Shloka 17

कर्णपर्व — चतुर्दशोऽध्यायः

Arjuna’s Suppression of the Saṃśaptakas; Kṛṣṇa’s Strategic Admonition; Battlefield Inventory

Devanagari script

अथ तन्रैव संग्रामे वर्तमाने सुदारुणे । अपस॒व्य॑ ततश्नक्रे द्रौणिस्तत्र वृकोदरम्‌,इस प्रकार चलनेवाले उस भयंकर संग्राममें वहीं द्रोणपुत्र अश्वत्थामाने भीमसेनको अपने दाहिने भागमें कर दिया

Transliteration

atha tanraiva saṅgrāme vartamāne sudāruṇe | apasavya tataś cakre drauṇis tatra vṛkodaram ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: As that exceedingly dreadful battle continued, Drauṇi (Aśvatthāmā), turning to an inauspicious leftward course, maneuvered so that Vṛkodara (Bhīma) came to his right side.

Word by Word

अथthen

तत्रthere

एवindeed/just

संग्रामेin the battle

वर्तमानेwhile (it was) going on

सुदारुणेvery dreadful

अपसव्यंto the right side/rightward (as a position)

ततःthen/thereupon

चक्रेmade/did

द्रौणिःDrona's son (Ashvatthaman)

तत्रthere

वृकोदरम्Vrikodara (Bhima)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Drauṇi (Aśvatthāmā)

Vṛkodara (Bhīma)

battlefield (saṅgrāma)

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?

Even within a dharmic war, actions are framed by codes of conduct and signs (auspicious/inauspicious). The verse highlights how warriors interpret direction and positioning not only tactically but also through an ethical-ritual lens, showing the Mahābhārata’s tension between martial necessity and moral symbolism.

What is happening in the narrative?

As the fierce fighting continues, Aśvatthāmā (Drauṇi) makes a maneuver described as apasavya (leftward/inauspicious) and arranges the encounter so that Bhīma (Vṛkodara) is on his right side—indicating a deliberate repositioning for combat.