Shloka 256
कृष्णोपदेशः, अर्जुनस्य क्षमा-याचनम्, कर्णवध-अनुज्ञा
Krishna’s Counsel, Arjuna’s Apology, and Authorization for Karṇa’s Slaying
विव्याध परमास्त्रज्ञों भल््लै: संनतपर्वभि: | तब उत्तम अस्त्रोंके ज्ञाता कर्णने अत्यन्त कुपित हो लोहेके बने हुए और झुकी हुई गाँठवाले नौ भल्लोंसे भीमसेनको घायल कर दिया
sañjaya uvāca | vivyādha paramāstrajño bhallaiḥ saṃnataparvabhiḥ | tata uttamāstrāṇāṃ jñātā karṇo 'tyantaṃ kupito lohakṛtaiḥ jhukī-gaṇṭhavālaiḥ nava-bhallaiḥ bhīmasenaṃ vyadhat |
Wika ni Sañjaya: Ang kataas-taasang dalubhasa sa sandata, si Karṇa, ay tumama gamit ang mga palasong bhalla na may nakabaluktot na mga dugtungan. Pagkaraan, si Karṇa—bihasa sa pinakamahuhusay na sandata—ay nag-alab sa matinding galit at sinugatan si Bhīmasena sa pamamagitan ng siyam na bhalla na yari sa bakal, kurbado at may dugtungang buhol-buhol. Ipinahihiwatig ng taludtod na sa silakbo ng labanan, maging ang pinakasanay na mandirigma ay hinahayaang patalasin ng poot ang kanyang karahasan, at lalo nitong pinatitingkad ang trahedyang moral ng pagpatay sa kamag-anak sa digmaang salungat ang dharma.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how mastery and power in war are ethically precarious: anger (krodha) can drive even a great weapons-expert to escalate harm, reflecting the Mahabharata’s recurring warning that passion can eclipse discernment (viveka) amid dharma-conflict.
Sanjaya reports that Karna, provoked and furious, strikes Bhimasena with nine iron bhalla-arrows described as curved and jointed, wounding him in the thick of the Kurukshetra battle.