Shloka 4
प्रवृद्धशुद्रद्रमवीरुदोष धी प्रवृद्धनानाविधनिर्सरौकसौ । यथाचलौ वा चलितौ महाबलौ तथा महास्त्रैरितरेतरं हत:
sañjaya uvāca |
pravṛddhaśudradrumavīrudoṣadhī pravṛddhanānāvidhanirjharaukasaū |
yathācalau vā calitau mahābalau tathā mahāstrair itaretaraṃ hataḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: Seperti dua gunung perkasa—puncaknya, pepohonannya, sulurnya, belukarnya dan tumbuhan ubatnya tumbuh besar, serta menjadi punca banyak air terjun yang hebat—demikianlah Karna dan Arjuna yang amat gagah mara ke hadapan lalu saling menghentam dengan senjata-senjata agung mereka.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the impersonal, overwhelming momentum of war: two great warriors, like mountains set into motion, exchange blows with powerful weapons. It implicitly cautions that when conflict escalates, even the noblest strengths can become forces of destruction, emphasizing the gravity of choosing and restraining violence.
Sañjaya describes Karṇa and Arjuna advancing toward each other and striking one another with mighty weapons. Their clash is compared to two huge, richly forested mountains with many waterfalls, suggesting immense power and a violent, earth-shaking encounter.