Shloka 23

कर्णपुत्रवधः (The Fall of Vṛṣasena) — Karṇa Parva, Adhyāya 62

Devanagari script

असौ निष्नन्‌ रथोदारानर्जुन: शरवृष्टिभि:

Transliteration

asau niṣṇan rathodārān arjunaḥ śaravṛṣṭibhiḥ

Translation

Sañjaya said: “There, Arjuna—pouring down showers of arrows—was striking down the noble chariot-warriors.”

Word by Word

• असौ: that (man), he
• असौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• निष्नन्: striking down, slaying
• निष्नन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + सद् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• रथ-उदारान्: noble chariot-warriors (lit. chariot-nobles)
• रथ-उदारान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ + उदार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• अर्जुनः: Arjuna
• अर्जुनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शर-वृष्टिभिः: with showers of arrows
• शर-वृष्टिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर + वृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna
• ratha (chariot)
• śara (arrows)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the severe duty-bound dimension of kṣatriya conduct: in a justly undertaken war, a warrior’s excellence manifests as decisive action against powerful opponents, even when the outcome is tragic.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Arjuna is actively cutting down eminent chariot-fighters by unleashing dense volleys of arrows, indicating Arjuna’s dominance in that phase of the battle.