Shloka 53

Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 58 — Arjuna’s Arrow-Storm and Relief of Bhīmasena

Devanagari script

विकृष्यमाणं दृष्टवैव धृष्टट्युम्न॑ नरेश्वर । शरांभ्षिक्षेप वै पार्थो द्रौणिं प्रति महाबल:,नरेश्वर! धृष्टद्युम्मनको खींचे जाते देख महाबली अर्जुनने अश्वत्थामापर बहुत-से बाण चलाये

Transliteration

vikṛṣyamāṇaṃ dṛṣṭvaiva dhṛṣṭadyumnaṃ nareśvara | śarāmbhaḥ kṣepavaī pārtho drauṇiṃ prati mahābalaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: O king, seeing Dhṛṣṭadyumna being dragged away, the mighty Pārtha (Arjuna) hurled a dense shower of arrows toward Drauṇi (Aśvatthāmā).

Word by Word

• विकृष्यमाणम्: being dragged/pulled
• विकृष्यमाणम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + कृष्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular, शानच् (present passive participle)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive)

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• धृष्टद्युम्नम्: Dhrishtadyumna
• धृष्टद्युम्नम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृष्टद्युम्न
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• नरेश्वर: O king (lord of men)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर-ईश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• शरान्: arrows
• शरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अभिक्षिपेत्: hurled/cast
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + क्षिप्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• पार्थः: Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• द्रौणिम्: Drona's son (Ashvatthaman)
• द्रौणिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रौणि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• प्रति: towards/against
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति

• महाबलः: mighty/very strong
• महाबलः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Dhṛṣṭadyumna
• Arjuna (Pārtha)
• Aśvatthāmā (Drauṇi)
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid war, a kṣatriya is expected to uphold a code: protect comrades and oppose actions that resemble humiliation or unfair handling of an opponent. Arjuna’s arrow-shower is framed as immediate protective intervention.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛṣṭadyumna is being dragged; seeing this, Arjuna (Pārtha) swiftly releases many arrows at Aśvatthāmā (Drauṇi), attempting to check him and rescue or defend Dhṛṣṭadyumna.