Shloka 68
ततोड्'र्जुन: कर्णमवक्रगैर्नवै: सुवर्णपुड्खै: सुदृढैरयस्मयै: । यमाग्निदण्डप्रतिमै: स्तनान्तरे पराभिनत् क्रौज्चमिवाद्रिमग्निज:,तत्पश्चात् अर्जुनने सोनेके पंखवाले लोहनिर्मित, सुदृढ़ तथा यमदण्ड और अग्निदण्डके तुल्य भयंकर बाणोंद्वारा कर्णकी छातीको उसी प्रकार विदीर्ण कर डाला, जैसे कुमार कार्तिकेयने क्रौंच पर्वतको चीर डाला था
tato 'rjunaḥ karṇam avakragair navaiḥ suvarṇapuṅkhaiḥ sudṛḍhair ayasmayaiḥ | yamāgnidaṇḍapratimaiḥ stanāntare parābhinat krauñcam ivādrim agnijaḥ ||
तेव्हा अर्जुनाने वक्रगतीने जाणाऱ्या नऊ बाणांनी—लोखंडी दंडयुक्त, सुदृढ, सुवर्णपंखधारी, यमदंड व अग्निदंडासारख्या भयंकर—कर्णाच्या वक्षस्थळाला तसेच भेदून टाकले, जसे अग्निज कुमार कार्त्तिकेयाने क्रौंच पर्वत फाडला होता।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores kṣatriya-dharma in its starkest form: in a righteous war, a warrior must act decisively according to role and moment, even when the act is severe. The epic simile (splitting Krauñca) frames martial action as part of a larger moral-cosmic order where prowess, destiny, and consequence interlock.
Sañjaya reports that Arjuna shoots Karṇa with nine powerful, iron arrows with golden fletchings, striking and piercing his chest. The impact is compared to Kārttikeya splitting the Krauñca mountain, emphasizing the force and inevitability of the blow.