Shloka 54
अजिशीर्षे प्रातःसंध्यायां संग्रामवर्णनम् / Dawn-Transition Battle at Ajiśīrṣa
Chapter 161
तस्य तल्लाघवं पार्थो नामृष्पत महाबल:,शत्रुओंको संताप देनेवाले महाबली अर्जुन कर्णकी इस फुर्तीको न सह सके। उन्होंने सूतपुत्र कर्णजो शिलापर तेज किये हुए स्वच्छ अग्रभागवाले तीन सौ बाण मारे
tasya tal-lāghavaṁ pārtho nāmṛṣyata mahābalaḥ | śatrūṇāṁ santāpa-janano mahābalī arjunaḥ sūtaputraṁ karṇaṁ śilā-pari-tejitaiḥ śucy-agra-bhāgaiḥ triśatena bāṇaiḥ samavākirat ||
सञ्जय उवाच—तस्य तल्लाघवं पार्थो महाबलो न मर्षयामास; शत्रुतापनोऽर्जुनः सूतपुत्रं कर्णं शिलातिक्ष्णैः प्रसन्नाग्रैः त्रिशतं बाणैः समवाकिरत्, वेगं प्रति विनीतबलं प्रयोक्तुमिव।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ethic of meeting an opponent’s advantage (here, speed and agility) with resolute, proportionate martial response—discipline and effectiveness in action rather than hesitation when duty demands engagement.
Observing the opponent’s swift maneuvering, Arjuna refuses to yield psychological ground; he counters by releasing a concentrated volley of three hundred stone-whetted, sharp-pointed arrows at Karṇa.