Shloka 20
तमायान्तं महेष्वासं दृष्टवा भूतानि भारत । निहतं मेनिरे कर्ण पाण्डवेन महात्मना
tam āyāntaṁ maheṣvāsaṁ dṛṣṭvā bhūtāni bhārata | nihataṁ menire karṇa pāṇḍavena mahātmanā || prayāhi śīghraṁ govinda sūtaputra-jighāṁsayā | vindānuvindāv āvantyau kāmbojaṁ ca sudakṣiṇam | śrutāyuṣaṁ mahāvīryam acyutāyuṣam eva ca | pratyudgamya bhavet kṣemī yo na syāt tvam iva prabho ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Wahai Bhārata, apabila pemanah agung itu muncul di hadapan, segala makhluk di medan perang menyangka Karṇa telah dibunuh oleh Pāṇḍava yang berhati luhur. ‘Berangkatlah segera, wahai Govinda, dengan niat membunuh anak kusir (Karna)!’ Jika seseorang keluar menyongsong Vindānu-vinda dari Avanti, orang Kāmboja, Sudakṣiṇa, Śrutāyus yang perkasa, dan Acyutāyus, dia mungkin kembali dengan selamat—namun tiada seorang pun mampu melakukannya seperti engkau, wahai Tuhan.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how quickly perception can turn into certainty amid war—beings assume Karṇa is slain—while also underscoring the exceptional capacity of Govinda (Kṛṣṇa) to confront formidable foes and still ensure safety. It implicitly contrasts ordinary human limits with divinely guided leadership and resolve.
Sañjaya reports that as a great archer advances, the battlefield witnesses believe Karṇa has already been killed by a Pāṇḍava. A call is made to Govinda to move swiftly with the aim of killing Karṇa, and the verse lists powerful warriors (Vindānu-vinda, Kāmboja, Sudakṣiṇa, Śrutāyus, Acyutāyus) to emphasize the danger—yet affirms that only Govinda can meet such threats and return safely.