Shloka 5
Chapter 136: Pandava Counter-Encirclement and the Vāyavya-Astra Disruption
कर्ण तु नवभिर्भीमो भित्त्वा राजन् स्तनान्तरे । ध्वजमेकेन विव्याध सायकेन शितेन ह,राजन्! भीमसेनने कर्णकी छातीमें नौ बाणोंद्वारा गहरी चोट पहुँचाकर एक तीखे बाणसे उसकी ध्वजाको भी छेद दिया
karṇaṁ tu navabhir bhīmo bhittvā rājan stanāntare | dhvajam ekena vivyādha sāyakena śitena ha ||
कर्णं तु नवभिर्भीमो भित्त्वा राजन् स्तनान्तरे। ध्वजमेकेन विव्याध सायकेन शितेन ह॥
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya battlefield ethic where skill and resolve are demonstrated through precise action; striking the opponent and his banner signifies both tactical effectiveness and an assault on martial prestige, reminding readers how honor-symbols function within war narratives.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Bhīma shoots Karṇa with nine arrows in the chest area and then, with a single sharp arrow, pierces Karṇa’s banner (dhvaja), a visible sign of his identity and status in battle.