Shloka 32

Devanagari script

ततो5भिविद्ध: समरावमर्दी प्रबोधित: सिंह इव प्रसुप्त: । गाण्डीवधन्चा ऋषभ: कुरूणा- मजिद्दवागैः कर्णमियाय जिष्णु:,कुरुकुलके श्रेष्ठ पुरुष गाण्डीवधारी अर्जुन समर-भूमिमें शत्रुओंको रौंद डालनेवाले थे। वे सूतपुत्रके बाणोंसे घायल होकर सोये हुए सिंहके समान जाग उठे और विपक्षियोंपर सीधे आघात करनेवाले बाणोंद्वारा कर्णका सामना करनेके लिये आगे बढ़े

Transliteration

tato ’bhividdhaḥ samarāvamardī prabodhitaḥ siṁha iva prasuptaḥ | gāṇḍīvadhanvā ṛṣabhaḥ kurūṇām ajiddhavāgaiḥ karṇam iyāya jiṣṇuḥ ||

Translation

Then Arjuna—crusher of foes in battle—was struck by the charioteer’s son’s arrows and roused like a lion awakened from sleep. Bearing the Gāṇḍīva, that bull among the Kurus, the unconquered Jishnu advanced to meet Karṇa, launching straight-driving shafts against the opposing side.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

अभिविद्धःpierced, wounded

समरावमर्दीcrusher in battle

प्रबोधितःawakened, roused

सिंहःlion

इवlike, as

प्रसुप्तःasleep

गाण्डीवधन्वाthe bearer of the Gāṇḍīva bow

चand

ऋषभःbull; best (of men)

कुरूणाम्of the Kurus

अजित्unconquered; invincible

द्वावगैःwith straight-flying (arrows)

कर्णम्Karna

इयायwent, advanced

जिष्णुःJishnu (Arjuna)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Arjuna (Jiṣṇu)

Karṇa

Gāṇḍīva (bow)

Kurus

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores kṣatriya resolve: even when wounded, a warrior committed to duty does not collapse into fear or resentment but awakens to disciplined action, meeting challenge with steadiness and skill.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna is hit by Karṇa’s arrows; instead of faltering, he rises like a lion awakened from sleep, takes up the Gāṇḍīva, and advances to confront Karṇa with direct, forceful shafts.