Shloka 19
Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 20 — Yudhiṣṭhira–Duryodhana Encounter and Escalation of Arms
योधमुख्या महावीर्या: पाण्डूनां कर्णमाहवे । शीघ्रास्त्रास्तूर्णमावृत्य परिवद्रु: समन््ततः,तब समरांगणमें पाण्डवदलके शीघ्रतापूर्वक अस्त्र चलानेवाले महापराक्रमी प्रधान- प्रधान योद्धाओंने तुरंत आकर कर्णको चारों ओरसे घेर लिया
yodhamukhyā mahāvīryāḥ pāṇḍūnāṃ karṇam āhave | śīghrāstrās tūrṇam āvṛtya parivavruḥ samantataḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Then, on the battlefield, the foremost warriors of the Pāṇḍavas—men of great valor and swift in the discharge of weapons—rushed in at once and surrounded Karṇa on every side. The scene underscores the relentless pressure of war, where even a single champion is met not only by individual prowess but by coordinated force and tactical encirclement.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a battlefield ethic where victory depends not only on individual heroism but also on disciplined coordination and tactical unity; it reflects the harsh reality of kṣatriya-dharma in which even renowned champions must face collective opposition.
Sañjaya reports that the Pāṇḍavas’ leading, highly skilled warriors swiftly advance and form an encirclement around Karṇa, pressing him from all directions in the ongoing combat.