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Shloka 693

दुर्योधन-कर्ण-संवादः

Duryodhana–Karna Dialogue on Vyūha-bheda and Daiva

ध्वजं सप्तभिरुन्मथ्य यन्तारमवधीत्‌ त्रिभि: । तब आचार्यने उनकी दोनों भुजाओं और छातीमें कुल तीन बाण मारे। फिर सात सायकोंद्वारा उनकी ध्वजाके टुकड़े-टुकड़े करके तीन बाणोंसे सारथिका वध कर दिया

dhvajaṃ saptabhir unmathya yantāram avadhīt tribhiḥ | tata ācāryaḥ tasya bāhū ca vakṣaś ca tribhir bāṇaiḥ samarpayat | punaḥ saptabhiḥ sāyakair dhvajaṃ ciccheda tribhir bāṇaiś ca sārathiṃ jaghāna ||

サञ्जयは言った。「アーチャールヤは七矢にて敵の旗標を打ち砕き、さらに三矢で御者を討った。ついでその武者の両腕と胸を三矢で射抜く。さらにまた、鋭き七の矢で旗を切り刻み、三矢をもって戦車の馭者を斃した。」

ध्वजम्banner/standard
ध्वजम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootध्वज
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
सप्तभिःwith seven (arrows)
सप्तभिः:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootसप्त
Form—, Instrumental, Plural
उन्मथ्यhaving shattered/torn up
उन्मथ्य:
TypeVerb
Rootउन्मथ्
FormAbsolutive (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral for absolutive)
यन्तारम्charioteer
यन्तारम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootयन्तृ
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
अवधीत्killed
अवधीत्:
TypeVerb
Rootवध्
FormImperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
त्रिभिःwith three (arrows)
त्रिभिः:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootत्रि
Form—, Instrumental, Plural

संजय उवाच

संजय (Sañjaya)
आचार्य (Ācārya—Droṇa)
ध्वज (banner/standard)
यन्ता/सारथि (charioteer)
बाण/सायका (arrows)

Educational Q&A

The passage highlights the grim ethic of battlefield strategy: disabling symbols of morale (the banner) and the means of mobility (the charioteer) can decide combat swiftly. It also implicitly raises the tension between tactical necessity in war and the human cost of such calculated violence.

Sañjaya reports that Droṇa (the Ācārya) attacks an opponent’s chariot: he breaks the banner with seven arrows, kills the charioteer with three, and strikes the warrior’s arms and chest—repeating the banner’s destruction and the charioteer’s killing as part of a decisive assault.