अतीव तच् चित्रम् अतीव रूपं; बभूव युद्धं रविभीमसून्वोः ॥
समाकुलं शस्त्रनिपातघोरं; दिवीव राह्वंशुमतोः प्रतप्तम् ॥
घटोत्कचो यदा कर्णं न विशेषयते नृप ॥
तदा प्रादुश्चकारोग्रम् अस्त्रम् अस्त्रविदां वरः ॥
तेनास्त्रेण हयान् पूर्वं हत्वा कर्णस्य राक्षसः ॥
सारथिं चैव हैडिम्बः क्षिप्रम् अन्तरधीयत ॥
atīva tac citram atīva rūpaṃ; babhūva yuddhaṃ ravibhīmasūnvoḥ ||
samākulaṃ śastranipātaghoraṃ; divīva rāhvaṃśumatoḥ prataptam ||
ghaṭotkaco yadā karṇaṃ na viśeṣayate nṛpa ||
tadā prāduścakārogram astram astravidāṃ varaḥ ||
tenāstreṇa hayān pūrvaṃ hatvā karṇasya rākṣasaḥ ||
sārathiṃ caiva haiḍimbaḥ kṣipram antaradhīyata ||
Exceedingly wondrous, exceedingly beautiful was the battle of the sons of the Sun [Karna] and of Bhima [Ghatotkacha], turbulent, terrible with the falling of weapons, like Rahu and the radiant [sun] scorching in the sky. When Ghatotkacha could not surpass Karna, O king, then the best of the knowers of weapons displayed a fearsome weapon. With that weapon, having first slain the horses of Karna, the rakshasa, and the charioteer too, the son of Hidimba swiftly vanished.
b3611eeee23a · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:58:10 PM UTC
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Unable to overcome Karna in open battle, Ghatotkacha resorts to weapon and sorcery, vanishing from sight: where sheer strength falls short, concealment takes its place. It is telling that the comparison is to Rahu swallowing the sun — darkness laying claim to light. The verse teaches that in a contest of equals, the one losing the open clash reaches for other means; but even these will only delay the outcome — for the end is already ordained, and this very battle is a link in the design that saves Arjuna.