Shloka 38
अध्याय ६० — कर्णस्य पाञ्चाल-सोमक-निग्रहः
Karna’s Suppression of the Panchala–Somaka Forces
तब शूरवीर नकुलने हँसते हुए-से अत्यन्त तीखे नाराचद्वारा वृषसेनकी छातीमें गहरा आघात किया ।।
sañjaya uvāca | tataḥ śūravīro nakulaḥ hasann iva atyanta-tīkṣṇaiḥ nārācaiḥ vṛṣasenasyorasi gāḍham āghātaṃ cakāra || so 'tividdho balavatā śatruṇā śatrukarṣaṇaḥ | śatruṃ vivyādha viṃśatyā sa ca taṃ pañcabhiḥ śaraiḥ śatrusūdana ||
Sañjaya disse: Então o heróico Nakula, como se sorrisse, golpeou com força o peito de Vṛṣasena com flechas de aço de agudeza extrema. Embora gravemente ferido por um adversário poderoso, Vṛṣasena—esmagador de inimigos—traspassou o seu rival Nakula com vinte setas. Nakula, matador de inimigos, revidou e voltou a feri-lo com cinco flechas.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in its stark form: steadfastness under injury and the disciplined, reciprocal exchange of force in battle. It portrays courage and composure (Nakula ‘as if smiling’) alongside the grim inevitability of retaliation between sworn enemies.
Nakula strikes Vṛṣasena in the chest with sharp nārāca arrows. Though badly wounded, Vṛṣasena counters by piercing Nakula with twenty arrows. Nakula then responds by wounding Vṛṣasena with five more arrows.