Shloka 35

कर्णभीमयुद्धम्

Karna–Bhīma Combat Report

Devanagari script

ततो युधिष्छिरो राजा द्रोणास्त्रं तत्‌ समुद्यतम्‌

Transliteration

tato yudhiṣṭhiro rājā droṇāstraṃ tat samudyatam

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then King Yudhiṣṭhira beheld that Drona-weapon raised and made ready—an ominous escalation in the battle, where the resort to famed celestial arms signals both the desperation of war and the grave moral weight of unleashing power that can exceed ordinary human restraint.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (पञ्चमी-अर्थे: 'from/thereupon')

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• द्रोणास्त्रम्: Drona-weapon (Drona’s missile)
• द्रोणास्त्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोणास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• समुद्यतम्: raised/upraised
• समुद्यतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-उद्-यत् (धातु) → समुद्यत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle) अर्थे 'raised/upraised'

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Droṇāstra (Drona’s weapon)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical gravity of power in war: when renowned astras are readied, the conflict moves beyond ordinary combat, reminding rulers and warriors that greater force carries greater responsibility and consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that Yudhiṣṭhira observes the Droṇāstra being raised and prepared—signaling a critical moment in the battle where a formidable weapon is about to be employed.