Shloka 23

कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ५७

Arjuna’s targeted advance; Śalya–Karṇa dialogue; interception attempts

Devanagari script

हस्तिहस्तोपमैश्छिन्नैरूरुभिश्न॒ तरस्विनाम्‌ । बद्धचूडामणिवरै: शिरोभिश्नल सकुण्डलै:

Transliteration

hastihastopamaiś chinnair ūrubhiś ca tarasvinām | baddha-cūḍāmaṇi-varaiḥ śirobhis ca sa-kuṇḍalaiḥ ||

Translation

સંજય બોલ્યા—રણભૂમિમાં બળવાન યોદ્ધાઓની હાથીની સૂંઢ જેવી જાડી, છિન્ન થયેલી જાંઘો પડી હતી; અને બંધ ચૂડાઓ, શ્રેષ્ઠ ચૂડામણિ તથા કુંડળોવાળા મસ્તક પણ વિખરાયેલા હતા.

Word by Word

हस्तिof an elephant

हस्तोपमैःwith (things) comparable to trunks/hands

छिन्नैःsevered, cut off

ऊरुभिःwith thighs

तरस्विनाम्of the mighty/impetuous (warriors)

बद्धbound, fastened

चूडामणिवरैःwith excellent crest-jewels

शिरोभिःwith heads

नलNala (proper name)

सकुण्डलैःwith earrings

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

स

संजय (Sañjaya)

ऊ

ऊरु (thighs of warriors)

श

शिरस् (heads)

च

चूडा (topknots)

म

मणि (jewels)

क

कुण्डल (earrings)

ह

हस्ति (elephant, as simile)

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 impermanence of worldly splendor and the grim consequences of war: even the marks of status and beauty—jewels, earrings, coiffure—cannot shield one from death. It implicitly cautions against unchecked fury and the dehumanizing momentum of battle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is reporting to Dhṛtarāṣṭra a vivid battlefield tableau in the Karṇa Parva: limbs and heads of fallen, powerful fighters lie scattered, described through striking similes and details of their ornaments.