Shloka 13
Somadatta’s Kṣātra-Dharma Accusation; Night Combat, Māyā, and the Fall of Ghaṭotkaca
Droṇa-parva, Adhyāya 131
तान् प्रत्यगृह्नात् कर्णोडपि प्रतीपं प्रापपच्छरान्,कर्णने भी उन बाणोंको ग्रहण किया और उनके विपरीत बहुत-से बाण चलाये
tān pratyagṛhṇāt karṇo 'pi pratīpaṃ prāpapat śarān
सञ्जय उवाच—कर्णोऽपि तान् शरान् प्रत्यगृह्णात् प्रतीपं प्रापततः; ततः प्रत्युत्तरं बहुभिः शरैः प्रतिशरान् मुमोच।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse reflects kṣatriya-dharma in wartime: steadfastly enduring an enemy’s assault and responding with disciplined counteraction, where courage and resolve are treated as obligatory virtues on the battlefield.
In the midst of combat, Karṇa withstands the incoming arrows and immediately retaliates by releasing many arrows in return, indicating an escalation and continuation of the duel-like exchange.