एवम् उक्तः स राज्ञा तु राक्षसस् तीव्रविक्रमः ॥
तथेत्य् उक्त्वा महाबाहुर् घटोत्कचम् उपाद्रवत् ॥
ततः कर्णं समुत्सृज्य भैमसेनिर् अपि प्रभो ॥
प्रत्यमित्रम् उपायान्तं मर्दयाम् आस मार्गणैः ॥
तयोः समभवद् युद्धं क्रुद्धयो राक्षसेन्द्रयोः ॥
मत्तयोर् वाशिताहेतोर् द्विपयोर् इव कानने ॥
रक्षसा विप्रमुक्तस् तु कर्णो ऽपि रथिनां वरः ॥
अभ्यद्रवद् भीमसेनं रथेनादित्यवर्चसा ॥
evam uktaḥ sa rājñā tu rākṣasas tīvravikramaḥ ||
tathety uktvā mahābāhur ghaṭotkacam upādravat ||
tataḥ karṇaṃ samutsṛjya bhaimasenir api prabho ||
pratyamitram upāyāntaṃ mardayām āsa mārgaṇaiḥ ||
tayoḥ samabhavad yuddhaṃ kruddhayo rākṣasendrayoḥ ||
mattayor vāśitāhetor dvipayor iva kānane ||
rakṣasā vipramuktas tu karṇo 'pi rathināṃ varaḥ ||
abhyadravad bhīmasenaṃ rathenādityavarcasā ||
Thus charged by the king, the rakshasa of fierce valor, saying "so be it," the mighty-armed one rushed upon Ghatotkacha. Then, leaving Karna, the son of Bhimasena, O lord, crushed the advancing enemy with arrows. A battle broke out between them — the two enraged lords of rakshasas, furious, over a she-elephant, like two elephants in a forest. And released by the rakshasa, Karna, best of warriors, rushed at Bhimasena on a chariot with the splendor of the sun.
5636c108a478 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:58:10 PM UTC
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Two rakshasas clash "like two elephants over a she-elephant": the enmity of giants is likened to the blind rivalry of beasts. It is telling that the diversion of Ghatotkacha at once frees Karna — Duryodhana's plan has succeeded. The verse teaches that in a general melee, to draw off a formidable defender is to expose the one he was shielding; and a cunning calculation that splits the enemy's forces strikes truer than a direct assault — for what is divided is easier to overcome than what is joined.