Shloka 12

Devanagari script

ततः कर्ण: प्रथम तत्र पार्थ महेषुभिवर्दशभि: प्रत्यविध्यत्‌ । तं॑ चार्जुन: प्रत्यविद्धयच्छिताग्रै: कक्षान्तरे दशभि: सम्प्रहस्य

Transliteration

tataḥ karṇaḥ prathamaṃ tatra pārthaṃ maheṣubhir daśabhiḥ pratyavidhyat | taṃ cārjunaḥ pratyavidhyac chitagraiḥ kakṣāntare daśabhiḥ samprahasya ||

Translation

Dijo Sañjaya: Entonces Karṇa, golpeando primero en aquel encuentro, atravesó a Pārtha (Arjuna) con diez poderosas flechas. Arjuna, riendo en respuesta, lo contraatravesó con diez saetas de punta aguda, clavándolas en la región de la axila.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• कर्णः: Karna
• कर्णः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रथमम्: first (at first)
• प्रथमम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• पार्थम्: Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महेषुभिः: with great arrows
• महेषुभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेषु
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• दशभिः: with ten
• दशभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• प्रत्यविध्यत्: pierced in return / struck
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + व्यध्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• अर्जुनः: Arjuna
• अर्जुनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रत्यविद्ध्यत्: pierced in return / struck
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + व्यध्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular

• छिताग्रैः: with sharp-pointed (arrows)
• छिताग्रैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छिताग्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• कक्षान्तरे: in the armpit-region / between the arms
• कक्षान्तरे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कक्षान्तर
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• दशभिः: with ten
• दशभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• सम्प्रहस्य: of (him) laughing loudly / while laughing
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + प्र + हस्
• Form: Present active participle (Śatṛ), Masculine, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Karṇa
• Arjuna (Pārtha)
• arrows (iṣu)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of steadfastness and disciplined prowess: even amid lethal conflict, the warriors maintain composure and respond with measured skill, reflecting duty-bound courage rather than panic.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Karṇa–Arjuna duel as reported by Sañjaya, Karṇa strikes first, hitting Arjuna with ten powerful arrows; Arjuna immediately retaliates, smiling, and pierces Karṇa with ten sharp arrows aimed at the armpit-region.