Shloka 4
रामादुपात्तेन महामहिम्ना ह्याथर्वणेनारिविनाशनेन । तदर्जुनास्त्रं व्यधमद् दहन्तं कर्णस्तु बाणैर्निशितैर्महात्मा,महामनस्वी वीर कर्णने परशुरामजीसे प्राप्त हुए महाप्रभावशाली शत्रुनाशक आथर्वण अस्त्रका प्रयोग करके पैने बाणोंद्वारा अर्जुनके उस अस्त्रको, जो कौरव-सेनाको दग्ध कर रहा था, नष्ट कर दिया
sañjaya uvāca |
rāmādupāttena mahāmahimnā hyātharvaṇenārivināśanena |
tadarjunāstraṃ vyadhamad dahantaṃ karṇastu bāṇair niśitair mahātmā mahāmanasvī ||
Sañjaya berkata: Lalu Karna, yang berhati luhur dan berjiwa besar, menggunakan senjata Atharvaṇa yang amat dahsyat—diterimanya daripada Rāma (Paraśurāma) dan masyhur sebagai pemusnah musuh—lalu dengan anak panahnya yang tajam memecahkan senjata Arjuna yang sedang menyala, yang membakar bala Kaurava.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that power in battle is not only personal valor but also disciplined knowledge received through legitimate transmission (guru-lineage). Ethically, it shows how warfare tends to intensify: even a devastating weapon is met with an equally formidable counter, reminding readers of the tragic momentum of conflict.
Arjuna releases a blazing weapon that is burning the Kaurava forces. Karna counters it by employing the Atharvaṇa weapon he learned from Paraśurāma, and with sharp arrows he breaks/neutralizes Arjuna’s missile.