Shloka 4
कर्णभीमसेनयुद्धम् | Karṇa–Bhīmasena Engagement
Chapter 111
Devanagari script
घटोत्कचस्तु विंशत्या नाराचानां स्तनान्तरे
Transliteration
ghaṭotkacastu viṁśatyā nārācānāṁ stanāntare
Translation
サञ्जயは語った。ガトートカチャは二十本のナーラーチャの矢で、彼の胸のあたりを射抜いた――それは戦の容赦なき精密さの象徴であり、武勇とは力のみならず、暴力に暴力で臨むという陰鬱な決意によっても量られるのである。
Word by Word
घटोत्कचःGhaṭotkaca
घटोत्कचः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootघटोत्कच
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
विंशत्याwith twenty
विंशत्या:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootविंशति
FormFeminine, Instrumental, Singular
नाराचानाम्of iron arrows (nārācas)
नाराचानाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootनाराच
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
स्तनान्तरेin the space between the breasts (in the chest)
स्तनान्तरे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootस्तनान्तर
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
Speaker
संजय उवाच
Characters & Entities
G
GhaṭotkacaN
nārāca (arrows)Character Dynamics
Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)
War Context
Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)
Philosophical Teaching
Political Layer
Geographic Context
Meter (Chandas)
Sandhi Notes
Educational Q&A
The line underscores the harsh ethic of battlefield duty (kṣatriya-dharma): in war, decisive action and endurance are demanded, even as the narrative implicitly invites reflection on the tragic cost of such relentless martial resolve.
Sañjaya reports that Ghaṭotkaca shoots (or strikes) with twenty nārāca arrows, hitting the opponent in the chest area, marking an intense exchange of missile warfare in the Drona Parva battle sequence.