Shloka 303
अजिशीर्षे प्रातःसंध्यायां संग्रामवर्णनम् / Dawn-Transition Battle at Ajiśīrṣa
Chapter 161
वारयामास तत् सैन्यं समन्ताद् भरतर्षभ | भरतश्रेष्ठ! प्रलयकालके समान उस सैन्यसागरको उमड़ा हुआ देख संग्राममें पराजित न होनेवाले बलवान, शीघ्रकारी और महान् शक्तिशाली कर्णने आपके पुत्रोंको प्रसन्न करनेकी इच्छासे बाणसमूहकी वर्षा करके सब ओरसे शत्रुओंकी उस सेनाको रोक दिया
sañjaya uvāca | vārayāmāsa tat sainyaṃ samantād bharatarṣabha | bharataśreṣṭha! pralayakālaka-samānaṃ us sainyasāgaraṃ umṛḍhā huā dekh saṃgrāme parājita na honevāle balavān, śīghrakārī aur mahān śaktiśālī karṇane āpke putroṃko prasanna karne kī icchā se bāṇasamūha kī varṣā karke sab or se śatruoṃ kī us senā ko rok diyā ||
Sañjaya berkata: Wahai banteng kaum Bharata, melihat bala tentera musuh menggelora bagaikan lautan pada saat pralaya, Karṇa—yang gagah, pantas bertindak, dan amat berkuasa, termasyhur tidak pernah tewas di medan—ingin menggembirakan putera-putera tuanku. Lalu ia menurunkan hujan anak panah dan dari segala penjuru menahan kemaraan tentera musuh itu.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kshatriya ideal of steadfastness under overwhelming threat: a warrior uses skill and courage to protect allies and sustain their morale. It also shows how loyalty and the desire to reassure one’s side can motivate decisive action in war.
Sanjaya reports to Dhritarashtra that Karna, seeing the enemy forces surge like a catastrophic ocean, showers volleys of arrows and halts the enemy advance from all directions, doing so to hearten and please Dhritarashtra’s sons.