Shloka 12

कर्णपर्व — पञ्चदशोऽध्यायः | Karṇa Parva, Chapter 15: Pāṇḍya’s Advance and Aśvatthāmā’s Counterstroke

Devanagari script

अस्त्रैरस्त्राणि संवार्य द्विषतां सर्वतोर्डर्जुन:

Transliteration

astrair astrāṇi saṃvārya dviṣatāṃ sarvato 'rjunaḥ

Translation

Sañjaya said: Arjuna, hemmed in on every side by hostile warriors, countered weapon with weapon—meeting each assault with a fitting response, steady in the disciplined duty of battle.

Word by Word

• अस्त्रैः: with weapons
• अस्त्रैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• अस्त्राणि: weapons (missiles)
• अस्त्राणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• संवार्य: having warded off / having checked
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√वृ (वृणोति/वृ)
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• द्विषताम्: of the enemies
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विषत्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• सर्वतः: on all sides / from every direction
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः

• उद्: up, forth (preverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उद्

• अर्जुनः: Arjuna
• अर्जुनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna
• enemies (dviṣat)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights disciplined action under pressure: a warrior meets aggression with measured, skillful defense, embodying steadiness and duty rather than panic or cruelty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Arjuna in the thick of battle, surrounded by enemies on all sides, successfully parrying their attacks by countering each weapon with an appropriate weapon.