Shloka 64

अजिशीर्षे प्रातःसंध्यायां संग्रामवर्णनम् / Dawn-Transition Battle at Ajiśīrṣa

Chapter 161

Devanagari script

विव्याध सायकै: पार्थश्चतुर्भि: पाण्डुनन्दन: । धनुष कट जाने और घोड़ों तथा सारथिके मारे जानेपर कर्णको पाण्डुनन्दन अर्जुनने चार बाणोंद्वारा घायल कर दिया ।। ६३ ई || हताश्चात्‌ तु रथात्‌ तूर्णमवप्लुत्य नरर्षभ:

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | vivyādha sāyakaiḥ pārthaś caturbhiḥ pāṇḍunandanaḥ | hataś cāt tu rathāt tūṛṇam avaplutya nararṣabhaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Darauf durchbohrte Arjuna, der Sohn Pāṇḍus, der Sohn Pṛthās, Karṇa mit vier Pfeilen. Danach sprang der Stier unter den Männern rasch von seinem Wagen herab — (Fortsetzung).

Word by Word

विव्याधpierced, wounded

सायकैःwith arrows

पार्थःPartha (Arjuna)

चतुर्भिःwith four

पाण्डुनन्दनःson of Pandu (Arjuna)

हतःslain / struck down

चात्and (enclitic; here in sandhi form)

तुbut, however

रथात्from the chariot

तूर्णम्quickly

अवप्लुत्यhaving leapt down

नरर्षभःbull among men (best of men)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Arjuna (Pārtha, Pāṇḍunandana)

Karṇa (implied by context)

arrows (sāyaka)

chariot (ratha)

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 underscores kṣatriya resolve in war: a warrior continues to act despite setbacks. Ethically, it reflects the epic’s portrayal of duty-driven combat where persistence and courage are praised even amid destructive circumstances.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Arjuna strikes Karṇa with four arrows. Immediately after, the hero (described as ‘best of men’) swiftly leaps down from his chariot, indicating a sudden change in the fight’s situation and setting up the next action in the sequence.