Shloka 14

दुर्योधन-कर्ण-संवादः

Duryodhana–Karna Dialogue on Vyūha-bheda and Daiva

Devanagari script

ततोओस्‍्त्रे निहते ब्राह्मे बृहत्क्षत्रस्तु भारत । विव्याध ब्राह्माणं षष्ट्या स्वर्णपुड्खै: शिलाशितै:

Transliteration

tato ’stre nihate brāhme bṛhatkṣatras tu bhārata | vivyādha brāhmaṇaṁ ṣaṣṭyā svarṇapuṅkhaiḥ śilāśitaiḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: „O Bhārata, nachdem die Brahmā-Waffe unschädlich gemacht worden war, traf Bṛhatkṣatra den Brahmanen mit sechzig Pfeilen — goldbefiedert und an Stein geschärft.“

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereupon

अस्त्रेin/with the weapon (missile)

निहतेwhen (it was) struck down/destroyed

ब्राह्मेBrahma(-given), Brahmic

बृहत्क्षत्रःBṛhatkṣatra (lit. 'he whose dominion is great')

तुbut, however

भारतO Bhārata

विव्याधpierced, wounded

ब्राह्माणम्the Brahmin (Drona)

षष्ट्याwith sixty

स्वर्णपुड्खैःwith gold-feathered (arrows)

शिलाशितैःstone-whetted, sharpened on stone

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhārata (Dhṛtarāṣṭra as addressee)

Bṛhatkṣatra

Brāhmaṇa (unnamed opponent)

Brāhmāstra (Brahmā-weapon)

arrows (gold-feathered, stone-whetted)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical tension of war: even after divine weapons are countered, fighters may continue with intensified human aggression. It invites reflection on restraint (dama) and the limits of righteous conduct when sacred identities (a 'Brāhmaṇa') are caught in martial violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

After the Brahmā-weapon (brāhmāstra) has been neutralized, Bṛhatkṣatra attacks his opponent—described as a Brāhmaṇa—shooting sixty arrows characterized as gold-feathered and sharpened on stone.