Shloka 5
कर्णवधप्रसङ्गः / The Context of Karṇa’s Fall
Krishna’s Dharmic Recollection and the Decisive Astra
ततो रणे भारत दुष्प्रकम्प्य आचार्यपुत्र: प्रवर: कुरूणाम् । मार्मर्दयामास शितै: पृषत्कै- जनार्दनं चैव विषाग्निकल्पै:
tato raṇe bhārata duṣprakampya ācāryaputraḥ pravaraḥ kurūṇām | mārmardayāmāsa śitaiḥ pṛṣatkaiḥ janārdanaṃ caiva viṣāgnikalpaiḥ ||
Rồi trong trận chiến ấy, hỡi Bhārata, người kiệt xuất nhất trong hàng Kurus—con của bậc Ācārya, kẻ khó lay chuyển—bắt đầu dồn ép cả ta lẫn Janārdana bằng những mũi tên sắc bén, ghê gớm như độc và lửa.
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical pressure of warfare: formidable skill can become relentless harm, and the righteous response requires steadiness and disciplined action rather than panic or cruelty. It also frames Arjuna’s reliance on Kṛṣṇa (Janārdana) amid danger, emphasizing composure and duty under extreme provocation.
In the midst of the battle, Aśvatthāmā (Droṇa’s son), described as a foremost Kuru warrior and difficult to shake, begins striking and tormenting Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa with sharp arrows compared to poison and fire—signaling an intense escalation in the exchange of missiles.