Shloka 403
ते कर्ण समपद्यन्त हृष्टरूपा: समन्ततः । शत्रुओंको तपानेवाले वीर! असुर, यातुधान और गुह्मक--ये सब ओरसे प्रसन्नचित्त हो कर्णके ही पक्षमें आ गये थे
te karṇa samapadyanta hṛṣṭarūpāḥ samantataḥ | śatrūṇāṃ tāpanāya iva vīra! asurā yātudhānā guhyakāś ca sarvataḥ prasannacittāḥ karṇasyaiva pakṣe samāgatāḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: Kemudian, dari setiap penjuru, mereka datang kepada Karṇa, wajah mereka berseri-seri kegirangan. Wahai wira yang membakar musuh! Seolah-olah hendak menghanguskan lawan, para Asura, Yātudhāna, dan Guhyaka—dengan hati yang riang—berkumpul di pihak Karṇa sahaja. Adegan ini menegaskan bahawa dalam kegilaan perang, kuasa bukan manusia pun memilih seorang juara, lalu menajamkan ketegangan antara kekuatan semata-mata dan sebab yang disokong dharma.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how war can attract forces driven by power and destruction, not necessarily by dharma. It invites reflection on the difference between gaining support through might and gaining legitimacy through righteousness.
Sañjaya reports that various non-human groups—Asuras, Yātudhānas, and Guhyakas—arrive from all directions and align themselves with Karṇa’s faction, appearing delighted and eager to harm the enemy.