Shloka 87
कृपस्य पार्थ: सशरं शरासनं हयान् ध्वजान् सारथिमेव पत्रिभि: | समार्पयद् बाहुसहस्रविक्रम- स्तथा यथा वज्रधर: पुरा बले:
kṛpasya pārthaḥ saśaraṃ śarāsanaṃ hayān dhvajān sārathim eva patribhiḥ | samārpayad bāhusahasravikramaḥ tathā yathā vajradharaḥ purā baleḥ ||
Karna berkata: Arjuna, putera Pṛthā—yang gagahnya laksana wira berlengan seribu—melepaskan anak panah berbulu dan mematahkan busur Kṛpa beserta anak-anak panahnya; malah kuda-kuda, panji, dan kusirnya pun turut ditumpaskan. Demikianlah, seperti Indra pemegang vajra pada zaman purba pernah menghancurkan senjata dan kelengkapan Raja Bali.
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, in the chaos of righteous war, mastery and force can decisively disable an opponent’s entire fighting apparatus (weapon, mobility, and support staff). It invites reflection on the ethical edge of battlefield conduct: victory may demand total neutralization, yet such acts also intensify the moral weight borne by warriors.
Karna narrates that Arjuna attacks Kṛpa with a volley of arrows, piercing not only Kṛpa’s bow (with its arrows) but also the horses, the banner, and even the charioteer—rendering Kṛpa’s chariot-combat effectively crippled. The feat is compared to Indra’s ancient overpowering of King Bali.