Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 19 — Saṃśaptaka–Trigarta Assault and Aindra-astra Counter
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे कर्णो गजानीकमुपाद्रवत् । द्रावयामास स तदा पाण्डवानां महद् बलम्,इसी बीचमें कर्णने पाण्डवोंकी गजसेनापर आक्रमण किया। उस समय उसने पाण्डवोंकी विशाल सेनाको खदेड़ना आरम्भ किया
etasminn antare karṇo gajānīkam upādravat | drāvayāmāsa sa tadā pāṇḍavānāṃ mahad balam ||
Sañjaya berkata: Pada saat itu juga, Karṇa meluru menyerang kor gajah pihak Pāṇḍava. Ketika itu dia mula menghalau mundur bala tentera besar Pāṇḍava, menekan medan perang dengan daya yang tidak mengenal henti.
संजय उवाच
The verse foregrounds the Mahābhārata’s recurring tension: on the battlefield, effectiveness and momentum often eclipse reflective ethics. It invites readers to notice how martial excellence (śaurya) can be narratively celebrated even while the broader epic questions the human cost and moral ambiguity of war.
Sañjaya reports that Karṇa suddenly charges the Pāṇḍavas’ elephant division and begins to rout their large force, pushing them back and shifting the immediate balance of the fight through aggressive assault.