Shloka 9
छिद्रेष्वेतेषु तं बाणैर्माद्रीपुत्रो 5 भ्यवाकिरत् । परीप्संस्त्वत्सुतं कर्णस्तदन््तरमवाप तत्,उसकी दुर्बलताके इन्हीं अवसरोंपर माद्रीकुमार सहदेव उसे बाणोंसे ढक देते थे। उस समय आपके पुत्रकी रक्षाके लिये कर्ण बीचमें कूद पड़ा
chidreṣv eteṣu taṃ bāṇair mādrīputro 'bhyavākirat | parīpsaṃs tvatsutaṃ karṇas tadantaram avāpa tat ||
सञ्जय उवाच—छिद्रेष्वेतेषु तं बाणैर्माद्रीपुत्रः सहदेवोऽभ्यवाकिरत्, आच्छादयन्निव। तदा तव पुत्रं परिरक्षितुमिच्छन् कर्णस्तदन्तरं प्रविवेश, तयोर्मध्ये स्थानमगृह्णात्।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ethic of protection and loyalty: even amid relentless attack, a warrior (Karṇa) prioritizes shielding his ally/leader (Duryodhana), accepting personal risk to uphold his chosen obligation.
Sahadeva exploits openings and overwhelms the opponent with a dense volley of arrows. Seeing Duryodhana endangered, Karṇa moves into the intervening space—physically placing himself between attacker and target—to defend him.