Shloka 36
Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 54 — Missile-Exchange and Tactical Redirection
Arjuna, Aśvatthāman, Karṇa
स पार्थमुक्तैरिषुभि: प्रणुन्नो गजो गजेनेव जितस्तरस्वी । विहाय संग्रामशिर: प्रयातो वैकर्तन: पाण्डवबाणतप्त:
sa pārthamuktair iṣubhiḥ praṇunno gajo gajen eva jitas tarasvī | vihāya saṅgrāmaśiraḥ prayāto vaikartanaḥ pāṇḍavabāṇataptaḥ ||
पार्थाने सोडलेल्या बाणांनी जोरदार आघात झाल्याने तो महाबली वैकर्तन, जसा एक हत्ती दुसऱ्या हत्तीने जिंकला जातो, तसा रणांगणाच्या अग्रभागातून माघार घेऊन निघून गेला. पांडवाच्या बाणांनी संतप्त होऊन कर्ण युद्धापासून दूर झाला.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores that sheer might and reputation do not guarantee victory; when confronted by superior skill and force, even a great warrior may be compelled to retreat. Ethically, it reflects the battlefield reality that prudence and survival can override pride, and that resistance to aggression can check even the strongest opponent.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that Karṇa (Vaikartana), struck and driven back by Arjuna’s arrows, leaves the battle’s forefront and withdraws—likened to an elephant defeated by another elephant—indicating Arjuna’s dominance in that exchange.