Shloka 25

Āraṇyaka Parva, Adhyāya 116: Jamadagni–Reṇukā Narrative and the Kārtavīrya Conflict

Akṛtavraṇa’s Account

Devanagari script

अभिभूत: स रामेण संयुक्त: कालधर्मणा । अर्जुनस्याथ दायादा रामेण कृतमन्यव:,इस प्रकार परशुरामजीसे परास्त हो कार्तवीर्य अर्जुन कालके गालमें चला गया। पिताके मारे जानेसे अर्जनके पुत्र परशुरामजीपर कुपित हो उठे

Transliteration

abhibhūtaḥ sa rāmeṇa saṃyuktaḥ kāladharmaṇā | arjunasyātha dāyādā rāmeṇa kṛtamanyavaḥ ||

Translation

Akṛtavraṇa said: “Defeated by Rāma (Paraśurāma) and overtaken by the law of Time—death—Arjuna (Kārtavīrya) met his end. Thereafter his heirs, angered at Rāma for the slaying of their father, rose up in wrath.”

Word by Word

अभिभूतःoverpowered, defeated

सःhe

रामेणby Rama (Parashurama)

संयुक्तःjoined, associated, brought into contact

कालधर्मणाby the law/ordainment of Time (death)

अर्जुनस्यof Arjuna (Kartavirya Arjuna)

अथthen

दायादाःsons, heirs, descendants

रामेणby Rama (Parashurama)

कृतमन्यवःhaving made (their) anger; enraged

Speaker

अकृतव्रण उवाच

Characters & Entities

Paraśurāma (Rāma)

Kārtavīrya Arjuna

Arjuna’s heirs/sons (dāyādāḥ)

Kāla (Time/death, as kāladharma)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kāladharma—death and change as the inevitable ordinance of Time—and shows how unchecked anger after loss can perpetuate cycles of retaliation, challenging one to weigh vengeance against dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kārtavīrya Arjuna is defeated by Paraśurāma and dies; afterward, Arjuna’s descendants become enraged at Paraśurāma due to their father’s killing, preparing for further conflict.