Shloka 63

दुर्योधन-कर्ण-संवादः

Duryodhana–Karna Dialogue on Vyūha-bheda and Daiva

Devanagari script

तेषां तद्‌ वचन श्रुत्वा क्षत्रधर्मा व्यवस्थित: । अर्धचन्द्रेण चिच्छेद क्षत्रधर्मा महाबल:

Transliteration

teṣāṁ tad vacanaṁ śrutvā kṣatradharmā vyavasthitaḥ | ardhacandreṇa ciccheda kṣatradharmā mahābalaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Als er ihre Worte vernahm, zerschnitt der mächtige Krieger—standhaft in der Dharma des Kṣatriya—mit einem Pfeil mit halbmondförmiger Spitze (den Gegner/die Waffe), entschlossen nach dem Gesetz der Schlacht handelnd.

Word by Word

तेषाम्of them

तत्that

वचनम्speech/words

श्रुत्वाhaving heard

क्षत्रधर्माthe one whose duty is that of a kshatriya / the kshatriya-duty-bound (warrior)

व्यवस्थितःresolved/steadfast/standing firm

अर्धचन्द्रेणwith a half-moon (arrow/weapon)

चिच्छेदcut/broke asunder

क्षत्रधर्माthe kshatriya-duty-bound warrior

महाबलःmighty/very strong

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Kṣatradharmā (epithet/name of a warrior)

ardhacandra (crescent-headed arrow)

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 kṣatriya-dharma: after assessing words and intent, a warrior must act decisively within the accepted rules of combat, showing steadiness (vyavasthita) rather than hesitation or personal impulse.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that, upon hearing the opposing side’s words, the mighty warrior described as 'kṣatradharmā' responds immediately in battle by severing something—typically an opponent’s weapon, banner, or limb—using an ardhacandra (crescent-headed) arrow.