Shloka 4

कर्णपर्व — पञ्चदशोऽध्यायः | Karṇa Parva, Chapter 15: Pāṇḍya’s Advance and Aśvatthāmā’s Counterstroke

Devanagari script

पार्थ: संशप्तकबलं प्रविश्यार्णवसंनिभम्‌ | व्यक्षो भयदमित्रघ्नो महावात इवार्णवम्‌

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

pārthaḥ saṁśaptaka-balaṁ praviśyārṇava-saṁnibham |

vyakṣo bhayadam-itraghno mahāvāta ivārṇavam ||

Translation

Arjuna, putra Pṛthā, menerobos ke dalam pasukan Saṁśaptaka yang luas laksana samudra; sang pembunuh musuh yang menebar gentar itu mengaduknya hingga kacau, sebagaimana angin dahsyat mengguncang lautan.

Word by Word

• पार्थः: Arjuna (son of Pṛthā)
• पार्थः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• संशप्तकबलम्: the Saṁśaptaka force/army
• संशप्तकबलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशप्तक-बल
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• प्रविश्य: having entered
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-विश्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• अर्णव-संनिभम्: ocean-like, resembling the sea
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्णव-संनिभ
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• व्यक्षोभयत्: shook, agitated
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-क्षुभ्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• भयदम्: fear-giving, terrifying
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भयद
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अमित्रघ्नः: slayer of foes
• अमित्रघ्नः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमित्रघ्न
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महावातः: a great wind, tempest
• महावातः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महावात
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: like, as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• अर्णवम्: the ocean
• अर्णवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्णव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna (Pārtha)
• Saṁśaptakas
• Ocean/Sea (arṇava)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya valor aligned with purpose: Arjuna’s fearlessness and decisive action are depicted as ethically charged strength used to break hostile forces that obstruct the righteous side, not as aimless aggression.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Arjuna entering the vast Saṁśaptaka formation and throwing it into chaos, using an ocean-and-gale simile to convey the scale of the army and the force of Arjuna’s assault.