Shloka 3
कर्णवधप्रसङ्गः / The Context of Karṇa’s Fall
Krishna’s Dharmic Recollection and the Decisive Astra
दृष्टवा रथं मेघरवं ममैव समस्तसेना च रणे< भ्यतिष्ठत् । तेषामहं पठ्च शतानि हत्वा ततो द्रौणिमगमं पार्थिवाग्रय,भूपालशिरोमणे! इधर कौरवोंकी सारी सेना मेघके समान गम्भीर घर्घर ध्वनि करनेवाले मेरे रथको देखकर युद्धके लिये डटकर खड़ी हो गयी, तब मैंने उस सेनामेंसे पाँच सौ वीरोंका वध करके आचार्यपुत्रपर आक्रमण किया
Arjuna uvāca: dṛṣṭvā rathaṁ megharavaṁ mamaiva samastasenā ca raṇe 'bhyatiṣṭhat | teṣām ahaṁ pañcaśatāni hatvā tato drauṇim agamaṁ pārthivāgrya bhūpālaśiromaṇe ||
Arjuna berkata: “Melihat keretaku yang menggelegar dalam seperti awan hujan, seluruh bala tentera Kaurava berdiri teguh di medan perang. Lalu, setelah aku menewaskan lima ratus pahlawan daripada mereka, aku mara menyerang putera sang ācārya—putera Droṇa. Wahai raja yang utama, permata di antara para penguasa!”
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ethic of steadfastness and initiative in battle: when confronted by a massed enemy, Arjuna does not retreat but acts decisively, moving from general engagement to a focused confrontation with a principal opponent.
The Kaurava forces, seeing Arjuna’s cloud-roaring chariot, form up to fight. Arjuna cuts down five hundred warriors from that host and then advances to engage Droṇa’s son, Aśvatthāman.