Shloka 16

Karṇa’s Camp-Council Discourse: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Lament, Sañjaya’s Counsel, and Karṇa’s Request for Śalya

Book 8, Chapter 22

Devanagari script

ततो दुःशासनो राजन्‌ विद्ध्वा पाण्डुसुतं रणे । सारथिं नवभिर्बाणैमद्रियस्प समार्पयत्‌,राजन्‌! इसके बाद दुःशासनने रणभुमिमें पाण्डुकुमार सहदेवको घायल करके उन माद्रीकुमारके सारथिको भी नौ बाण मारे

Transliteration

tato duḥśāsano rājan viddhvā pāṇḍusutaṃ raṇe | sārathiṃ navabhir bāṇair mādrīyasya samārpayat rājan ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then, O King, Duḥśāsana, having struck the son of Pāṇḍu in the battle, also pierced the charioteer of Mādrī’s son with nine arrows.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: indeclinable

• दुःशासनः: Duhshasana
• दुःशासनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःशासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• विद्ध्वा: having wounded/pierced
• विद्ध्वा: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध् (धातु)
• Form: absolutive (क्त्वाान्त), active; 'having pierced'

• पाण्डु-सुतम्: the son of Pandu (a Pandava)
• पाण्डु-सुतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, locative, singular

• सारथिम्: the charioteer
• सारथिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• नवभिः: with nine
• नवभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नवन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine/neuter, instrumental, plural

• बाणैः: with arrows
• बाणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• माद्री-आत्मजस्य: of Madri's son (i.e., Sahadeva's)
• माद्री-आत्मजस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, genitive, singular

• समार्पयत्: he struck/inflicted (lit. delivered/assigned)
• समार्पयत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-र्प् (धातु)
• Form: imperfect (लङ्), parasmaipada, 3rd person, singular

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Duḥśāsana
• Sahadeva
• Mādrī
• Sahadeva’s charioteer
• arrows
• battlefield

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the moral deterioration within the war: violence extends beyond principal warriors to supporting figures like charioteers. It invites reflection on dharma in warfare—how anger and rivalry can erode restraint and compassion, turning battle into indiscriminate harm.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Duḥśāsana wounds Sahadeva (the son of Pāṇḍu and Mādrī) and then shoots Sahadeva’s charioteer with nine arrows, intensifying the immediate combat around Sahadeva’s chariot.