Shloka 18

द्रौणि-पार्षतयोर्युद्धम् | The Duel of Aśvatthāmā

Drauṇi) and Dhṛṣṭadyumna (Pārṣata

Devanagari script

महावेगै: प्रसन्नाग्रै: शातकुम्भपरिष्कृतै: । अहनदू भरतश्रेष्ठ भीम॑ वैकर्तन: शरै:,भरतश्रेष्ठ) कर्णने चमकते हुए अग्रभागवाले सुवर्णजटित महान्‌ वेगशाली बाणोंद्वारा भीमसेनको घायल कर दिया

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

mahāvegaiḥ prasannāgraiḥ śātakumbha-pariṣkṛtaiḥ |

ahann adū bharataśreṣṭha bhīmaṃ vai kartanaḥ śaraiḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: Wahai yang terbaik antara Bharata, Karna dengan anak panah yang amat laju—bermata terang dan tajam, dihias emas murni—memukul Bhīma hingga terluka.

Word by Word

• महावेगैः: with very swift (ones)
• महावेगैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महावेग
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• प्रसन्नाग्रैः: with bright/shining-pointed (ones)
• प्रसन्नाग्रैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्नाग्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• शातकुम्भपरिष्कृतैः: adorned with gold
• शातकुम्भपरिष्कृतैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शातकुम्भपरिष्कृत
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अहनत्: struck / wounded
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• उ: indeed / and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उ

• भरतश्रेष्ठ: O best of the Bharatas
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरतश्रेष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• भीमम्: Bhima
• भीमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• वैकर्तनः: Vaikartana (Karna)
• वैकर्तनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैकर्तन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Bhīma (Bhīmasena)
• Karna
• arrows (śara)
• gold (śātakumbha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the harsh reality of kṣatriya warfare: duty and martial excellence operate within a tragic arena where even great heroes must endure injury. It invites reflection on how dharma in war demands steadfastness, yet inevitably produces suffering and moral strain.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Karna, using swift arrows with shining tips and gold ornamentation, strikes and wounds Bhīma during the battle in Droṇa Parva.