Shloka 666

Adhyāya 141 — Night duels: Śaineya and Bhūriśravas; Droṇi and Ghaṭotkaca; Bhīma and Duryodhana

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

サンジャヤは言った。「大いなる流星のごとく燃えさかりつつ、その強大な武器が彼に迫ったとき、カルナは疲労の色を見せながらも身を立て直し、十本の矢で飛来のただ中にそれを断ち切った。」

Word by Word

आपतन्तीम्falling/coming down (towards him)

महोत्काभाम्having the splendor of a great meteor

चिच्छेदcut asunder

दशभिःwith ten

शरैःwith arrows

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Karṇa

śara (arrows)

maholkā (great meteor-like blaze)

śakti (spear/missile weapon; implied by context)

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

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.