Shloka 353
Śalya Appointed as Karṇa’s Sārathi; Discourse on Praise, Blame, and Beneficial Counsel (कर्णस्य शल्यसारथ्यं तथा स्तवनिन्दाविचारः)
जीवितान्तकरं घोरं व्यसृजत्त्वरयान्वित: । तत्पश्चात् प्रहार करनेवाले योद्धाओंमें श्रेष्ठ कृतवर्माने उसके ऊपर समरांगणमें बड़ी उतावलीके साथ एक भयंकर प्राणान्तकारी बाण छोड़ा
sañjaya uvāca | jīvitāntakaraṃ ghoraṃ vyasṛjat tvarayānvitaḥ | tatpaścāt prahāra-karṇevāle yoddhāoṃ meṃ śreṣṭha kṛtavarmāne tasya upari samarāṅgaṇe baṛī utāvalīke sātha eka bhayaṅkara prāṇāntakārī bāṇa choṛā |
Sañjaya berkata: Kemudian, dalam tergesa-gesa yang mengerikan, dia melepaskan sebuah anak panah dahsyat yang mampu menamatkan nyawa. Sesudah itu, Kṛtavarmā—terunggul antara para pahlawan yang mahir menghentam—di medan perang, dengan kesegeraan yang besar, memanahkan ke arahnya sebatang panah ngeri yang memutuskan hayat.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the grim ethical tension of kṣatriya warfare: valor and skill are praised, yet the action described is explicitly life-ending, reminding the listener that battlefield excellence operates within a tragic economy of death and urgency.
Sanjaya reports a rapid escalation in combat: a dreadful, fatal weapon is released, and then Kṛtavarmā—renowned for effective striking—swiftly shoots a terrifying, deadly arrow at his opponent on the battlefield.