Shloka 9

कर्णपर्व — चतुर्दशोऽध्यायः

Arjuna’s Suppression of the Saṃśaptakas; Kṛṣṇa’s Strategic Admonition; Battlefield Inventory

Devanagari script

ततः शरशतैद्रौणिर्दयामास पाण्डवम्‌ | न चैनं कम्पयामास मातरिश्वेव पर्वतम्‌,तब अअश्वत्थामाने सैकड़ों बाणोंसे पाण्डुपुत्र भीमसेनको पीड़ित किया; परंतु जैसे हवा पर्वतको नहीं हिला सकती, उसी प्रकार वह उन्हें कम्पित न कर सका

Transliteration

tataḥ śaraśatair drauṇir dayāmāsa pāṇḍavam | na cainaṃ kampayāmāsa mātariśveva parvatam ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then Drauṇi (Aśvatthāman) assailed the Pāṇḍava with hundreds of arrows, causing him pain; yet he could not shake him in the least—just as the wind cannot move a mountain. The verse highlights steadfastness under assault: mere force and injury do not necessarily break inner resolve or martial composure.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

शरशतैःwith hundreds of arrows

द्रौणिःDrauni (Aśvatthāman, son of Droṇa)

अर्दयामासtormented, pained, afflicted

पाण्डवम्the Pāṇḍava (Bhīma)

नnot

चand

एनम्him (that one)

कम्पयामासshook, made to tremble

मातरिश्वाMātariśvan (the Wind)

इवlike, as

पर्वतम्a mountain

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Drauṇi (Aśvatthāman)

Pāṇḍava (Bhīmasena)

Mātariśvan (Vāyu, the Wind)

Parvata (mountain)

Śara (arrows)

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 underscores resilience: external blows and pain may strike the body, but a disciplined warrior’s steadiness of mind and stance need not be shaken—illustrated by the mountain unmoved by wind.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that Aśvatthāman (Drauṇi) showers the Pāṇḍava Bhīma with hundreds of arrows, wounding him, but fails to make him waver; Bhīma remains firm like a mountain against the wind.