Shloka 11

कर्णपर्व — चतुर्दशोऽध्यायः

Arjuna’s Suppression of the Saṃśaptakas; Kṛṣṇa’s Strategic Admonition; Battlefield Inventory

Devanagari script

तावन्योन्यं शरैघोरिश्छादयानौ महारथौ । रथवर्यगतौ वीरौ शुशुभाते बलोत्कटौ,वे दोनों बलोन्मत्त महारथी वीर श्रेष्ठ रथोंपर बैठकर एक-दूसरेको भयंकर बाणोंद्वारा आच्छादित करते हुए बड़ी शोभा पा रहे थे

Transliteration

tāv anyonyaṁ śaraiḥ ghoriś chādayānau mahārathau | rathavaryagatau vīrau śuśubhāte balotkaṭau ||

Translation

ആ രണ്ടു ബലോന്മത്ത മഹാരഥവീരന്മാർ ഉത്തമരഥങ്ങളിൽ നിലകൊണ്ട്, പരസ്പരം ഭീകരശരവർഷംകൊണ്ട് മറച്ചുകൊണ്ടിരിക്കെ യുദ്ധമദ്ധ്യേ അത്യന്തം ദീപ്തിയായി ശോഭിച്ചു।

Word by Word

तौthose two

अन्योन्यम्each other (mutually)

शरैःwith arrows

घोरैःterrible

छादयानौcovering, showering/veiling

महारथौtwo great chariot-warriors

रथवर्यगतौmounted on excellent chariots

वीरौtwo heroes

शुशुभातेshone, were splendid

बलोत्कटौmighty in strength, exceedingly powerful

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Two unnamed mahārathas (the pair engaged in mutual arrow-exchange)

Arrows (śara)

Chariots (ratha)

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 highlights the kṣatriya ideal of steadfastness and prowess in battle: even amid violent exchange, the warriors maintain composure and radiance. Ethically, it frames war as a domain where courage, skill, and endurance are publicly tested, while also hinting at the tragic grandeur of conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes two foremost chariot-warriors facing each other. From their fine chariots they unleash terrifying volleys of arrows, each trying to overwhelm the other, and in that intense duel both appear splendid and formidable.