Shloka 18
कवचं च ध्वजं चैव धनु: शक्ति्हया: शरा: । शरै: कृत्ता महेष्वास यतमानस्य संयुगे,“महाधनुर्धर! महाबाहो! मैं युद्धमें यत्नपूर्वक लगा हुआ था, किंतु कर्णने सारी सेनाके देखते-देखते अपने बाणोंद्वारा मेरे कवच, ध्वज, धनुष, शक्ति, घोड़े और बाणोंके टुकड़े- टुकड़े कर डाले हैं!
kavacaṃ ca dhvajaṃ caiva dhanuḥ śaktiṃ hayāḥ śarāḥ | śaraiḥ kṛttā maheṣvāsa yatamānasya saṃyuge ||
សញ្ជ័យបាននិយាយថា៖ «ឱ មហាធនុរធរ! ខណៈខ្ញុំកំពុងខិតខំប្រឹងប្រែងពេញកម្លាំងក្នុងសមរភូមិ ករណៈ—មុខមាត់កងទ័ពទាំងមូល—បានកាត់បំបែកដោយព្រួញរបស់គាត់ អាវក្រវ៉ាត់ និងទង់ជ័យរបស់ខ្ញុំ ធ្នូ លំពែង សេះ និងសូម្បីតែព្រួញរបស់ខ្ញុំ ឲ្យក្លាយជាបំណែកៗ»។
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the tension between human effort (yatna) and overpowering force on the battlefield: even a determined warrior can be undone when confronted by superior skill. Ethically, it underscores the Mahābhārata’s recurring reflection on kṣatriya-dharma—courage and persistence amid destructive consequences.
Sañjaya reports a battlefield moment in which Karṇa’s arrows visibly dismantle an opponent’s key martial supports—armour, standard, weapons, horses, and ammunition—signaling Karṇa’s dominance and the rapid reversal of a combatant’s capacity to fight.