Shloka 11
दुःशासनवधः (Duḥśāsana-vadha) — Bhīma’s vow-fulfillment in combat
न शेकुर्यन्तवन्तो5पि राधेयं प्रतिवीक्षितुम् । वे सब महारथी प्रयत्नपूर्वक बाणसमूहोंकी वर्षा और तोमरोंका प्रहार करते हुए भी राधापुत्रको देख न सके ।। तांश्व सर्वान् महेष्वासान् सर्वशस्त्रास्त्रपारग:
sañjaya uvāca | na śekur yantavanto 'pi rādheyaṃ prativīkṣitum | te sarve mahārathī prayatnapūrvakaṃ bāṇasamūhānāṃ varṣaṃ tomaraprahāraṃ ca kurvāṇā api rādhāputraṃ draṣṭuṃ na śekuḥ || tāṃś ca sarvān maheṣvāsān sarvaśastrāstrapāragaḥ ||
Wika ni Sanjaya: Bagaman sila’y ganap na armado at handa, hindi man lamang nila magawang tumitig kay Radheya (Karṇa). Ang lahat ng yaong mga dakilang mandirigmang nakasakay sa karwahe, kahit nagsikap nang sukdulan—nagpaulan ng mga palaso at sumalakay gamit ang mga tomara—ay hindi pa rin makita ang anak ni Rādhā. At siya, na ganap na bihasa sa lahat ng sandata at mga astra, ay humarap sa kanilang lahat.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how sheer martial effort and weaponry do not guarantee success; in the Mahabharata’s ethical frame, prowess, confidence, and the momentum of fate can render even elite warriors ineffective. It also underscores the ideal of complete mastery (sarva-śastra-astra-pāraga) as a defining trait of a great warrior.
Sanjaya describes a moment in the battle where multiple top-tier warriors attack Karna with intense volleys of arrows and spear-strikes, yet they cannot even properly perceive or fix their gaze on him—suggesting Karna’s overwhelming dominance, speed, or tactical superiority as he confronts them.