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Shloka 30

कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ५७

Arjuna’s targeted advance; Śalya–Karṇa dialogue; interception attempts

वैदूर्यदण्डांश्व शुभान्‌ पतितानड्कुशान्‌ भुवि । बद्धा: सादिभुजाग्रेषु सुवर्णविकृता: कशा:

sañjaya uvāca

vaidūryadaṇḍāṁś ca śubhān patitān aṅkuśān bhuvi |

baddhāḥ sādibhuja-agreṣu suvarṇa-vikṛtāḥ kaśāḥ ||

Sañjaya sprach: „Auf dem Boden lagen viele schöne Treibstachel, deren Griffe mit vaidūrya-Edelsteinen besetzt waren. Und viele goldgearbeitete Peitschen—die eben noch dicht in den Händen der Reiter gelegen hatten—waren abgehauen und herabgefallen. Das Bild zeigt, wie selbst die Werkzeuge von Zucht und Befehl im Krieg zerbrechen und wie inmitten der Gewalt die Ordnung zusammenstürzt.“

वैदूर्यदण्डान्bâtons/shafts of vaidūrya (cat’s-eye gem)
वैदूर्यदण्डान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootवैदूर्यदण्ड
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
अंश्वrays; (here likely: pieces/shafts—text uncertain)
अंश्व:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअंशु
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
शुभान्beautiful, auspicious
शुभान्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootशुभ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
पतितान्fallen
पतितान्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootपतित
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
अङ्कुशान्goads (elephant-goads)
अङ्कुशान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअङ्कुश
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
भुविon the ground
भुवि:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootभू
FormFeminine, Locative, Singular
बद्धाःfastened, attached
बद्धाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootबद्ध
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural
सादिभुजाग्रेषुon the forearms/hands of the riders (lit. at the ends of the arms of the mounted)
सादिभुजाग्रेषु:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootसादिभुजाग्र
FormNeuter, Locative, Plural
सुवर्णविकृताःmade/formed of gold
सुवर्णविकृताः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootसुवर्णविकृत
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural
कशाःwhips
कशाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootकशा
FormFeminine, Nominative, Plural

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
A
aṅkuśa (goad)
K
kaśā (whip)
V
vaidūrya (gem)
S
suvarṇa (gold)
B
bhuvi (the ground/earth)

Educational Q&A

The verse underscores the fragility of worldly power and control: even the tools meant to direct and restrain (goads and whips) are shattered in war, suggesting how violence dissolves order and mastery.

Sañjaya describes the battlefield aftermath: ornate goads with gem-studded handles and gold-made whips that had been in riders’ hands are now cut off and lying on the ground, indicating intense fighting and the fall of charioteers/horsemen.