Shloka 34
इसी समय होशमें आकर किरीटधारी महात्मा अर्जुनने यमदण्डके समान भयंकर आंजलिक नामक बाण हाथमें लिया। यह देख भगवान् श्रीकृष्णने भी अर्जुनसे कहा --'पार्थ! कर्ण जबतक रथपर नहीं चढ़ जाता तबतक ही अपने बाणके द्वारा इस शत्रुका मस्तक काट डालो” ।।
tathaiva sampūjya sa tad vacaḥ prabhoḥ satataḥ śaraṃ prajvalitaṃ pragṛhya | jaghāna kakṣām amalārkavarṇā mahārathe rathacakre vimagne ||
Sa sandaling iyon, nagbalik-malay ang koronadong si Arjuna at kinuha sa kamay ang nakapanghihilakbot na palasong tinatawag na Anjalika, kasindak-sindak na parang pamalo ni Yama. Nang makita ito, sinabi rin ni Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa kay Arjuna: “Pārtha! Hangga’t hindi pa nakasasakay si Karṇa sa kanyang karwahe, putulin mo ang ulo ng kaaway na ito sa pamamagitan ng iyong palaso.” Kaya’t pinarangalan ni Arjuna ang utos ng Panginoon, agad niyang hinawakan ang palasong nagliliyab, at tinamaan ang dambuhalang karwahe ni Karṇa habang nakabaon at nakasadsad ang gulong—tinudla ang bandilang kumakaway, kasingliwanag ng araw, sa ibabaw ng karwahe.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical strain of battlefield dharma: decisive action may be urged even when the opponent is momentarily disadvantaged. It also shows Arjuna’s deference to Kṛṣṇa’s authority—treating the command as binding in a life-and-death crisis—raising enduring questions about fairness, necessity, and duty in war.
Sañjaya describes Arjuna respectfully accepting Kṛṣṇa’s instruction, seizing a blazing arrow, and striking at Karṇa’s great chariot at the moment when its wheel is stuck/sunk, intensifying the climactic confrontation between the two warriors.