Shloka 36

Adhyāya 141 — Night duels: Śaineya and Bhūriśravas; Droṇi and Ghaṭotkaca; Bhīma and Duryodhana

Devanagari script

चापादाधिरथेर्बाणा: प्रपतन्तश्नकाशिरे

Transliteration

cāpād ādhirather bāṇāḥ prapatantaś śanaiḥ āśire

Translation

Sañjaya dit : De l’arc du fils d’Adhiratha (Karna), les flèches ne cessaient de tomber en un flot régulier et mesuré—image d’un art guerrier maîtrisé au cœur de la violence inexorable de la guerre.

Word by Word

• चापात्: from the bow
• चापात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चाप
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• अधिरथेः: of Adhiratha
• अधिरथेः: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिरथ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• बाणाः: arrows
• बाणाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• प्रपतन्तः: falling/flying forth
• प्रपतन्तः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√पत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नकाशिरे: did not shine/appear bright
• नकाशिरे: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: न + √काश्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Karna (Adhiratha’s son)
• bow
• arrows

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even within warfare, the verse highlights disciplined action: power expressed with control. It implicitly contrasts measured skill with uncontrolled rage, reminding that agency and restraint remain ethical concerns even in violent contexts.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Karṇa is continuously discharging arrows from his bow, describing the ongoing intensity of the battle and Karṇa’s sustained prowess on the battlefield.