Shloka 133

Devanagari script

विस्फारयन्‌ धनु: कर्णस्तस्थौ भारत दुर्मना: । भारत! घोड़े और सारथिके मारे जाने तथा ध्वजाके गिर जानेपर कर्ण उस रथको छोड़कर धनुषकी टंकार करता हुआ दुःखी मनसे वहाँ खड़ा हो गया

Transliteration

visphārayan dhanuḥ karṇas tasthau bhārata durmanāḥ |

Translation

ಸಂಜಯನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ಹೇ ಭಾರತ! ಕರ್ಣನು ಧನುಸ್ಸನ್ನು ಟಂಕರಿಸುತ್ತ ದುಃಖಭರಿತ ಮನಸ್ಸಿನಿಂದ ಅಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಂತನು. ಕುದುರೆಗಳು ಮತ್ತು ಸಾರಥಿ ಹತರಾಗಿ, ಧ್ವಜವೂ ಬಿದ್ದಾಗ ಅವನು ಆ ರಥವನ್ನು ತ್ಯಜಿಸಿದನು; ಆದರೂ ಆಯುಧಧ್ವನಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ತನ್ನ ಸಂಕಲ್ಪವನ್ನು ಹಿಡಿದಿಟ್ಟನು.

Word by Word

विस्फारयन्twanging/causing to resound

धनुःbow

कर्णःKarna

तस्थौstood

भारतO Bharata

दुर्मनाःsad, dejected (one whose mind is bad)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Karṇa

Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by address 'Bhārata')

bow (dhanuḥ)

chariot

horses

charioteer

banner/standard (dhvaja, implied by the Hindi gloss)

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 highlights the fragility of martial power—when the supports of action (chariot, horses, charioteer, banner) collapse, a warrior confronts grief and loss; yet duty-driven resolve persists. It underscores how pride and momentum in war can be overturned instantly, testing steadiness of mind and adherence to kṣatriya-dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Karṇa, after losing his horses and charioteer and seeing his banner fall, leaves that chariot and stands on the battlefield, sorrowful, while making his bowstring resound—signaling continued readiness to fight despite the setback.