Shloka 46

Karna Reproves Shalya; Brahmin Reports on Bāhlīkas; Shalya’s Universalizing Rebuttal (कर्ण–शल्य संवादः)

Devanagari script

धनुर्घोरें रामदत्तं गाण्डीवात्‌ तद्‌ विशिष्यते । त्रिस्सप्तकृत्व: पृथिवी धनुषा येन निर्जिता,परशुरामजीका दिया हुआ वह घोर धनुष गाण्डीवसे श्रेष्ठ है। यह वही धनुष है, जिसके द्वारा परशुरामजीने पृथ्वीपर इक्कीस बार विजय पायी थी

Transliteration

dhanur ghoraṁ rāmadattaṁ gāṇḍīvāt tad viśiṣyate | tris-saptakṛtvaḥ pṛthivī dhanuṣā yena nirjitā ||

Translation

Karna sprach: „Dieser furchterregende Bogen, den Rama (Paraśurāma) mir verlieh, übertrifft selbst den Gāṇḍīva. Es ist derselbe Bogen, mit dem Paraśurāma die Erde einundzwanzigmal bezwang.“

Word by Word

धनुःbow

घोरम्terrible, formidable

रामदत्तम्given by Rama (Paraśurāma)

गाण्डीवात्from (than) the Gāṇḍīva bow

तत्that

विशिष्यतेis superior, excels

त्रिःthrice

सप्तकृत्वःseven times (i.e., on seven occasions)

पृथिवीthe earth

धनुषाwith the bow

येनby which

निर्जिताwas conquered

Speaker

कर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

Karna

Rama (Paraśurāma)

Gāṇḍīva (bow)

Rāmadatta bow (Paraśurāma’s gifted bow)

Pṛthivī (the earth)

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 how authority and prestige in dharmic warfare are often argued through lineage, teacher-bestowed weapons, and past exemplars. It also cautions that pride in inherited power can become a driving force in conflict, shifting focus from righteousness to rivalry.

What is happening in the narrative?

Karna is boasting of a formidable bow given to him by Paraśurāma, claiming it surpasses Arjuna’s famed Gāṇḍīva. He strengthens his claim by citing Paraśurāma’s legendary conquest of the earth twenty-one times using that very bow.