Shloka 433
द्रौणि-पार्षतयोर्युद्धम् | The Duel of Aśvatthāmā
Drauṇi) and Dhṛṣṭadyumna (Pārṣata
समाचिनोद् बाणगणै: शतघ्नीभिश्न शड्कुभि: । इस प्रकार अपने अत्यन्त वैरी कर्णको रथहीन करके मुसकराते हुए भीमसेनने उसे बाणसमूहों, शतप्नियों और शंकुओंसे आच्छादित कर दिया
samācinod bāṇagaṇaiḥ śataghnībhiś ca śaṅkubhiḥ |
Sañjaya berkata: Bhīmasena, setelah menjadikan musuh ketatnya Karṇa tanpa kereta, malah tersenyum sambil menutupi dirinya dengan hujan anak panah, dengan śataghnī dan dengan śaṅku—meneruskan serangan tanpa memberi ruang dalam momentum pertempuran yang kejam.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the grim ethical tension of war: even great heroes may press advantage relentlessly once combat is joined. It reflects the Mahābhārata’s recurring concern with how kṣatriya-duty and personal enmity can harden the heart, making victory pursued not only as strategy but also as a display of dominance.
Sañjaya reports that Bhīma has forced Karṇa into a vulnerable state—without his chariot—and then showers him with dense volleys of weapons (arrows and heavy missiles), effectively blanketing him under sustained attack.