Shloka 21

Devanagari script

उपासज्रादुपादाय कर्णो बाणानथापरान्‌ | विव्याध पाण्डवं हस्ते तस्य मुष्टिरशीर्यत,तब कर्णने (अलग रखे हुए) छोटे तरकससे दूसरे बाण लेकर पाण्डुनन्दन अर्जुनके हाथमें चोट पहुँचायी। इससे उनकी मुट्ठी ढीली पड़ गयी

Transliteration

upāsajrad upādāya karṇo bāṇān athāparān | vivyādha pāṇḍavaṁ haste tasya muṣṭir aśīryata ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Karṇa, drawing near, took up other arrows and struck the Pāṇḍava on the hand. From that blow his grip loosened.

Word by Word

उपासज्रात्he took up / seized

उपादायhaving taken

कर्णःKarna

बाणान्arrows

अथthen

अपरान्other (ones)

विव्याधhe pierced / struck

पाण्डवम्the Pandava (Arjuna)

हस्तेin the hand

तस्यof him / his

मुष्टिःfist / grip

अशीर्यत्became loosened / gave way

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Karṇa

Pāṇḍava (Arjuna)

arrows (bāṇa)

hand (hasta)

grip/fist (muṣṭi)

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 highlights a battlefield ethic where skill and tactical targeting (disabling an opponent’s weapon-holding hand) can decide outcomes. It reflects kṣatriya-dharma’s emphasis on prowess and strategy, while also inviting reflection on how war prioritizes victory over gentler virtues.

What is happening in the narrative?

Karṇa closes in, takes additional arrows, and shoots the Pāṇḍava (understood here as Arjuna) in the hand, causing his grip to slacken—an attempt to impair his ability to hold weapons and continue fighting effectively.