Shloka 20
Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 58 — Arjuna’s Arrow-Storm and Relief of Bhīmasena
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे द्रौणिरभ्ययात् सुमहाबलम् | पार्षतं शत्रुदमनं शत्रुवीर्यासुनाशनम्,इसी समय शत्रुओंके बल और प्राणोंका नाश करनेवाले शत्रुसूदन महाबली धृष्टद्युम्नके पास द्रोणकुमार अश्वत्थामा आ पहुँचा
etasminn antare drauṇir abhyayāt sumahābalam | pārṣataṁ śatrudamanaṁ śatruvīryāsunāśanam ||
Sañjaya berkata: Pada saat itu juga, Aśvatthāmā, putera Droṇa, mara mendekati Dhṛṣṭadyumna yang amat perkasa, putera Pṛṣata—yang termasyhur menundukkan musuh dan memusnahkan kekuatan bahkan nyawa para pahlawan lawan. Detik itu menandai pertambahan ketegangan moral dalam perang, apabila dendam peribadi dan kewajipan kesatria bertemu dalam pertembungan yang membawa maut.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, in war, renowned power and reputation (enemy-subduing, life-destroying prowess) can drive events toward lethal confrontation. It implicitly raises the ethical pressure of kṣatriya-dharma: martial duty proceeds amid personal animosities and escalating violence, reminding the listener that valor, when yoked to hostility, becomes a force that consumes lives.
Sañjaya reports that Aśvatthāmā, son of Droṇa, comes up to confront the mighty Dhṛṣṭadyumna (son of Pṛṣata), who is described as a formidable slayer and subduer of enemies. The scene sets up a direct clash between two major warriors at a critical moment in the battle.