Shloka 18
Karṇa’s Camp-Council Discourse: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Lament, Sañjaya’s Counsel, and Karṇa’s Request for Śalya
Book 8, Chapter 22
महाराज! इससे कुपित होकर प्रतापी सहदेवने अपने धनुषपर मृत्यु, काल और यमराजके समान भयंकर बाण रखा ।।
sañjaya uvāca |
mahārāja! etena kupitaḥ pratāpī sahadevaḥ svadhanur-mṛtyu-kāla-yamarāja-sadṛśaṃ bhayaṅkaraṃ bāṇam āropayat ||
vikṛṣya balavac cāpaṃ tava putrāya so 'sṛjat |
sa taṃ nirbhidya vegeṇa bhittvā ca kavacaṃ mahat,
bhūmau bilapraveśī sarpa iva samāviśat |
mahārāja! etena tava mahārathī putro mūrcchitaḥ abhavat ||
サンジャヤは言った。「大王よ、これに憤った勇猛なるサハデーヴァは、死・時・閻魔にも比すべき恐るべき矢を弓に番えた。強く弓を引き絞り、それを汝の子に放った。その矢は疾く飛び、彼の身を貫き、巨大な鎧をも裂き、ついには蛇が穴へ潜るように大地へと沈み入った。大王よ、この一撃により、汝の大車戦士たる子は気を失った。」
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how anger in war can unleash near-unstoppable force, framed through the imagery of Mṛtyu, Kāla, and Yama—reminding that violence, once set in motion, quickly exceeds human control and brings immediate consequences.
Sañjaya reports that Sahadeva, enraged, draws his bow and shoots a terrifying arrow at Duḥśāsana. The arrow pierces Duḥśāsana and his armor and then disappears into the earth; Duḥśāsana is left unconscious.