Shloka 3

Adhyāya 141 — Night duels: Śaineya and Bhūriśravas; Droṇi and Ghaṭotkaca; Bhīma and Duryodhana

Devanagari script

स कर्ण कर्णिना कर्णे पीतेन निशितेन च । विव्याध सुभृशं संख्ये तैलधौतेन मारिष,माननीय नरेश! फिर उन्होंने भी युद्धस्थलमें तेलके धोये हुए पानीदार तीखे “कर्णी' नामक बाणसे कर्णके कानमें गहरी चोट पहुँचायी

Transliteration

sa karṇa karṇinā karṇe pītena niśitena ca | vivyādha subhṛśaṃ saṅkhye tailadhautena māriṣa ||

Translation

Sanjaya said: In the thick of battle, he struck Karna fiercely in the ear with a sharp arrow called a karni, polished and cleansed with oil.

Word by Word

सःhe

कर्णम्Karna (as object)

कर्णिनाwith a karṇin-arrow (barbed/ear-shaped arrow)

कर्णेin/at the ear

पीतेनwith (one) drunk/imbibed; (contextually) with (a shaft) soaked

निशितेनwith a sharp (one)

चand

विव्याधpierced

सुभृशम्very greatly, intensely

संख्येin battle

तैलधौतेनwith (one) washed/cleansed with oil

मारिषO sir! (term of address)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

Karna

karṇī (arrow)

ear (karṇa)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the harsh reality of dharma on the battlefield: warriors employ refined skill and lethal precision, and even great heroes are not beyond vulnerability. It reflects how, in war, ethical ideals are strained by the imperative to win and survive.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that an unnamed combatant strikes Karṇa in the ear with a sharp, oil-polished arrow called a karṇī, inflicting a severe wound during the fight.