Shloka 8
Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 58 — Arjuna’s Arrow-Storm and Relief of Bhīmasena
विजयं च धनु: श्रेष्ठ विधुन्वानो महारथ:,तब महारथी कर्णने अपने विजय नामक श्रेष्ठ धनुषको कम्पित करके धृष्टद्युम्नके धनुष और विषधर सर्पके समान विषैले बाणोंको भी काट डाला। फिर क्रोधमें भरकर नौ बाणोंसे धृष्टद्यम्मको भी घायल कर दिया
sañjaya uvāca | vijayaṃ ca dhanuḥ-śreṣṭhaṃ vidhunvāno mahārathaḥ | tataḥ mahārathī karṇaḥ svam “vijaya”-nāma śreṣṭhaṃ dhanuḥ kampayitvā dhṛṣṭadyumnasya dhanuḥ viṣadhara-sarpa-sadṛśān viṣailān bāṇān api chittvā | punaḥ krodhaṃ samāviśya nava-bāṇaiḥ dhṛṣṭadyumnam api vyathayat ||
Sañjaya berkata: Menggoncang busur termasyhur bernama Vijaya, pahlawan kereta agung Karṇa mematahkan busur Dhṛṣṭadyumna, bahkan memotong anak-anak panahnya yang berbisa, laksana ular beracun. Kemudian, dengan amarah meluap, Karṇa menghujani Dhṛṣṭadyumna dengan sembilan batang panah hingga melukakannya.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how extraordinary skill (śaurya and astravidyā) can become ethically perilous when driven by krodha (wrath). In the battlefield setting of kṣatriya-dharma, prowess is expected, yet the narrative also signals the moral cost of anger-fueled escalation—where the aim shifts from contest to crushing the opponent.
Karna, wielding his celebrated bow Vijaya, overwhelms Dhṛṣṭadyumna: he severs Dhṛṣṭadyumna’s bow and cuts down even the venom-like arrows, then in anger shoots Dhṛṣṭadyumna with nine arrows, injuring him.