Shloka 13
तदनन्तर वहाँ कर्णने पहले दस विशाल बाणोंद्वारा अर्जुनको बींध डाला, तब अर्जुनने भी हँसकर तीखी धारवाले दस बाणोंसे कर्णकी काँखमें प्रहार किया ।।
tadanantaraṁ tatra karṇena pūrvaṁ daśa viśālaiḥ bāṇaiḥ arjunaḥ viddhaḥ; tataḥ arjunena api hasan tīkṣṇa-dhāraiḥ daśabhiḥ bāṇaiḥ karṇasya kakṣe prahāraḥ kṛtaḥ. parasparaṁ tau viśikhaiḥ supuṅkhaiḥ tatakṣatuḥ sūtaputraḥ arjunaś ca; parasparaṁ tau bibhidur vimarde subhīmam abhyāpatatuś ca hṛṣṭau.
Kemudian Karṇa terlebih dahulu menembus Arjuna dengan sepuluh anak panah besar; Arjuna pula, sambil tersenyum, memukul ketiak Karṇa dengan sepuluh batang panah bermata tajam. Dalam pertempuran sengit itu, Karṇa si putera sais dan Arjuna, dengan semangat yang meluap, saling melukai berulang kali dengan anak panah berbulu indah—saling mendatangkan cedera dan melancarkan serangan yang menggerunkan.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of steadfastness and resolve in battle: even when wounded, a warrior maintains composure (Arjuna’s smile) and answers with disciplined counteraction. Ethically, it also shows the tragic symmetry of war—injury begets injury—where valor and exhilaration coexist with escalating harm.
Sañjaya describes a rapid exchange between Karṇa and Arjuna: Karṇa first wounds Arjuna with ten large arrows; Arjuna retaliates with ten sharp arrows striking Karṇa near the armpit. Both then continue to pierce and charge at each other in an intense melee, fighting with well-fletched arrows and heightened martial excitement.