Shloka 19

Adhyāya 140: Rātriyuddhe Droṇa-prāpti-prayatnaḥ

Night engagement and the attempt to reach Droṇa

Devanagari script

कर्णपाण्डवनिर्मुक्तिनिर्मुक्तिरिव पन्नगै: प्रासतोमरसंघातै: खड्गैश्न सपरश्वधै:

Transliteration

karṇapāṇḍavanirmuktinir-muktir iva pannagaiḥ prāsatomarasaṅghātaiḥ khaḍgaiś ca sa-paraśvadhaiḥ

Translation

Sañjaya said: Released from Karṇa and the Pāṇḍavas, he slipped free again and again—like a serpent escaping—amid volleys of spears and tomara-javelins, and amid sword-strokes and axes. The scene underscores the ferocity of battle and the warrior’s relentless effort to survive and press on despite being hemmed in by lethal weapons.

Word by Word

• कर्णपाण्डव: of Karna and the Pandavas
• कर्णपाण्डव: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण + पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• निर्मुक्ति: release; discharge
• निर्मुक्ति: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्मुक्ति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• निर्मुक्तिः: release; discharge
• निर्मुक्तिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्मुक्ति
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: like; as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• पन्नगैः: by serpents
• पन्नगैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पन्नग
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• प्रास: with spears
• प्रास: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रास
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• तोमर: with javelins
• तोमर: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोमर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• संघातैः: with masses/volleys (clusters)
• संघातैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संघात
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• खड्गैः: with swords
• खड्गैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: खड्ग
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• सपरश्वधैः: together with axes
• सपरश्वधैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + परश्वध
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Karna
• Pāṇḍavas
• serpent (simile)
• prāsa (spear)
• tomara (javelin)
• khaḍga (sword)
• paraśvadha (axe)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the harsh reality of war: survival and resolve depend on alertness and skill amid overwhelming danger. Ethically, it reflects the kṣatriya world where steadfastness under threat is praised, even as the imagery implicitly reminds the listener of war’s relentless violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a warrior (implied by context) repeatedly slipping free from the attacks of Karṇa and the Pāṇḍavas, compared to a snake escaping capture, while being assailed by dense volleys of spears and javelins and by sword and axe blows.