पुत्रकी रक्षाके लिये कर्ण बीचमें कूद पड़ा
chidreṣv eteṣu taṃ bāṇair mādrīputro 'bhyavākirat | parīpsaṃs tvatsutaṃ karṇas tadantaram avāpa tat ||
Sañjaya said: “Finding those openings (in the enemy’s defence), Mādrī’s son Sahadeva showered him with arrows, as though covering him over. At that moment, Karṇa—seeking to protect your son—rushed into the gap and took that position between them.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ethic of protection and loyalty: even amid relentless attack, a warrior (Karṇa) prioritizes shielding his ally/leader (Duryodhana), accepting personal risk to uphold his chosen obligation.
Sahadeva exploits openings and overwhelms the opponent with a dense volley of arrows. Seeing Duryodhana endangered, Karṇa moves into the intervening space—physically placing himself between attacker and target—to defend him.