Shloka 256

अभ्यापतत्‌ कर्णसुतो महारथं यथा महेन्द्र नमुचि: पुरा तथा । महासमरमें सहस्रों बाण धारण करनेवाले भयंकर नरवीर महारथी अर्जुनको अपनी ओर आते देख कर्णकुमार वृषसेन भी उनकी ओर उसी प्रकार दौड़ा, जैसे पूर्वकालमें नमुचिने देवराज इन्द्रपर आक्रमण किया था

sañjaya uvāca |

abhyāpatat karṇasuto mahārathaṃ yathā mahendraṃ namuciḥ purā tathā |

ಸಂಜಯನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ಕರ್ಣಸುತ ವೃಷಸೇನನು ಆ ಮಹಾರಥನ ಮೇಲೆ ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ಧಾವಿಸಿದನು; ಪೂರ್ವಕಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ನಮುಚಿಯು ಮಹೇಂದ್ರನ (ಇಂದ್ರನ) ಮೇಲೆ ದಾಳಿ ಮಾಡಿದಂತೆ.

अभ्यापतत्rushed/attacked
अभ्यापतत्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootअभि-आपत्
Formलङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, 3, singular
कर्णसुतःKarna's son (Vṛṣasena)
कर्णसुतः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootकर्णसुत
Formmasculine, nominative, singular
महारथम्the great chariot-warrior
महारथम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमहारथ
Formmasculine, accusative, singular
यथाas/just as
यथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
महेन्द्रम्Mahendra (Indra)
महेन्द्रम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमहेन्द्र
Formmasculine, accusative, singular
नमुचिःNamuci (the asura)
नमुचिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootनमुचि
Formmasculine, nominative, singular
पुराformerly/once
पुरा:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपुरा
तथाso/thus
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा

संजय उवाच

S
Sanjaya
K
Karna
V
Vṛṣasena
A
Arjuna
I
Indra (Mahendra)
N
Namuci

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights kṣatriya valor and the epic ethic of meeting a formidable opponent head-on. By likening Vṛṣasena’s charge to Namuci’s assault on Indra, it underscores how war magnifies daring and ambition—yet also hints at the moral ambiguity of challenging a superior power, a recurring Mahābhārata tension between courage and rightful order.

In the Karṇa Parva battle sequence, Vṛṣasena (Karna’s son) sees Arjuna advancing in the fierce melee and charges directly at him. Sanjaya frames this moment with a mythic comparison: as Namuci once attacked Indra, so Vṛṣasena now rushes at the great warrior.