Shloka 113

Devanagari script

शरैरनेकसाहसैराच्छिनत्‌ सूतनन्दन: । उठे हुए कालचक्रके समान सहसा अपने ऊपर गिरते हुए उस रथचक्रको सूतनन्दन कर्णने कई हजार बाणोंसे काट गिराया

Transliteration

śarair aneka-sāhasair ācchinat sūta-nandanaḥ | uṭhe hue kāla-cakra-ke samāna sahasā āpane ūpar girate hue usa ratha-cakra ko sūta-nandana karṇane kaī hajāra bāṇoṃ se kāṭa girāyā |

Translation

Sañjaya said: With many thousands of arrows, Karṇa—the charioteer’s son—swiftly cut down the chariot-wheel that was falling upon him, rising like the wheel of Time itself. The image underscores the war’s merciless momentum: even when fate seems to descend, mastery in arms and unflinching resolve become the means of survival and continued duty on the battlefield.

Word by Word

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

• अनेकसाहसैः: by many thousands (in number)
• अनेकसाहसैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनेकसाहस
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• आच्छिनत्: cut off / severed
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-छिद्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सूतनन्दनः: the charioteer’s son (Karna)
• सूतनन्दनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूतनन्दन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Karṇa
• ratha-cakra (chariot-wheel)
• kāla-cakra (Wheel of Time)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the tension between fate (kāla-cakra, the wheel of Time) and human effort: even when danger seems inevitable, disciplined skill and steadfast resolve are required to uphold one’s chosen duty in the harsh ethics of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

A chariot-wheel, compared to the wheel of Time, falls toward Karṇa. He counters instantly, cutting it down with thousands of arrows, demonstrating extraordinary archery and presence of mind amid battlefield peril.