Mahabharata — Karna Parva, Shloka 3
अर्जुनस्य द्रोणिप्रतिघातः कर्णोपसर्पणं च
Arjuna Checks Droṇaputra; Karṇa Advances
संजय उवाच धृष्टद्युम्नमुखान् पार्थान् दृष्टवा कर्णो व्यवस्थितान् । समभ्यधावत्त्वरित: पञ्चालान् शत्रुकर्षिण:
sañjaya uvāca dhṛṣṭadyumnamukhān pārthān dṛṣṭvā karṇo vyavasthitān | samabhyadhāvat tvaritaḥ pañcālān śatrukarṣiṇaḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: Wahai Raja, melihat para pahlawan Pāṇḍava yang dipimpin Dhṛṣṭadyumna berdiri teguh dalam barisan perang, Karṇa—dengan segera dan penuh ghairah—menerjang terus ke arah Pāñcāla, berniat menghancurkan musuh.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ethos of decisive action in battle—steadfast opponents provoke an immediate, forceful response. Ethically, it also reflects how war compels rapid choices driven by duty and rivalry, even when the larger conflict is morally burdensome.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Karṇa, seeing the Pāṇḍava side drawn up with Dhṛṣṭadyumna in front, hastens forward and launches an attack against the Pāñcālas.