दृष्ट्वा च कुरुसौवीरसैन्धवानां बलक्षयम् ॥
सवर्मध्वजशस्त्रैश् च पतितैः संवृतां महीम् ॥
हस्त्यश्वनरदेहांश् च गतासून् प्रेक्ष्य सर्वतः ॥
सूतपुत्रस्य संरम्भाद् दीप्तं वपुर् अजायत ॥
स विस्फार्य महच् चापं कार्तस्वरविभूषितम् ॥
भीमं प्रैक्षत राधेयो राजन् घोरेण चक्षुषा ॥
ततः क्रुद्धः शरान् अस्यन् सूतपुत्रो व्यरोचत ॥
मध्यंदिनगतो ऽर्चिष्माञ् शरदीव दिवाकरः ॥
dṛṣṭvā ca kurusauvīrasaindhavānāṃ balakṣayam ||
savarmadhvajaśastraiś ca patitaiḥ saṃvṛtāṃ mahīm ||
hastyaśvanaradehāṃś ca gatāsūn prekṣya sarvataḥ ||
sūtaputrasya saṃrambhād dīptaṃ vapur ajāyata ||
sa visphārya mahac cāpaṃ kārtasvaravibhūṣitam ||
bhīmaṃ praikṣata rādheyo rājan ghoreṇa cakṣuṣā ||
tataḥ kruddhaḥ śarān asyan sūtaputro vyarocata ||
madhyaṃdinagato 'rciṣmāñ śaradīva divākaraḥ ||
And having seen [among] the Kurus, Sauviras, and Sindhus the destruction of the army, the earth strewn with the fallen [and their] armor, banners, weapons, and having beheld everywhere the lifeless bodies of elephants, horses, and men — a blazing form arose in the son of the suta, from fury. He, having drawn the great bow adorned with gold, gazed at Bhima, Radheya, O king, with a terrible eye. Then, enraged, hurling arrows, the son of the suta shone like the autumn sun, radiant, having reached midday.
e78747452019 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:25:13 PM UTC
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The sight of the field strewn with bodies inflames Karna into a blazing form — but grief for the fallen turns not into reflection, only into fresh fury. The comparison to the midday autumn sun is telling: the peak of brilliance is also the eve of its setting. The verse teaches that sorrow not transmuted into insight only fans anger; and one who, seeing the fruits of war, answers them by multiplying war, shines as terribly as noon — after which sunset is unavoidable.