Shloka 17

भीष्मपातने कर्णविलापः | Karṇa’s Lament upon Seeing Bhīṣma Fallen

Devanagari script

येन येन प्रसरतो वाय्वग्नी सहितौ वने

Transliteration

yena yena prasarato vāyvagnī sahitau vane

Translation

サンジャヤは言った。「風と火とが相携えて森を駆け広がるところでは……」(彼は、ひとたび放たれれば容易に抑えがたく、進む先々を呑み尽くす破壊の迅速さを描き始める—戦の暴虐を、そのような制御困難な力として示す比喩である。)

Word by Word

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• प्रसरतः: (they two) spread/advance
• प्रसरतः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√सृ (सरति)
• Form: Present, Third, Dual

• वायु: wind
• वायु: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अग्नि: fire
• अग्नि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सहितौ: together, accompanied (as a pair)
• सहितौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• वने: in the forest
• वने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• vāyu (wind)
• agni (fire)
• vana (forest)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse’s imagery suggests that when destructive forces combine—like wind feeding fire—the resulting harm spreads rapidly and indiscriminately. Ethically, it cautions that violence, once set in motion, can exceed intention and become difficult to contain.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is beginning a simile-based description of events in the battle, comparing the onward surge of devastation to wind and fire moving together through a forest, emphasizing speed, reach, and uncontrollable spread.