Shloka 30

कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ५७

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

Devanagari script

वैदूर्यदण्डांश्व शुभान्‌ पतितानड्कुशान्‌ भुवि । बद्धा: सादिभुजाग्रेषु सुवर्णविकृता: कशा:,“जिनमें वैदूर्यमणिके डंडे लगे हुए हैं, ऐसे बहुत-से सुन्दर अंकुश पृथ्वीपर पड़े हैं। सवारोंके हाथोंमें सटे हुए कितने ही सुवर्णनिर्मित कोड़े कटकर गिरे हैं

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca

vaidūryadaṇḍāṁś ca śubhān patitān aṅkuśān bhuvi |

baddhāḥ sādibhuja-agreṣu suvarṇa-vikṛtāḥ kaśāḥ ||

Translation

पृथ्वी पर वैदूर्यमणि-जटित दण्डों वाले अनेक सुन्दर अंकुश पड़े थे। और सवारों के हाथों में सटे हुए सुवर्ण-निर्मित कितने ही कोड़े कटकर गिर पड़े थे।

Word by Word

वैदूर्यदण्डान्bâtons/shafts of vaidūrya (cat’s-eye gem)

अंश्वrays; (here likely: pieces/shafts—text uncertain)

शुभान्beautiful, auspicious

पतितान्fallen

अङ्कुशान्goads (elephant-goads)

भुविon the ground

बद्धाःfastened, attached

सादिभुजाग्रेषुon the forearms/hands of the riders (lit. at the ends of the arms of the mounted)

सुवर्णविकृताःmade/formed of gold

कशाःwhips

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

aṅkuśa (goad)

kaśā (whip)

vaidūrya (gem)

suvarṇa (gold)

bhuvi (the ground/earth)

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 underscores the fragility of worldly power and control: even the tools meant to direct and restrain (goads and whips) are shattered in war, suggesting how violence dissolves order and mastery.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes the battlefield aftermath: ornate goads with gem-studded handles and gold-made whips that had been in riders’ hands are now cut off and lying on the ground, indicating intense fighting and the fall of charioteers/horsemen.