Shloka 26

Devanagari script

तस्य भिन्त्वा तनुत्राणं कायम भ्यगमच्छर: । ततः स तमसा<<विष्टो न सम किंचित्‌ प्रजज्ञिवान्‌,यह बाण कर्णका कवच काटकर उसके वक्षःस्थलके भीतर घुस गया। इससे कर्णको मूर्च्छा आ गयी और उसे किसी भी बातकी सुध-बुध न रही

Transliteration

tasya bhittvā tanutrāṇaṃ kāyam abhyagamac charaḥ | tataḥ sa tamasāviṣṭo na samaṃ kiñcit prajajñivān |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: The arrow, having pierced his protective armour, entered his body. Then, overcome by darkness (a swoon), he could no longer clearly recognize anything.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him (Karna)
• तस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• भित्त्वा: having pierced/broken through
• भित्त्वा: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: भिद्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite

• तनुत्राणम्: armor, body-protection
• तनुत्राणम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनुत्राण
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कायम्: body
• कायम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: काय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अभ्यगमत्: reached/entered
• अभ्यगमत्: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-गम्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शरः: arrow
• शरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तमसा: by darkness (i.e., stupor)
• तमसा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• आविष्टः: overcome/possessed
• आविष्टः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-विश्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• सम्: properly, clearly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्

• किञ्चित्: anything
• किञ्चित्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किञ्चित्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रजज्ञिवान्: knew/understood, was aware
• प्रजज्ञिवान्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-ज्ञा
• Form: क्तवत् (perfect active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• śara (arrow)
• tanutrāṇa (armour/cuirass)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the fragility of embodied life in warfare: even armour and strength can be breached, and the mind can be instantly overwhelmed. It implicitly cautions against pride in external protections and reminds that in the chaos of battle, clarity and agency may vanish without warning.

What is happening in the narrative?

An arrow pierces the warrior’s armour and enters his body. As a result, he is seized by ‘darkness’—a swoon or loss of consciousness—and cannot properly perceive what is happening around him.