Shloka 18

द्रौणि-पार्षतयोर्युद्धम् | The Duel of Aśvatthāmā

Drauṇi) and Dhṛṣṭadyumna (Pārṣata

Devanagari script

महावेगै: प्रसन्नाग्रै: शातकुम्भपरिष्कृतै: । अहनदू भरतश्रेष्ठ भीम॑ वैकर्तन: शरै:,भरतश्रेष्ठ) कर्णने चमकते हुए अग्रभागवाले सुवर्णजटित महान्‌ वेगशाली बाणोंद्वारा भीमसेनको घायल कर दिया

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

mahāvegaiḥ prasannāgraiḥ śātakumbha-pariṣkṛtaiḥ |

ahann adū bharataśreṣṭha bhīmaṃ vai kartanaḥ śaraiḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: O Bester der Bharatas, mit Pfeilen von gewaltigem Schwung — deren Spitzen hell und scharf waren und die mit reinem Gold geschmückt — traf Karna Bhīma und verwundete ihn.

Word by Word

महावेगैःwith very swift (ones)

प्रसन्नाग्रैःwith bright/shining-pointed (ones)

शातकुम्भपरिष्कृतैःadorned with gold

अहनत्struck / wounded

उindeed / and

भरतश्रेष्ठO best of the Bharatas

भीमम्Bhima

वैindeed

वैकर्तनःVaikartana (Karna)

शरैःwith arrows

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhīma (Bhīmasena)

Karna

arrows (śara)

gold (śātakumbha)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the harsh reality of kṣatriya warfare: duty and martial excellence operate within a tragic arena where even great heroes must endure injury. It invites reflection on how dharma in war demands steadfastness, yet inevitably produces suffering and moral strain.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Karna, using swift arrows with shining tips and gold ornamentation, strikes and wounds Bhīma during the battle in Droṇa Parva.