Shloka 40
यथा हि ज्वलनो दीप्तो जलमासाद्य शाम्यति । कर्णाग्नि: समरे तद्वत् पार्थमेघेन शामित:,जैसे प्रजलित आग जलको पाकर बुझ जाती है, उसी प्रकार समरांगणमें कर्णरूपी अग्निको अर्जुनरूपी मेघने बुझा दिया
yathā hi jvalano dīpto jalam āsādya śāmyati | karṇāgniḥ samare tadvat pārthameghena śāmitaḥ ||
ಶಲ್ಯನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ಹೇಗೆ ದೀಪ್ತವಾಗಿ ಹೊತ್ತಿರುವ ಅಗ್ನಿ ನೀರನ್ನು ತಲುಪಿದಾಗ ಶಮನವಾಗುತ್ತದೋ, ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ಸಮರದಲ್ಲಿ ಕರ್ಣರೂಪ ಅಗ್ನಿಯನ್ನು ಪಾರ್ಥರೂಪ ಮೇಘವು ಶಮನಗೊಳಿಸಿತು.
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches the impermanence of martial dominance: even a ‘blazing’ hero can be checked and extinguished by an equal or superior counter-force. It also cautions against overreliance on sheer power, highlighting how circumstances and opposing excellence can overturn pride and momentum in war.
Śalya, speaking in the context of the Kurukṣetra war, describes Karṇa’s downfall using a vivid simile: Karṇa is compared to fire, and Arjuna (Pārtha) to a rain-cloud whose waters quench that fire—signaling Karṇa’s defeat at Arjuna’s hands.