Shloka 13

Devanagari script

छादयामास समरे शरैराशीविषोपमै: । द्रोणशत्रुर्महेष्वासो विव्याध निशितै: शरै:,राजन! इसी प्रकार कर्णने भी समरांगणमें विषधर सर्पोके समान विषैले बाणोंद्वारा शत्रुओंको संताप देनेवाले धृष्टद्यम्मको आच्छादित कर दिया। फिर द्रोणशत्रु महाधनुर्धर धष्टद्युम्नने भी कर्णको पैने बाणोंसे घायल कर दिया

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

chādayāmāsa samare śarair āśīviṣopamaiḥ |

droṇaśatrur maheṣvāso vivyādha niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ ||

Translation

ರಾಜನೇ! ಸಮರದಲ್ಲಿ ದ್ರೋಣಶತ್ರುವಾದ ಮಹಾಧನುರ್ಧರ ಧೃಷ್ಟದ್ಯುಮ್ನನು ವಿಷಸರ್ಪಗಳಂತೆ ತೀಕ್ಷ್ಣ ಬಾಣಗಳಿಂದ (ಕರ್ಣನನ್ನು) ಆವರಿಸಿದನು. ನಂತರ ಅದೇ ಮಹಾವೀರನು ನಿಶಿತ ಶರಗಳಿಂದ ಪ್ರತಿಯಾಗಿ (ಕರ್ಣನನ್ನು) ಗಾಯಗೊಳಿಸಿದನು.

Word by Word

छादयामासcovered, enveloped

समरेin battle

शरैःwith arrows

आशीविषोपमैःlike venomous serpents

द्रोणशत्रुःDrona's foe (Dhrishtadyumna)

महेष्वासःthe great archer

विव्याधpierced, wounded

निशितैःwith sharp (arrows)

शरैःwith arrows

राजन्O king

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛṣṭadyumna (Droṇaśatru)

Droṇa (by epithet)

arrows (śara)

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?

The verse underscores the harsh symmetry of battlefield dharma: in a kṣatriya conflict, prowess is measured by endurance and response—one is struck, yet must act without collapse, as action and consequence rapidly return upon each other.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes an exchange of missile-fire: Dhṛṣṭadyumna, famed as Droṇa’s slayer and a great archer, is showered with arrows likened to venomous snakes, and he in turn pierces his opponent with sharp arrows.