Mahabharata 7.127.32 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 127, Shloka 32

दुर्योधन-कर्ण-संवादः

Duryodhana–Karna Dialogue on Vyūha-bheda and Daiva

Devanagari script

तामापतन्तीमालोक्य कालरात्रिमिवोद्यताम्‌

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | tām āpatantīm ālokya kālarātrim ivodyatām, lohamayīṃ gurvīṃ gadām hema-niṣkair alaṅkṛtām | droṇācāryo 'pi tāṃ dṛṣṭvā sahasraśaḥ śitaiḥ śaraiḥ ciccheda bahudhā ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Als Droṇācārya jene schwere eiserne, mit Gold eingelegte Keule auf sich herabstürzen sah, gleich der hoch erhobenen Nacht des Verderbens, zerschmetterte er sie mit Tausenden scharfer Pfeile in viele Stücke. Die Episode betont, dass in der Raserei des Krieges Meisterschaft und Wachsamkeit selbst einen scheinbar unwiderstehlichen Schlag neutralisieren können—und zugleich zeigt sie die eskalierende Zerstörung, die auf dem Schlachtfeld die gebotene Zurückhaltung des dharma-yuddha überrollt.

Word by Word

• ताम्: her/that (f.)
• ताम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• आपतन्तीम्: falling upon/descending
• आपतन्तीम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: आपत् (धातु: पत्/आपत्)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular, शतृ (present active participle)

• आलोक्य: having seen
• आलोक्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: आलोक् (धातु: लोक्)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund)

• कालरात्रिम्: Kālarātri (goddess of doom/night of destruction)
• कालरात्रिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालरात्रि
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• इव: like/as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• उद्यताम्: raised/uplifted, poised
• उद्यताम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद्यत
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Dronacharya (Droṇa)
• Gadā (mace)
• Kālarātri

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights vigilance and disciplined skill in the face of sudden danger: even a catastrophic-looking strike can be countered through presence of mind and mastery. Ethically, it also reflects how war drives combatants toward increasingly lethal measures, testing the boundaries of restraint and dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

A heavy iron mace, ornamented with gold, is seen descending like the personified Night of Doom. Dronacharya responds instantly, firing thousands of sharp arrows that break the mace into fragments before it can land.