Shloka 18

Devanagari script

त्वरमाणो< भ्ययात्‌ कर्ण भीम॑ चावारयच्छरै: । दुर्मुखं प्रेक्ष्य संग्रामे सूतपुत्रपदानुगम्‌

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | tvaramāṇo 'bhyayāt karṇaḥ bhīmaṃ cāvārayac charaiḥ | durmukhaṃ prekṣya saṅgrāme sūtaputrapadānugam ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Hastening forward, Karṇa advanced and checked Bhīma with volleys of arrows. Seeing Durmukha on the battlefield, following in the footsteps of the charioteer’s son (Karṇa), he pressed on—an image of martial loyalty and emulation amid the war’s moral turbulence.

Word by Word

• त्वरमाणः: hastening
• त्वरमाणः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्वर् (धातु)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त)

• अभ्ययात्: approached / went towards
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: Aorist (लुङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कर्णम्: Karna
• कर्णम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भीमम्: Bhima
• भीमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अवारयत्: checked / restrained / held back
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु) / वारय् (णिजन्त)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada, Causative (णिजन्त)

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• दुर्मुखम्: Durmukha (proper name)
• दुर्मुखम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्मुख
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रेक्ष्य: having seen / observing
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त अव्यय), true

• संग्रामे: in battle
• संग्रामे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्राम
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• सूतपुत्रपदानुगम्: following the footsteps of the charioteer’s son (Karna)
• सूतपुत्रपदानुगम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूतपुत्रपदानुग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Karna
• Bhima
• Durmukha

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights battlefield dharma as expressed through decisive action and leadership: a powerful warrior restrains an opponent, while another fighter models himself on that leader. Ethically, it points to how allegiance and imitation operate in war—courage and loyalty can be admirable, yet they also bind individuals to the larger moral consequences of the side they serve.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Drona Parva battle sequence, Karna quickly charges and halts Bhima’s advance by showering him with arrows. Durmukha is seen in the fight following Karna’s lead—moving as his adherent and imitator on the field.