Shloka 38
स पाण्डवानां प्रवरै: सर्वतः समभिद्रुत: । उदीरयन ब्राह्ममस्त्रं शरैरापू्रयद् दिश:,पाण्डवपक्षके प्रमुख वीरोंद्वारा सब ओरसे आक्रान्त होनेपर कर्णने ब्रह्मास्त्र प्रकट करके बाणोंद्वारा सम्पूर्ण दिशाओंको आच्छादित कर दिया
sa pāṇḍavānāṁ pravaraiḥ sarvataḥ samabhidrutaḥ | udīrayan brāhmam astraṁ śarair āpūrayad diśaḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: Apabila Karṇa diserang dari setiap arah oleh para pahlawan terunggul pihak Pāṇḍava, dia pun menyeru senjata Brahmā (Brahmāstra); lalu dengan ribut anak panah dia memenuhi dan menutupi segala penjuru. Adegan itu menegaskan bahawa pada saat genting pertempuran, seorang pejuang akan berpaling kepada senjata tertinggi yang dimilikinya—suatu peningkatan yang membesarkan keperkasaan, namun juga menambah beban moral keganasan.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension of warfare: when surrounded and pressured, a warrior may resort to supreme force. Such power displays valor, yet it also raises the question of restraint—how far one should escalate violence even when acting within a warrior’s duty.
Karna is attacked from all sides by leading Pāṇḍava fighters. In response, he invokes the Brāhmāstra and releases a dense barrage of arrows that seems to cover the quarters, pushing back the encirclement through overwhelming force.