Shloka 17

अमोघशक्तिव्यंसनप्रश्नः — Why Karṇa’s Śakti Was Not Used on Arjuna

Devanagari script

तमापततन्तं सम्प्रेक्ष्य पाण्डवानां महारथम्‌ | विव्याध दशभिर्बाणै: सर्वपारशवै: शितै:,पाण्डवपक्षके उन महारथी वीरको आते देख आचार्यने सम्पूर्णतः लोहेके बने हुए दस पैने बाणोंसे उन्हें घायल कर दिया

Transliteration

tam āpatatantaṃ samprekṣya pāṇḍavānāṃ mahāratham | vivyādha daśabhir bāṇaiḥ sarvapāraśavaiḥ śitaiḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya dit : Voyant ce grand guerrier de char des Pāṇḍava se ruer en avant, l’Ācārya le frappa de dix flèches acérées, toutes entièrement de fer, et le blessa.

Word by Word

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

• आपतन्तम्: rushing/falling upon (approaching)
• आपतन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: आपत् (धातु: पत् उपसर्ग: आ)
• Form: शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त), Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सम्प्रेक्ष्य: having looked at/observed
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-ईक्ष्
• Form: ल्यप् (क्त्वान्त अव्यय), Parasmaipada (root-based), Absolutive (having seen)

• पाण्डवानाम्: of the Pāṇḍavas
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• महारथम्: the great chariot-warrior
• महारथम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विव्याध: pierced/wounded
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध्
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• दशभिः: with ten
• दशभिः: Karana
• Type: Numeral
• Root: दशन्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• बाणैः: with arrows
• बाणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• सर्वपारशवैः: made wholly of iron (all-iron)
• सर्वपारशवैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वपारशव
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• शितैः: sharp
• शितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शित
• Form: क्त (past participle used adjectivally), Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Ācārya (Droṇa)
• Pāṇḍavas
• mahāratha (great chariot-warrior)
• bāṇa (arrows)
• pāraśava (iron)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights battlefield dharma: when a formidable opponent charges, a warrior—here the Ācārya—responds with disciplined, proportionate martial action. It reflects the Mahābhārata’s recurring tension between personal bonds (teacherhood) and role-based duty (kṣatriya conduct in war).

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that a great Pāṇḍava-side chariot-warrior rushes toward the Ācārya (Droṇa). Droṇa, seeing the charge, wounds him by shooting ten sharp, iron arrows.