Shloka 2036

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

Devanagari script

अश्र॒त्थामा सुसंयत्त: कृष्णावभ्यद्रवद्‌ रणे | भरतनन्दन! यह महान्‌ आश्चर्यकी बात देख और सुनकर अभश्वत्थामाने सावधान हो रणभूमिमें श्रीकृष्ण और अर्जुनपर धावा किया

Transliteration

Sañjaya uvāca — Aśvatthāmā susaṁyattaḥ Kṛṣṇāv abhyadravad raṇe | Bharatanandana, idaṁ mahad āścaryakī-bhūtaṁ dṛṣṭvā śrutvā ca Aśvatthāmā sāvadhānaḥ raṇabhūmau Śrīkṛṣṇam Arjunam ca prati dhāvitaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Fully prepared for combat, Aśvatthāmā charged in the battle toward Kṛṣṇa. O delight of the Bharatas, having seen and heard this great and astonishing turn of events, Aśvatthāmā—now on his guard—rushed across the battlefield to attack Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna.

Word by Word

• अश्वत्थामा: Ashvatthama
• अश्वत्थामा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वत्थामन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सुसंयत्तः: well-prepared, well-armed
• सुसंयत्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-संयत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कृष्णौ: the two Krishnas (Krishna and Arjuna)
• कृष्णौ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

• अभ्यद्रवत्: ran towards, charged at
• अभ्यद्रवत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-√द्रु (द्रवति)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Ashvatthama
• Krishna
• Arjuna
• Bharatanandana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The passage highlights how astonishment and wounded pride can quickly turn into aggressive action; ethical vigilance is needed so that shock or anger does not override discernment (dharma) in the chaos of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports that Ashvatthama, fully armed and alert, rushes on the battlefield to attack Krishna and Arjuna after witnessing and hearing a remarkable, surprising development.