Shloka 21
Arjuna’s Approach, Drona’s Recognition, and the Turning of the Cattle (अर्जुनागमनम्, द्रोणवाक्यम्, गोगमनिवृत्तिः)
शत्रुकी ध्वजामें निवास करनेवाले भूतगण भी मुझसे मारे जाकर जब चारों दिशाओंमें भागने लगेंगे, उस समय उनके हाहाकारका शब्द स्वर्गलोकतक पहुँच जायगा ।। अद्य दुर्योधनस्याहं शल्यं हृदि चिरस्थितम् | समूलमुद्धरिष्यामि बीभत्सुं पातयन् रथात्
adya duryodhanasyāhaṃ śalyaṃ hṛdi cirasthitam | samūlam uddhariṣyāmi bībhatsuṃ pātayan rathāt ||
วันนี้เอง ข้าจะถอนหนามที่ฝังอยู่ในหทัยของทุรโยธน์มาช้านานให้สิ้นราก—ด้วยการฟาดบีภัตสุ (อรชุน) ให้ตกจากรถศึก
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how inner afflictions—here, envy and wounded pride—are treated as a ‘thorn in the heart’ that one seeks to remove through external violence. It implicitly warns that when honor and rivalry dominate judgment, ethical clarity (dharma) is easily eclipsed by personal vendetta.
Karna boasts that he will eliminate Duryodhana’s long-standing anguish by defeating Arjuna in battle, specifically by making him fall from his chariot—an image of decisive martial humiliation and victory.