Shloka 38
Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 155 — Ghaṭotkaca-nidhana-śoka and Karṇa-śakti-vyaya
Kṛṣṇa’s strategic reassurance
Devanagari script
स तेनाकर्णमुक्तेन विद्धो बाणेन कौरव:
Transliteration
sa tenākarṇamuktena viddho bāṇena kauravaḥ
Translation
संजय बोले—कान तक खींचकर छोड़े गए उस बाण से विद्ध होकर वह कौरव योद्धा छिद गया; रण के उन्माद में कौशल और दृढ़ संकल्प क्षणभर में ही घातक आघात बन जाते हैं।
Word by Word
सःhe
सः:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तेनby that (one/it)
तेन:
Karana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular
आकर्णमुक्तेनreleased up to the ear (fully drawn and shot)
आकर्णमुक्तेन:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootआकर्णमुक्त
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular
विद्धःpierced, struck
विद्धः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootविद् (व्यध्/विध्) धातु; कृदन्त: विद्ध
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
बाणेनby an arrow
बाणेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootबाण
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Singular
कौरवःthe Kaurava (prince)
कौरवः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootकौरव
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
S
SanjayaK
KauravaA
arrow (bāṇa)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
The verse underscores the immediacy of consequences in war: when power and precision are applied without restraint, injury follows at once—highlighting the ethical weight carried by martial prowess in a dharmic conflict.
Sanjaya reports that a Kaurava fighter is pierced by an arrow shot at full draw (ākarṇamukta), indicating a highly forceful, expertly released missile in the midst of the Drona Parva battle.