Shloka 25

Adhyāya 40 (Book 7, Droṇa-parva): Abhimanyu’s Rapid Advance and Battlefield Disruption

Devanagari script

ततः कर्ण: शरैस्तीक्ष्णैरभिमन्युं दुरासदम्‌

Transliteration

tataḥ karṇaḥ śarais tīkṣṇair abhimanyuṁ durāsadam

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then Karṇa, with his sharp arrows, assailed Abhimanyu—one who was exceedingly hard to approach or overcome—pressing the battle forward with relentless force.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (काल/क्रमवाचक)

• कर्णः: Karna
• कर्णः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• तीक्ष्णैः: sharp
• तीक्ष्णैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीक्ष्ण
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (शरैः इति विशेषणम्)

• अभिमन्युम्: Abhimanyu
• अभिमन्युम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिमन्यु
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दुरासदम्: hard to assail/approach
• दुरासदम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुरासद
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (अभिमन्युम् इति विशेषणम्)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Karṇa
• Abhimanyu
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya-world ethic of relentless engagement in battle: a formidable warrior is met with equally forceful resistance. It also underscores how prowess and reputation (being 'durāsada') do not exempt one from sustained assault in war, where duty and rivalry drive action.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Karṇa turns his sharp arrows against Abhimanyu, describing Abhimanyu as extremely difficult to assail. The line marks an escalation in the combat pressure placed upon Abhimanyu by a major Kaurava champion.