Shloka 27

कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ५९

Arjuna Breaks the Encirclement; Bhīma Reinforces

Devanagari script

एष कर्णो रणे पार्थ पाण्डवानामनीकिनीम्‌ | शरैरविध्वंसयति वै नलिनीमिव कुड्जर:

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

eṣa karṇo raṇe pārtha pāṇḍavānām anīkinīm |

śarair avidhvaṃsayati vai nalinīm iva kuñjaraḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “O son of Pṛthā (Arjuna), here is Karṇa on the battlefield—he is indeed shattering the Pāṇḍavas’ army with his arrows, just as an elephant churns and ruins a lotus-filled pond.”

Word by Word

• एषः: this (one)
• एषः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कर्णः: Karna
• कर्णः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• पार्थ: O Partha (Arjuna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• पाण्डवानाम्: of the Pandavas
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• अनीकिनीम्: army, host
• अनीकिनीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनीकिनी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अविध्वंसयति: destroys, lays waste
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-ध्वंस् (अव + विध्वंसयति; causative of ध्वंस्)
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

• नलिनीम्: lotus-pond (lotus-bed)
• नलिनीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नलिनी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• इव: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• कुञ्जरः: elephant
• कुञ्जरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुञ्जर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Karna
• Arjuna (Partha)
• Pandavas
• army (anikinī)
• arrows (śara)
• elephant (kuñjara)
• lotus-pond (nalinī)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the overwhelming force of a warrior in war and the fragility of large formations before concentrated skill. Ethically, it underscores the tragic reality of battle: prowess can bring massive destruction, and victory often comes through the ruin of many.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports to Dhritarashtra that Karna is presently devastating the Pandava forces with volleys of arrows. He uses a vivid simile: Karna’s assault is like an elephant trampling and churning a lotus-filled pond, scattering and destroying what was once ordered and beautiful.