Shloka 226

Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 58 — Arjuna’s Arrow-Storm and Relief of Bhīmasena

Devanagari script

यतमानं परं शक्‍त्या यतमानो महारथ: । ऐसा कहकर शीघ्रता करनेवाले प्रयत्नशील महारथी अभ्व॒त्थामाने अत्यन्त तेज, घोर एवं पैने बाणोंद्वारा यथाशक्ति विजयके लिये प्रयत्न करनेवाले वीर धृष्टद्युम्नको ढक दिया

Transliteration

yatamānaṃ paraṃ śaktyā yatamāno mahārathaḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Mit aller Macht ringend, bedeckte der große Wagenkämpfer—selbst bis zum Äußersten angespannt—den tapferen Dhṛṣṭadyumna, der ebenfalls nach Kräften um den Sieg rang, mit überaus grimmigen, scharf geschliffenen Pfeilen.

Word by Word

• यतमानम्: one who is striving
• यतमानम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यतमान (यत् धातु, आत्मनेपद वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• परम्: great, utmost
• परम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शक्त्या: with (his) power/ability
• शक्त्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• यतमानः: striving
• यतमानः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यतमान (यत् धातु, आत्मनेपद वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महारथः: great chariot-warrior
• महारथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Aśvatthāman
• Dhṛṣṭadyumna
• arrows (bāṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethic of total exertion in a warrior’s duty: each side pursues victory according to capacity, and the battlefield rewards sustained effort and skill rather than hesitation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Aśvatthāman, acting as a great chariot-warrior, showers Dhṛṣṭadyumna with fierce, sharp arrows, effectively covering or overwhelming him as both strive intensely for victory.