Shloka 12

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 114 — Karṇa–Bhīmasena Missile Exchange, Disarmament, and Arjuna’s Intervention

Devanagari script

इतस्त्रियोजनं मन्ये तमध्वानं विशाम्पते । यत्र तिष्ठति पार्थोडसौ जयद्रथवधोद्यत:,'प्रजापालक नरेश! इस समय जहाँ जयद्रथ-वधके लिये उद्यत हुए अर्जुन खड़े हैं, उस स्थानको मैं यहाँसे तीन योजन दूर मानता हूँ

Transliteration

itastriyojanaṃ manye tam adhvānaṃ viśāmpate | yatra tiṣṭhati pārtho 'sau jayadrathavadhodyataḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “O lord of the people, I judge that place to be three yojanas from here—the very spot where that Pārtha (Arjuna) stands, intent upon the slaying of Jayadratha.” The report underscores the urgency of Arjuna’s vow-driven resolve amid the moral pressure of battlefield duty and the looming consequence of failure.

Word by Word

इतस्from here

त्रिthree

योजनम्yojana (a measure of distance)

मन्येI think/consider

तम्that

अध्वानम्path/journey (distance)

विशाम्of the people/subjects

पतेO lord

यत्रwhere

तिष्ठतिstands/remains

पार्थःArjuna (son of Pṛthā)

असौthat (yonder) / he

जयद्रथ-वध-उद्यतःintent on the slaying of Jayadratha

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Arjuna (Pārtha)

Jayadratha

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights vow-bound responsibility in dharma: Arjuna’s focused resolve to fulfill a pledged act in war, and Sañjaya’s precise reporting to the king, emphasizing that choices in conflict carry immediate, measurable consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya informs Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Arjuna, determined to kill Jayadratha, is stationed about three yojanas away from their present reference point—marking the tactical distance and the urgency of the unfolding pursuit.