Shloka 123

धृतराष्ट्रस्य क्रतु-प्रवर्तनम् तथा पाण्डवानां निमन्त्रण-प्रतिवचनम्

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Sacrifice Commences and the Pandavas’ Reply to the Invitation

Devanagari script

महता शरवर्षेण राधेय: प्रत्यवारयत्‌ । गन्धर्वोकी उस विशाल सेनाको अपनी ओर आती देख कर्णने भारी बाणवर्षा करके उसे आगे बढ़नेसे रोक दिया

Transliteration

mahātā śaravarṣeṇa rādhēyaḥ pratyavārayat | gandharvokīṃ sa viśālāṃ senām ātmānaṃ prati āgatāṃ dṛṣṭvā karṇo gurubhir bāṇavarṣaiḥ sāgre gamanaṃ nyavārayat |

Translation

ໄວສັມປາຍະນະ ກ່າວວ່າ: ເມື່ອເຫັນກອງທັບຄັນທະວະຜູ້ຍິ່ງໃຫຍ່ກຳລັງຮຸກເຂົ້າມາຫາຕົນ ຣາເທຍ (ກະນະ) ໄດ້ສະກັດກັ້ນການຄືບໜ້າຂອງເຂົາເຈົ້າ ໂດຍປ່ອຍຝົນລູກສອນອັນໜັກໜ່ວງ. ຕໍ່ໜ້າກຳລັງທີ່ກຳລັງບຸກຮຸກ ລາວຕອບໂຕ້ດ້ວຍການຕໍ່ສູ້ທາງຍຸດທະວິທີອັນມີວິໄນ ແລະຢຸດການຮຸກຄືບຂອງເຂົາເຈົ້າດ້ວຍພະລັງທະນູອັນເກັ່ງກ້າ.

Word by Word

• महता: by/with great
• महता: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत्
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• शरवर्षेण: by a shower of arrows
• शरवर्षेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरवर्ष
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• राधेयः: Radheya (Karna)
• राधेयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: राधेय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रत्यवारयत्: checked/stopped/held back
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति+√वृ (वारयति)
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Rādheya (Karna)
• Gandharvas
• senā (army)
• śara/bāṇa (arrows)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-style resolve: when confronted by an advancing hostile force, one must respond with steadiness and skill, restraining violence through disciplined action rather than panic or retreat.

What is happening in the narrative?

A large Gandharva host advances; Karna (Rādheya) sees them coming and stops their forward movement by releasing a powerful barrage of arrows.