Mahabharata 7.175.49 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 175, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

यह कर्ण महाथधनुर्धर, बुद्धिमान्‌ और दृढ़तापूर्वक पराक्रम प्रकट करनेवाला है। यह पाण्डवोंकी सेनाओंमें जो श्रेष्ठ क्षत्रिय वीर हैं, उनका विनाश कर रहा है ।।

Transliteration

karṇaḥ mahā-dhanurdharaḥ buddhimān dṛḍhatayā parākramaṁ prakaṭayati; sa pāṇḍavānāṁ senāsu ye śreṣṭhāḥ kṣatriya-vīrāḥ, tān vināśayati. kirantaḥ śaravarṣāṇi mahānti dṛḍha-dhanvinaḥ; na śaknuvanty avasthātuṁ pīḍyamānāḥ śarārcīṣā.

Translation

Vāyu sprach: „Karṇa—mächtig mit dem Bogen, scharfsinnig im Rat und standhaft in der Entfaltung seiner Tapferkeit—bringt nun Verderben über die vornehmsten kṣatriyischen Helden im Heer der Pāṇḍavas. Selbst kraftvolle Bogenschützen, die gewaltige Pfeilschauer ergießen, können auf dem Schlachtfeld nicht standhalten, wenn sie vom feurigen Glanz seiner Geschosse versengt und bedrängt werden.“

Word by Word

• किरन्तः: showering, scattering
• किरन्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: किर् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), परस्मैपद-भाव, पुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• शर-वर्षाणि: showers of arrows
• शर-वर्षाणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुं, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• महान्ति: great, huge
• महान्ति: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुं, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• दृढ-धन्विनः: firm-bowed archers
• दृढ-धन्विनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दृढ + धन्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)

• शक्नुवन्ति: are able
• Type: Verb
• Root: शक् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथम, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• अवस्थातुम्: to stand, to remain
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + स्था (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन् (infinitive)

• पीड्यमानाः: being tormented/pressed
• पीड्यमानाः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: पीड् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शानच्), कर्मणि, पुं, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• शर-अर्चिषा: by the flame/fire of arrows
• शर-अर्चिषा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर + अर्चिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्री, तृतीया, एकवचन

Speaker

श्रीवायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva
• Karna
• Pandavas
• Kshatriya warriors
• arrows (śara)
• bow/archery (dhanus)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how concentrated skill and steadfast resolve in war can overwhelm even strong opponents; ethically, it underscores the severe consequences of martial power when directed toward destruction, reminding readers that Kshatriya valor carries grave responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva describes Karna’s dominance in battle: he is cutting down the foremost warriors among the Pandava forces, and his arrows—likened to fire—drive even formidable archers from their positions.