Shloka 21
Bhīṣma–Karṇa Saṃvāda on the Śaraśayyā (भीष्म–कर्ण संवादः शरशय्यायाम्)
पुत्रस्तु तव त॑ दृष्टवा भीमार्जुनपराक्रमम् । गाड़ेयस्य रथाभ्याशमुपजग्मे महाबल:
sañjaya uvāca |
putras tu tava taṁ dṛṣṭvā bhīmārjunaparākramam |
gāṅgeyasya rathābhyāśam upajagme mahābalaḥ ||
ekaikaṁ tribhir ānarccchat kaṅkukabarhiṇavājitaiḥ |
śuśarmāṇaṁ ca kṛpācāryaṁ ca tribhir eva vyadhat ||
prāgjyotiṣanṛpaṁ bhagadattaṁ sindhurājaṁ jayadratham |
citrasenaṁ vikarṇaṁ ca kṛtavarmāṇam eva ca |
durmīṣaṇaṁ tathā vīrau vindānuvindau mahārathau |
etān ekaikaṁ tribhir iṣubhir gṛdhrapakṣopamaiḥ pīḍayām āsa ||
Sabi ni Sañjaya: Nang makita ang lakas na ipinamalas nina Bhīma at Arjuna, ang iyong anak—ang makapangyarihang si Duryodhana—ay lumapit sa karwahe ni Bhīṣma, anak ng ilog Gaṅgā. Sa larangan, tinamaan niya ang bawat isa ng tigtatlong palaso, may balahibo na gaya ng pakpak ng buwitre: tinusok niya si Śuśarmā at ang gurong si Kṛpa ng tig-tatlo; at gayundin, pinahirapan niya nang matindi si Bhagadatta, hari ng Prāgjyotiṣa, si Jayadratha na hari ng Sindhu, si Citraseṇa, si Vikarṇa, si Kṛtavarman, si Durmīṣaṇa, at ang mga dakilang mandirigmang-karwahe na sina Vinda at Anuvinda—bawat isa’y tigtatlong palaso.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights how martial pride and fear operate together: even a powerful leader, stirred by the prowess of opponents (Bhīma and Arjuna), seeks proximity to an elder authority (Bhīṣma) while escalating violence. Ethically, it reflects the Mahābhārata’s recurring tension between kṣatriya duty (display of valor) and the widening harm that war unleashes.
Sañjaya reports that Duryodhana, seeing Bhīma and Arjuna’s valor, goes near Bhīṣma’s chariot. In the battle he shoots multiple named warriors—Śuśarmā, Kṛpa, Bhagadatta, Jayadratha, Citraseṇa, Vikarṇa, Kṛtavarman, Durmīṣaṇa, Vinda, and Anuvinda—each with three arrows, described as feathered like vulture wings.