Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 34

द्रौणि-पार्षतयोर्युद्धम् | The Duel of Aśvatthāmā

Drauṇi) and Dhṛṣṭadyumna (Pārṣata

शंखशब्दं च कुर्वाणौ युयुधाते परस्परम्‌ । महाराज! वे परस्पर शस्त्रोंकी वर्षा करके एक-दूसरेको दग्ध करते, क्रोधसे आँखें फाड़-फाड़कर देखते, कभी हँसते और कभी बारंबार एक-दूसरेको डाँटते एवं शंखनाद करते हुए परस्पर जूझ रहे थे || ३२-३३ $ ।। तस्य भीम: पुनश्चापं मुष्टी चिच्छेद मारिष,आर्य! भीमसेनने पुनः कर्णके धनुषको मुट्ठी पकड़नेकी जगहसे काट डाला, शंखके समान श्वेत रंगवाले उसके घोड़ोंको भी बाणोंद्वारा यमलोक पहुँचा दिया और उसके सारथिको भी मारकर रथकी बैठकसे नीचे गिरा दिया

śaṅkhaśabdaṃ ca kurvāṇau yuyudhāte parasparam | mahārāja! te paraspara-śastrāṇāṃ varṣaṃ kṛtvā anyonyaṃ dagdhavantau, krodhād akṣīṇi vidārya vidārya paśyantau, kadācid hasantau kadācid bhūyaḥ bhūyaḥ anyonyaṃ tarjayantau ca śaṅkhanādaṃ kurvāṇau parasparaṃ yuyudhāte || tasya bhīmaḥ punaś cāpaṃ muṣṭiṃ ciccheda mārīṣa | ārya! bhīmasenena punaḥ karṇasya dhanuḥ muṣṭi-grahaṇa-deśāt chinnaṃ, śaṅkha-sadṛśa-śveta-varṇān aśvān api bāṇaiḥ yama-lokaṃ prāpayām āsa, sārathiṃ ca hatvā ratha-niṣadāt adhaḥ pātayām āsa ||

قال سنجيا: «أيها الملك، كان المحاربان يتقاتلان وهما يُطلقان صوت الصدَف (الشَّنْخ). أمطرا أحدهما الآخر بوابلٍ من السلاح كأنهما يريدان إحراق الخصم، يحدّقان بعيونٍ متسعة من الغضب—تارةً يضحكان سخريةً، وتارةً يكرّران التوبيخ والتهكّم—ومع ذلك يواصلان النزال وهما ينفخان في الصدَف. ثم إن بهيما قطع مرةً أخرى قوسَ كارنا عند موضع القبضة، أيها الجليل. وبسهامه أرسل خيلَ كارنا البيضاء كبياض الصدَف إلى ديار يَما، وقتل السائق ثم قذفه من مقعد العربة الحربية.»

शङ्ख-शब्दम्conch-sound
शङ्ख-शब्दम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootशङ्खशब्द
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
कुर्वाणौdoing/making
कुर्वाणौ:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootकृ
Formशतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Dual
युयुधातेthey two fought
युयुधाते:
TypeVerb
Rootयुध्
FormLat, Atmanepada, Third, Dual
परस्परम्mutually/against each other
परस्परम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपरस्पर
तस्यof him/of that (one)
तस्य:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
भीमःBhima
भीमः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootभीम
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
पुनःagain
पुनः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपुनः
चापम्bow
चापम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootचाप
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
मुष्टिम्fist/grip (handle)
मुष्टिम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमुष्टि
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
चिच्छेदcut/broke
चिच्छेद:
TypeVerb
Rootछिद्
FormLan (imperfect), Parasmaipada, Third, Singular
मारिषO venerable one
मारिष:
TypeNoun
Rootमारिष
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
M
Mahārāja (Dhṛtarāṣṭra)
B
Bhīma (Bhīmasena)
K
Karṇa
C
conch (śaṅkha)
B
bow (cāpa/dhanuḥ)
A
arrows (bāṇa)
H
horses (aśva)
C
charioteer (sārathi)
C
chariot-seat (ratha-niṣad)
Y
Yamaloka

Educational Q&A

The passage underscores how krodha (anger) and competitive pride inflame conflict: even skilled warriors become driven by taunts, laughter, and threats, and the battlefield rewards decisive, often ruthless action. It invites reflection on the ethical cost of war—how quickly human dignity and restraint can be consumed when dharma is eclipsed by vengeance and victory.

Sañjaya describes a fierce duel marked by conch-blasts and mutual weapon-showers. Bhīma gains the upper hand by severing Karṇa’s bow at the grip, then killing Karṇa’s white horses with arrows and slaying the charioteer, causing him to fall from the chariot-seat—thereby crippling Karṇa’s mobility and immediate fighting capacity.