Shloka 743
तस्मिन् क्षणे पाण्डवं सूतपुत्र: समाचिनोत् क्षुद्रकाणां शतेन । इसी समय पाण्डुपुत्र अर्जुनके धनुषकी डोरी अधिक खींची जानेके कारण सहसा भारी आवाजके साथ टूट गयी। उस अवसरपर सूतपुत्र कर्णने पाण्डुकुमार अर्जुनको सौ बाण मोर
tasmin kṣaṇe pāṇḍavaṁ sūtaputraḥ samācinot kṣudrakāṇāṁ śatena |
Sañjaya berkata: Pada saat itu juga, putera sais kereta (Karṇa) menghujani Pāṇḍava (Arjuna) dengan seratus anak panah kecil yang pantas. Dalam himpitan pertempuran yang garang, tatkala tali busur Arjuna putus dengan dentuman kuat kerana ditarik melampau, Karṇa segera merebut peluang lalu menurunkan rentetan panah—menunjukkan bahawa dalam perang, kewaspadaan dan ketenangan diuji apabila peralatan dan nasib seseorang tiba-tiba gagal.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights the battlefield ethic that a warrior must remain alert and steady amid sudden reversals—such as a weapon’s failure—because opponents will immediately exploit any lapse. It also reflects the harsh realism of war, where skill and opportunity operate together.
At a critical instant in the duel, Arjuna’s bowstring snaps (as noted in the accompanying prose tradition), and Karna promptly attacks, striking Arjuna with a hundred swift arrows, pressing his advantage in the ongoing combat.