Shloka 60

न्यहनत्‌ पाण्डवीं सेनां वजहस्त इवासुरीम्‌ । महाबली कर्णने युधिष्ठिससे ऐसा कहकर फिर उन्हें छोड़ दिया और जैसे वज्रधारी इन्द्र असुरसेनाका संहार करते हैं, उसी प्रकार पाण्डव-सेनाका विनाश आरम्भ कर दिया ।। ५९ न ।! ततो<पायादू्‌ द्रुतं राजन्‌ व्रीडन्निव नरेश्वर:

sañjaya uvāca | nyahanat pāṇḍavīṁ senāṁ vajrahasta ivāsurīm | mahābalī karṇaḥ … | tato ’pāyād drutaṁ rājan vrīḍann iva nareśvaraḥ |

Sañjaya dit : Alors le très puissant Karṇa se mit à faucher l’armée des Pāṇḍavas, comme Indra, tenant le vajra, anéantit les troupes des Asuras. Après avoir parlé ainsi, il les laissa partir ; puis, ô roi, ce seigneur des hommes se retira promptement, comme accablé de honte.

न्यहनत्he struck / slew
न्यहनत्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootहन् (√han)
Formलङ् (imperfect), परस्मैपद, 3, singular
पाण्डवींPandava (belonging to the Pandavas)
पाण्डवीं:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootपाण्डवी (f.)
Formfeminine, accusative, singular
सेनाम्army
सेनाम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootसेना (f.)
Formfeminine, accusative, singular
वज्रहस्तःthe one whose hand holds the thunderbolt (Indra)
वज्रहस्तः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवज्रहस्त (m.)
Formmasculine, nominative, singular
इवlike, as
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
आसुरीम्demonic, of the Asuras
आसुरीम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootआसुरी (f.)
Formfeminine, accusative, singular
ततःthen, thereafter
ततः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः
अपायात्he went away / withdrew
अपायात्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootया (√yā) with अप-
Formलङ् (imperfect), परस्मैपद, 3, singular
द्रुतम्quickly
द्रुतम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootद्रुतम्
राजन्O king
राजन्:
TypeNoun
Rootराजन् (m.)
Formmasculine, vocative, singular
व्रीडन्being ashamed
व्रीडन्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootव्रीड् (√vrīḍ)
Formशतृ (present active participle), masculine, nominative, singular
इवas if
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
नरेश्वरःlord of men, king
नरेश्वरः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootनरेश्वर (m.)
Formmasculine, nominative, singular

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
K
Karna
P
Pāṇḍavas (Pāṇḍava army)
I
Indra (Vajrahasta)
A
Asuras (Asura army)
D
Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by 'rājan')

Educational Q&A

Even amid righteous warfare, the epic highlights inner moral states: power in battle is likened to Indra’s irresistible force, yet the phrase 'as if ashamed' suggests that a warrior’s conscience and sense of propriety can temper action, reminding readers that dharma includes self-restraint and accountability, not merely victory.

Sañjaya reports to the king that Karṇa, after speaking and then releasing his opponents, turns to devastate the Pāṇḍava forces, compared to Indra annihilating Asuras; afterward he withdraws quickly, described as if feeling shame.