Shloka 206

दुःशासनवधः (Duḥśāsana-vadha) — Bhīma’s vow-fulfillment in combat

Devanagari script

बाहू व्यत्यक्षिपत्‌ कर्ण: परमास्त्रं विदर्शयन्‌ । दिव्यास्त्रोंका प्रदर्शन करता हुआ कर्ण मणि एवं सुवर्णके आभूषणोंसे विभूषित तथा लाल चन्दनसे चर्चित दोनों भुजाओंको बारंबार हिला रहा था

Transliteration

bāhū vyatyakṣipat karṇaḥ paramāstraṃ vidarśayan |

Translation

Sañjaya said: Karṇa, displaying his supreme celestial weapon, repeatedly swung and flourished his arms—adorned with gems and gold ornaments and anointed with red sandalwood—projecting confidence and martial prowess amid the escalating violence of the battle.

Word by Word

• बाहू: the two arms
• बाहू: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Dual

• व्यत्यक्षिपत्: he swung/moved to and fro
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यति-क्षिप्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular

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

• परम: supreme, excellent
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अस्त्रम्: weapon; missile
• अस्त्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• विदर्शयन्: showing, displaying
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-दृश्
• Form: Śatṛ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Karṇa
• paramāstra (supreme weapon)
• divyāstra (celestial weapon, implied)
• gems (maṇi, contextual)
• gold ornaments (suvarṇa-ābharaṇa, contextual)
• red sandalwood (rakta-candana, contextual)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the warrior’s outward display of power—ornamented, confident, and demonstrative—inviting reflection on how martial pride and spectacle can intensify conflict and obscure ethical restraint in war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that Karṇa is showcasing a supreme (celestial) weapon and repeatedly brandishing his arms, richly adorned and anointed, as a visible sign of readiness and dominance on the battlefield.