Shloka 7
कर्णवधप्रसङ्गः / The Context of Karṇa’s Fall
Krishna’s Dharmic Recollection and the Decisive Astra
मेरे साथ युद्ध करते समय अश्वत्थामाके लिये आठ-आठ बैलोंसे जुते हुए आठ छकड़े सैकड़ों-हजारों बाण ढोते रहते थे। उसके चलाये हुए उन सभी बाणोंको मैंने अपने बाणोंसे मारकर उसी तरह नष्ट कर दिया, जैसे वायु मेघोंके समूहको छिन्न-भिन्न कर देती है ।।
arjuna uvāca | mayā saha yudhyamānasya aśvatthāmnaḥ prati aṣṭāṣṭa-balair yuktāni aṣṭa śakaṭāni śataśaḥ sahasraśaś ca bāṇān vahanti sma | tena muktān sarvān tān bāṇān aham api svair bāṇair hatvā tathā nāśayām āsaṃ yathā vāyur meghasaṃghān vichinatti || tato 'parān bāṇasaṃghān anekān ākārṇapūrṇāyatavipramuktān | sasarja śikṣāstrabalaprayatnaiḥ tathā yathā prāvṛṣi kālameghaḥ ||
Arjuna disse: “Enquanto lutava contra mim, Aśvatthāmā tinha oito carros, cada qual jungido a oito bois, trazendo-lhe sem cessar centenas e milhares de flechas. Ainda assim, todas as flechas que ele disparou eu as derrubei e destruí com as minhas próprias, como o vento despedaça massas de nuvens. Depois, lançou novas saraivadas: incontáveis flechas retesadas até a orelha e soltas com toda a força do treino, da arte das armas, do vigor e do esforço, chovendo como uma nuvem escura de monção que derrama suas águas na estação das chuvas.”
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights disciplined mastery in action: even when an opponent brings overwhelming resources and rains down weapons with full training and effort, steadiness, skill, and timely counteraction can neutralize excess force. Ethically, it reflects the kṣatriya ideal of meeting aggression with controlled competence rather than panic or cruelty.
Arjuna describes Aśvatthāmā’s intense missile-attack. Aśvatthāmā has multiple carts supplying vast numbers of arrows and unleashes repeated volleys drawn to the ear. Arjuna counters by cutting down and destroying those arrows in mid-flight, comparing his interception to wind scattering clouds, while Aśvatthāmā’s barrage is compared to monsoon clouds raining.