Shloka 49
कर्णेन युधिष्ठिरानीकविदारणम् / Karṇa’s Breach of Yudhiṣṭhira’s Battle-Line
इषुश्चाप्यभवद् विष्णुज्वलन: सोम एव च । अग्नीषोमौ जगत् कृत्स्नं वैष्णवं चोच्यते जगत्
iṣuś cāpy abhavad viṣṇu-jvalanaḥ soma eva ca | agnīṣomau jagat kṛtsnaṃ vaiṣṇavaṃ cocyate jagat ||
Duryodhana berkata: “Anak panah itu menjadi kuasa Viṣṇu yang menyala-nyala, dan menjadi Soma juga. Kerana seluruh alam semesta pada hakikatnya ialah Agni dan Soma; dan seluruh dunia juga disebut Vaiṣṇava—dipenuhi oleh Viṣṇu.”
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents a cosmological view: the world can be understood through the complementary principles of Agni (fiery energy) and Soma (cool, sustaining essence), while also being ultimately pervaded by Viṣṇu. Ethically, it hints at how warriors may interpret battlefield events as manifestations of cosmic order—sometimes to elevate, justify, or rationalize violence as something larger than personal intent.
In the midst of the Karṇa Parva battle context, Duryodhana describes a weapon/arrow in exalted terms, identifying it with divine and cosmic forces—Viṣṇu’s blazing power and Soma—thereby portraying the combat’s instruments as embodiments of universal energies rather than ordinary missiles.