Shloka 17

कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ४०

Karṇa’s Pressure on the Pāñcālas; Duryodhana Disabled; Arjuna’s Counter-Advance

Devanagari script

प्रतार्यमाणस्तै: सर्वैरल्पबुद्धिभिरण्डज:

Transliteration

pratāryamāṇas taiḥ sarvair alpabuddhibhir aṇḍajaḥ

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Das aus dem Ei Geborene (ein Vogel) wurde von all jenen Menschen von geringem Verstand bedrängt und hin und her gejagt—ein Bild dafür, wie Toren in der Menge die Wehrlosen ohne Einsicht und ohne Zügel quälen.

Word by Word

• प्रतार्यमाणः: being harassed/tormented
• प्रतार्यमाणः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-तॄ (धातु) → प्रतारय् (णिच्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तैः: by them
• तैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• सर्वैः: by all
• सर्वैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• अल्पबुद्धिभिः: by the dull-witted/short-minded ones
• अल्पबुद्धिभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्पबुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• अण्डजः: the bird (egg-born one)
• अण्डजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अण्डज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• aṇḍajaḥ (a bird)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical failure of 'alpabuddhi'—lack of discernment—where many act together to harass a weaker being. It implicitly commends restraint, compassion, and thoughtful conduct (dharma) over impulsive cruelty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a scene in which an 'aṇḍaja' (a bird) is being chased or tormented by a group of foolish people, serving as a vivid narrative detail and moral contrast within the larger war-episode context.