एवं तं विरथं कृत्वा कर्णो राजन् व्यकत्थत ॥
प्रमुखे वृष्णिसिंहस्य पार्थस्य च महात्मनः ॥
ततो राजञ् शिलाधौताञ् शराञ् शाखामृगध्वजः ॥
प्राहिणोत् सूतपुत्राय केशवेन प्रचोदितः ॥
ततः पार्थभुजोत्सृष्टाः शराः काञ्चनभूषणाः ॥
गाण्डीवप्रभवाः कर्णं हंसाः क्रौञ्चम् इवाविशन् ॥
स भुजंगैर् इवायस्तैर् गाण्डीवप्रेषितैः शरैः ॥
भीमसेनाद् अपासेधत् सूतपुत्रं धनंजयः ॥
evaṃ taṃ virathaṃ kṛtvā karṇo rājan vyakatthata ||
pramukhe vṛṣṇisiṃhasya pārthasya ca mahātmanaḥ ||
tato rājañ śilādhautāñ śarāñ śākhāmṛgadhvajaḥ ||
prāhiṇot sūtaputrāya keśavena pracoditaḥ ||
tataḥ pārthabhujotsṛṣṭāḥ śarāḥ kāñcanabhūṣaṇāḥ ||
gāṇḍīvaprabhavāḥ karṇaṃ haṃsāḥ krauñcam ivāviśan ||
sa bhujaṃgair ivāyastair gāṇḍīvapreṣitaiḥ śaraiḥ ||
bhīmasenād apāsedhat sūtaputraṃ dhanaṃjayaḥ ||
Thus, having unchariotted him, Karna, O king, boasted before the face of the lion of the Vrishnis [Krishna] and of Partha [Arjuna], great of soul. Then, O king, Arjuna, whose banner is the monkey, urged on by Keshava, loosed at the son of the suta arrows whetted on stone. Then arrows loosed from Partha's arm, adorned with gold, sprung from the Gandiva, entered Karna, like swans into [the mountain] Krauncha. He, Dhananjaya, with arrows like straining serpents sent from the Gandiva, drove the son of the suta away from Bhimasena.
779f77b24de5 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:25:13 PM UTC
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Karna boasts of his victory before Krishna and Arjuna themselves — and the boast finds its answer at once: Arjuna, at Keshava's word, drives him away from his brother. It is telling that mockery calls forth not fear but the retribution of a loving brother. The verse teaches that triumph voiced as boasting over the defenseless does not last; where one humiliates, another rises to defend, for love of one's kin is stronger than any arrogant force.