Shloka 57

Devanagari script

ततोडरर्जुनो द्वादशभि: सुमुक्ते- वराहकर्णनिशितै: समर्प्य । नाराचमाशीविषतुल्यवेग- माकर्णपूर्णायतमुत्ससर्ज

Transliteration

tato 'rjuno dvādaśabhiḥ sumuktais varāhakārṇaniśitaiḥ samarpya | nārācam āśīviṣatulyavegam ākārṇapūrṇāyatam utsasarja ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then Arjuna, striking Karṇa with twelve well-released, razor-sharp arrows called varāhakārṇa, wounded him; and once again he drew a nārāca arrow back to the ear—long and fully drawn—and discharged it toward him with a speed like that of a venomous serpent.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• अर्जुनः: Arjuna
• अर्जुनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• द्वादशभिः: with twelve
• द्वादशभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादशन्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• सुमुक्तैः: well-released (well-shot)
• सुमुक्तैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-मुक्त
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• वराहकर्णनिशितैः: sharp, of the 'boar-ear' type (arrows)
• वराहकर्णनिशितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वराहकर्ण-निशित
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• समर्प्य: having struck/inflicted (having applied)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-ऋ (समर्पयति)
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• नाराचम्: a narāca arrow
• नाराचम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाराच
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आशीविषतुल्यवेगम्: having speed like a venomous serpent
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आशीविष-तुल्य-वेग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आकर्णपूर्णायतम्: drawn fully to the ear (to full draw)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आकर्ण-पूर्ण-आयत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उत्ससर्ज: he discharged/shot forth
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-सृज्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna
• Karṇa
• varāhakārṇa arrows
• nārāca arrow

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya discipline: focused execution of one’s duty in battle through skill, steadiness, and decisive action, even while the larger war carries heavy ethical consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that Arjuna first wounds Karṇa with twelve sharp varāhakārṇa arrows, then draws a powerful nārāca arrow fully to the ear and releases it at Karṇa with serpent-like speed.