Shloka 193
दुःशासनवधः (Duḥśāsana-vadha) — Bhīma’s vow-fulfillment in combat
अभ्यहंस्तरसा राज5शरै: परशरीरगै: । राजन्! तदनन्तर कर्णने पतंगोंकी तरह चलकर शत्रुओंके शरीरोंमें घुस जानेवाले बाणोंद्वारा वेगपूर्वक दसों दिशाओंमें प्रहार आरम्भ किया
sañjaya uvāca | abhyahaṃs tarasā rājan śaraiḥ paraśarīragaiḥ | rājan tad-anantaraṃ karṇena pataṅgān iva calitvā śatrūṇāṃ śarīreṣu ghus-jāne-vālaiḥ bāṇaiḥ vegapūrvakaṃ daśo diśāsu prahāram ārabdhaḥ |
Sañjaya disse: Ó rei, então ele golpeou com grande rapidez com flechas que penetravam nos corpos alheios. Depois disso, Karṇa iniciou um assalto feroz em todas as dez direções; seus dardos moviam-se como mariposas e entravam nos corpos do inimigo—imagem do ímpeto incessante da guerra, em que a proeza se mostra pela eficiência mortal, não pela contenção.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the Mahabharata’s sober view of war: martial excellence can be dazzling and terrifying, yet it operates through harm. It implicitly contrasts valor and effectiveness with the ethical cost of violence, reminding the listener that battlefield glory is inseparable from suffering inflicted on bodies.
Sanjaya reports to Dhritarashtra that Karna launches a rapid, all-direction assault. His arrows, compared to moths in their swift darting, penetrate the enemies’ bodies as he begins striking across the battlefield in every direction.