Shloka 29

अमोघशक्तिव्यंसनप्रश्नः — Why Karṇa’s Śakti Was Not Used on Arjuna

Devanagari script

कर्णस्तु पाण्डवे शक्ति काज्चनीं समवासृजत्‌

Transliteration

karṇas tu pāṇḍave śaktiṃ kāñcanīṃ samavāsṛjat

Translation

ಸಂಜಯನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ಆಗ ಕರ್ಣನು ಪಾಂಡವನ ಮೇಲೆ ಚಿನ್ನದ ಶಕ್ತಿಯನ್ನು (ಭಾಲಾಯುಧವನ್ನು) ಎಸೆದನು.

Word by Word

• कर्णः: Karna
• कर्णः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/however
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• पाण्डवे: to/for the Pandava (Arjuna)
• पाण्डवे: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• शक्तिम्: spear/weapon (shakti)
• शक्तिम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• काञ्चनीम्: golden
• काञ्चनीम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काञ्चनी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• समवासृजत्: hurled/let fly
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अव + सृज्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Karna
• Pāṇḍava
• Śakti (spear-weapon)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how warfare drives escalation: when ordinary means seem insufficient, combatants deploy exceptional weapons to force an outcome. Ethically, it invites reflection on how the pursuit of victory can override restraint and increase suffering, making the choice of means as morally weighty as the desired end.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Karṇa releases (hurls) a golden Śakti—an especially powerful spear-like missile—aimed at a Pāṇḍava opponent, signaling a critical, high-stakes moment in the battle.