Shloka 58
इत्येवमुक्त्वार्जुन एकवीर: क्षिप्रं रिपुघ्न: क्षतजोपमाक्ष: । भीम॑ मुमुक्षु: समरे प्रयातः कर्णस्य कायाच्च शिरो जिहीर्षु:,भगवानसे ऐसा कहकर अद्वितीय वीर शत्रुसूदन अर्जुन क्रोधसे लाल आँखें किये समरभूमिमें भीमसेनको संकटसे छुड़ाने और कर्णके मस्तकको धड़से अलग करनेके लिये शीघ्रतापूर्वक वहाँसे चल दिये
sañjaya uvāca | ityevam uktvārjuna ekavīraḥ kṣipraṁ ripughnaḥ kṣatajopamākṣaḥ | bhīmaṁ mumukṣuḥ samare prayātaḥ karṇasya kāyāc ca śiro jihīrṣuḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Having spoken thus, Arjuna—the peerless hero, swift to act, slayer of foes, his eyes reddened like blood with wrath—set out at once onto the battlefield, intent on rescuing Bhīma from peril and determined to sever Karṇa’s head from his body. The verse frames Arjuna’s resolve as both protective (saving an ally) and retributive (ending a formidable adversary), revealing the ethical tension of war where duty to one’s side and the necessity of decisive violence converge.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in its stark form: swift action to protect one’s comrade and to neutralize a dangerous opponent. It also shows how intense emotion (wrath) can accompany duty in war, creating an ethical tension between righteous purpose (rescue) and violent means (beheading).
After making a declaration (in the preceding context), Arjuna immediately advances into the battle. His stated aims are twofold: to free Bhīma from danger and to kill Karṇa decisively by severing his head.