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Shloka 74

।। नदीनदं भूरिजलो महार्णवो यथा तथा तान्‌ समरे<र्जुनो5ग्रसत्‌

nadīnadaṁ bhūrijalo mahārṇavo yathā tathā tān samare 'rjuno 'grasat

قال كارنا: «كما أن المحيط العظيم، المتخم بالمياه الغزيرة، يبتلع الجداول والأنهار التي تصبّ فيه، كذلك بدا أرجونا في تلك المعركة كأنه يلتهم أولئك المحاربين. لم يكن أعداؤه يدركون متى يثبت أروع السهام على قوسه ولا متى يطلقها؛ غير أن الفيلة والخيول والرجال، وقد خُرِقوا بسهامه، كانوا يسقطون واحدًا إثر واحد، بلا روح.»

नदीrivers
नदी:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootनदी
FormFeminine, Accusative, Plural
नदम्river/stream (large river)
नदम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootनद
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
भूरि-जलःhaving abundant water
भूरि-जलः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootभूरि + जल
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
महा-अर्णवःthe great ocean
महा-अर्णवः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमहा + अर्णव
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
यथाjust as
यथा:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा
तथाso, in the same way
तथा:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
तान्those (men/warriors)
तान्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
समरेin battle
समरे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootसमर
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
अर्जुनःArjuna
अर्जुनः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअर्जुन
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
अग्रसत्swallowed, devoured
अग्रसत्:
TypeVerb
Rootग्रस् (ग्लसँ/ग्रसँ)
FormImperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

कर्ण उवाच

K
Karna
A
Arjuna
O
ocean (mahārṇava)
R
rivers/streams (nadī, nada)
B
battlefield (samara)
B
bow
A
arrows
E
elephants
H
horses
M
men/warriors

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights how extraordinary skill and momentum in war can make resistance seem futile—like rivers vanishing into the ocean—while also reminding the listener of the grave human and animal cost of battle. It frames martial excellence within the kṣatriya world, where prowess is admired even by opponents, yet its results are starkly lethal.

Karna describes Arjuna’s overwhelming performance in the fight: Arjuna’s rapid, almost imperceptible arrow-work prevents enemies from tracking his actions, and the battlefield fills with elephants, horses, and men falling dead from his arrows.