Shloka 10
Chapter 61: Karṇa’s martial assurances and Bhīṣma’s strategic rebuttal in the Kuru assembly
यस्ते शर: सर्पमुखो विभाति सदाग्रयमाल्यैर्महित: प्रयत्नात् स पाणए्डुपुत्राभिहत: शरौचै: सह त्वया यास्यति कर्ण नाशम्,“तेरे पास जो सर्पमुख बाण प्रकाशित होता है और तू प्रयत्नपूर्वक सदा ही पुष्पमाला आदि श्रेष्ठ उपचारोंद्वारा जिसकी पूजा किया करता है, वह पाण्डुपुत्र अर्जुनके बाणसमूहोंसे छिन्न-भिन्न होकर तेरे साथ ही नष्ट हो जायगा
yas te śaraḥ sarpamukho vibhāti sadāgraya-mālyair mahitaḥ prayatnāt | sa pāṇḍuputrābhihataḥ śaraughaiḥ saha tvayā yāsyati karṇa nāśam ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: “Ang palaso mong may bungangang ahas, na kumikislap at masikap mong pinararangalan sa piling ng mga piling kuwintas ng bulaklak at iba pang handog, ay dudurugin at pagwawatak-watakin ng mga bugso ng palasong pinakawalan ni Arjuna, anak ni Pāṇḍu; at mamamatay iyon kasama mo, O Karṇa.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even revered instruments of power—objects one honors with devotion—do not guarantee victory when one’s course is opposed by stronger destiny and the consequences of one’s choices; martial pride and ritualized attachment to weapons cannot override the moral and karmic trajectory of the war.
The narrator foretells Karṇa’s downfall: the special serpent-headed arrow that Karṇa keeps honored with offerings will be broken by Arjuna’s many arrows, and both the weapon and Karṇa will meet destruction together.