Shloka 666

Devanagari script

आपतत्तीं महोल्काभां चिच्छेद दशभि: शरै: । कर्ण कुछ थक-सा गया था, तो भी उसने बहुत बड़ी उल्काके समान अपनी ओर आती हुई उस सुवर्णभूषित शक्तिको दस बाणोंसे काट दिया

Transliteration

āpatattīṁ maholkābhāṁ ciccheda daśabhiḥ śaraiḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya said: As that mighty weapon, blazing like a great meteor, rushed toward him, Karṇa—though visibly wearied—steadied himself and, with ten arrows, cut it down in mid-flight. The moment underscores the grim ethic of the battlefield: even exhaustion cannot excuse a warrior from vigilance, skill, and resolve when lethal force is unleashed.

Word by Word

• आपतन्तीम्: falling/coming down (towards him)
• आपतन्तीम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आपतन्ती (आपत् √पत्)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• महोत्काभाम्: having the splendor of a great meteor
• महोत्काभाम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महोत्काभा
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• चिच्छेद: cut asunder
• चिच्छेद: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular

• दशभिः: with ten
• दशभिः: Karana
• Type: Numeral/Adjective
• Root: दशन्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Karṇa
• śara (arrows)
• maholkā (great meteor-like blaze)
• śakti (spear/missile weapon; implied by context)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

In the war-ethic of the Mahābhārata, a kṣatriya must meet danger with steadiness and competence; fatigue is real, yet duty demands alertness and disciplined action when violence is already in motion.

What is happening in the narrative?

A powerful, meteor-like weapon (described as a great blazing projectile) rushes toward Karṇa. Despite being tired, he intercepts it and cuts it apart with ten arrows, preventing it from striking him.