Shloka 16

Śalya’s Objection to Sārathya and Duryodhana’s Conciliation (शल्यमन्यु-प्रशमनम् / Sārathyāṅgīkāra)

Devanagari script

अथान्यद्‌ धनुरादाय कर्णो वैकर्तनस्तदा । नकुल॑ पज्चभिर्बाणर्जत्रुदेशे समार्पयत्‌,तब वैकर्तन कर्णने दूसरा धनुष लेकर नकुलके गलेकी हँसलीपर पाँच बाण मारे

Transliteration

athānyad dhanur ādāya karṇo vaikartanas tadā | nakulaṁ pañcabhir bāṇair jatrudeśe samārpayat ||

Translation

Sañjaya dit : Alors Karṇa, fils du cocher (Vaikartana), saisit un autre arc et frappa Nakula de cinq flèches à la région de la clavicule. Ainsi la bataille montait en fureur, et la prouesse s’y révélait par des atteintes nettes et ciblées.

Word by Word

अथthen

अन्यत्another (one)

धनुःbow

आदायhaving taken

कर्णःKarna

वैकर्तनःson of Vikartana (epithet of Karna)

तदाat that time

नकुलम्Nakula

पञ्चभिःwith five

बाणैःwith arrows

जत्रु-देशेin the collarbone region

समार्पयत्he fixed/placed (struck)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Karna

Vaikartana

Nakula

bow

arrows

jatrudeśa (collarbone region)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the harsh reality of dharma in wartime: a kṣatriya’s duty is executed through disciplined martial action, yet the precision and intensity of violence reveal the moral strain inherent in righteous war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that Karṇa switches to another bow and shoots Nakula with five arrows aimed at the collarbone/neck-joint area, demonstrating Karṇa’s continued aggression and technical mastery in the ongoing battle.