Shloka 56

द्वैपायनह्रदे दुर्योधनान्वेषणम् / The Search for Duryodhana at Dvaipāyana Lake

Devanagari script

कृपं शारद्वतं वीरं द्रौ्णिंच रथिनां वरम्‌ । भोजं च कृतवर्माणं सहितान्‌ शरविक्षतान्‌

Transliteration

kṛpaṃ śāradvataṃ vīraṃ drauṇiṃ ca rathināṃ varam | bhojaṃ ca kṛtavarmāṇaṃ sahitān śaravikṣatān ||

Translation

They were the valiant Kṛpa, son of Śaradvat; Droṇa’s son Aśvatthāman, foremost among chariot-warriors; and Kṛtavarmā of the Bhoja line—together, and all of them wounded and torn by showers of arrows.

Word by Word

• कृपम्: Kripa
• कृपम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शारद्वतम्: son of Sharadvat (patronymic)
• शारद्वतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शारद्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वीरम्: heroic, brave
• वीरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• द्रौणिम्: Drauni (Ashvatthama), son of Drona
• द्रौणिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रौणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• रथिनाम्: of chariot-warriors
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• वरम्: best, excellent
• वरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भोजम्: the Bhoja (Kritavarman)
• भोजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• कृतवर्माणम्: Kritavarman
• कृतवर्माणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृतवर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सहितान्: together, united
• सहितान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित (प्रातिपदिक; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त from √सह)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• शर-विक्षतान्: wounded by arrows
• शर-विक्षतान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शरविक्षत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Kṛpa (Kṛpācārya)
• Śaradvat
• Droṇa
• Aśvatthāman (Drauṇi)
• Kṛtavarmā
• Bhoja (lineage)
• chariot-warriors (rathin)
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the stark cost of war: even the most eminent warriors—teachers and champions alike—are reduced to suffering under arrows. It implicitly frames martial glory within the ethical gravity of violence and its consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that three key Kaurava-side warriors—Kṛpa, Aśvatthāman, and Kṛtavarmā—are together on the battlefield and are being grievously wounded by volleys of arrows.