Shloka 38
कृष्णोपदेशः, अर्जुनस्य क्षमा-याचनम्, कर्णवध-अनुज्ञा
Krishna’s Counsel, Arjuna’s Apology, and Authorization for Karṇa’s Slaying
स तेनातिप्रहारेण व्यथितो विह्वलजन्निव
sa tenātiprahāreṇa vyathito vihvalajan niva
Sañjaya said: Struck by that exceedingly powerful blow, he was shaken with pain and, as if his senses were overwhelmed, became unsteady and confused on the battlefield.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even the mightiest warrior can be destabilized by the force of consequences in war; the verse underscores the fragility of embodied strength and the ethical weight of violent action, where a single overpowering strike can reduce a combatant to confusion and suffering.
Sañjaya describes a combatant who, after receiving a very powerful blow, becomes pained and unsteady—appearing like someone whose senses are overwhelmed—indicating a turning point in the immediate exchange of strikes.