Shloka 23

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 2: Karṇa’s lament, vow, and battle preparation after Bhīṣma’s fall

Devanagari script

निबध्यतां मे कवचं विचित्र हैमं शुभ्रं मणिरत्नावभासि । शिरस्त्राणं चार्कसमानभासं धनु: शरांशक्षाग्नेविषाहिकल्पान्‌,“तुम मेरे शरीरमें मणियों तथा रत्नोंसे प्रकाशित सुन्दर एवं विचित्र सुवर्णमय कवच बाँध दो और मस्तकपर सूर्यके समान तेजस्वी शिरस्त्राण रख दो। अग्नि, विष तथा सर्पके समान भयंकर बाण एवं धनुष ले आओ

Transliteration

nibadhyatāṁ me kavacaṁ vicitra haimaṁ śubhraṁ maṇiratnāvabhāsi | śirastrāṇaṁ cārkasamānabhāsaṁ dhanuḥ śarāṁś cāgniviṣāhikalpān ||

Translation

Sañjaya dit : «Attachez sur moi ma cuirasse d’or, merveilleuse, claire, étincelante du rayonnement des gemmes et des joyaux. Posez sur ma tête un casque brillant comme le soleil. Apportez aussi mon arc, et des flèches terribles comme le feu, le poison et les serpents.»

Word by Word

• {'nibadhyatām': 'let (it) be fastened

• bind on (imperative/passive sense)', 'me': 'for me

• my', 'kavacam': 'armor

• cuirass', 'vicitram': 'variegated

• elaborate', 'haimam': 'made of gold

• golden', 'śubhram': 'bright

• shining', 'maṇi-ratna': 'gems and precious stones', 'āvabhāsi': 'shining forth

• glittering', 'śirastrāṇam': 'helmet

• head-protection', 'arka-samāna-bhāsam': 'having splendor like the sun', 'dhanuḥ': 'bow', 'śarān': 'arrows', 'agni': 'fire', 'viṣa': 'poison', 'āhika': 'serpent (nāga)

• snake', 'kalpān': 'like

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• kavaca (armor)
• śirastrāṇa (helmet)
• dhanuḥ (bow)
• śara (arrows)
• arka (sun)
• agni (fire)
• viṣa (poison)
• āhika (serpent)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores purposeful readiness: a warrior consciously arms himself with protective gear and lethal weapons. Ethically, it reflects how intention and resolve precede action—preparation is not neutral, but a commitment to a chosen course of duty that carries consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a warrior’s command to attendants: bind on a radiant golden armor, place a sun-bright helmet, and bring the bow and terrifying arrows likened to fire, poison, and serpents—signaling imminent engagement in battle.