Shloka 9

कर्णपुत्रवधः (The Fall of Vṛṣasena) — Karṇa Parva, Adhyāya 62

Devanagari script

तो पृथक्‌ शरवर्षाभ्यां राधेयम भ्यवर्षताम्‌ । नकुल: सहदेवश्न परमं यत्नमास्थितौ,नकुल और सहदेव दोनों भाई उत्तम प्रयत्नका सहारा लेकर राधापुत्र कर्णपर पृथक्‌- पृथक्‌ बाणोंकी वर्षा करने लगे

Transliteration

tau pṛthak śaravarṣābhyāṃ rādheyam abhyavarṣatām | nakulaḥ sahadevaś ca paramaṃ yatnam āsthitau ||

Translation

Sañjaya dijo: Entonces Nakula y Sahadeva, cada uno a su modo, descargaron sobre Karṇa—hijo de Rādhā—torrentes de flechas. Ambos hermanos, esforzándose al máximo, apremiaron el ataque con firme determinación en medio del deber y la ferocidad de la batalla.

Word by Word

• तौ: those two (they two)
• तौ: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• पृथक्: separately, each on his own
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक्

• शरवर्षाभ्याम्: with two showers of arrows
• शरवर्षाभ्याम्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरवर्ष
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Dual

• राधेयम्: Radheya (Karna)
• राधेयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राधेय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अभ्यवर्षताम्: they two rained upon, showered
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-वृष्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Dual, Parasmaipada

• नकुलः: Nakula
• नकुलः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नकुल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सहदेवः: Sahadeva
• सहदेवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहदेव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• परम्: supreme, utmost
• परम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• यत्नम्: effort
• यत्नम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आस्थितौ: having resorted to, having undertaken
• आस्थितौ: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था
• Form: Past active participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Dual

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Nakula
• Sahadeva
• Karṇa (Rādheya)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights steadfast exertion in one’s appointed role: Nakula and Sahadeva apply their full strength in battle, reflecting the kṣatriya ethic of determined effort and courage even against a formidable opponent.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the twin brothers Nakula and Sahadeva separately unleash intense volleys of arrows at Karṇa (Rādheya), intensifying the combat by coordinated yet individual assaults.