Shloka 20

अध्याय २९: कर्णस्य शल्यं प्रति शापस्मरणं च युद्धनिश्चयः | Chapter 29: Karṇa recalls curses to Śalya and declares resolve for battle

Devanagari script

नवमं च समाधाय व्यसृजत्‌ प्राणघातिनम्‌ | दुर्योधनायेषुवरं त॑ द्रौणि: सप्तधाच्छिनत्‌

Transliteration

navamaṃ ca samādhāya vyasṛjat prāṇaghātinam | duryodhanāyeṣuvāraṃ taṃ drauṇiḥ saptadhācchinat ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Having fitted a ninth, life-destroying arrow, he released that excellent missile toward Duryodhana. But Aśvatthāman, the son of Droṇa, cut that superb arrow into seven pieces—an act that both protects his side and intensifies the ruthless momentum of the battle.

Word by Word

• नवमम्: the ninth (arrow)
• नवमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नवम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• समाधाय: having set/placed (it)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-धा
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), having placed/fit (on the bow)

• व्यसृजत्: he discharged/shot
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-सृज्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• प्राणघातिनम्: life-destroying, deadly
• प्राणघातिनम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राणघातिन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• दुर्योधनाय: to/for Duryodhana
• दुर्योधनाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्योधन
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• इषुवरम्: the excellent arrow
• इषुवरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: इषुवर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तम्: that (arrow)
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• द्रौणिः: Drauni (Aśvatthāman)
• द्रौणिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रौणि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सप्तधा: into seven parts, sevenfold
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सप्तधा

• अच्छिनत्: he cut (it)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-छिद्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• दुर्योधन (Duryodhana)
• द्रौणि / अश्वत्थामा (Drauṇi / Aśvatthāman)
• बाण / इषु (arrow)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how, in war, technical prowess and vigilance can preserve a leader’s life, yet it also underscores the grim ethical reality that combat skill is exercised in the service of lethal intent; protection and destruction operate side by side.

What is happening in the narrative?

A warrior launches a ninth deadly arrow at Duryodhana, but Aśvatthāman (Drauṇi) intercepts it and slices it into seven pieces, preventing the strike from reaching its target.