Shloka 25
अमोघशक्तिव्यंसनप्रश्नः — Why Karṇa’s Śakti Was Not Used on Arjuna
तं कर्णो भ्रातरश्चास्य नामृष्यन्त परंतप । ते भीमसेन नाराचैर्जघ्नुराशीविषोपमै:
taṃ karṇo bhrātaraś cāsya nāmṛṣyanta paraṃtapa | te bhīmasenaṃ nārācair jaghnur āśīviṣopamaiḥ ||
サンジャヤは言った。カルナとその兄弟たちはそれに耐えられなかった。おお、敵を焼き尽くす者よ、彼らは毒蛇のごときナラーチャの矢でビーマセーナを射抜いた。
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how inability to endure another’s success or challenge (asahishṇutā) quickly turns into retaliatory violence. Ethically, it points to the destructive chain where wounded pride and anger override restraint, escalating conflict in war.
Sañjaya reports that Karṇa and his brothers, provoked by what had just happened, could not bear it and therefore attacked Bhīma, striking him with nārāca arrows described as deadly like venomous serpents.