Shloka 48
कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ५७
Arjuna’s targeted advance; Śalya–Karṇa dialogue; interception attempts
अन्तकप्रतिमो वेगे शक्रतुल्यपराक्रम: । असौ गच्छति कौरव्य द्रौणि: शस्त्रभूतां वर:,“कुरुनन्दन! जो वेगमें यमराज और पराक्रममें इन्द्रके समान है, वह शस्त्रधारियोंमें श्रेष्ठ अश्वृत्थामा उधर ही जा रहा है
antakapratimo vege śakratulyaparākramaḥ | asau gacchati kauravya drauṇiḥ śastrabhūtāṁ varaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “O scion of the Kuru line, that Aśvatthāmā—Drona’s son—who in speed is like Antaka (Death) and in prowess equal to Śakra (Indra), the foremost among weapon-bearers, is moving in that direction.” The line underscores how, in war, extraordinary martial power can appear almost cosmic in scale—yet it also hints at the grave ethical weight such power carries when unleashed.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the awe-inspiring scale of martial capability in the epic—speed likened to Death and prowess to Indra—while implicitly reminding that such power in war is morally consequential: greatness in force does not automatically equate to righteousness in use.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Aśvatthāmā, famed as the foremost among armed warriors, is heading toward a particular direction on the battlefield, emphasizing his terrifying momentum and formidable strength.