Shloka 46

कर्णपर्व — पञ्चदशोऽध्यायः | Karṇa Parva, Chapter 15: Pāṇḍya’s Advance and Aśvatthāmā’s Counterstroke

Devanagari script

शरैरविशकलीकुर्वन्नमित्रानभ्यवीवृषत्‌ । स्वलंकृतानश्वसादीन्‌ पत्ती क्षाहन्‌ धनंजय:

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | śarair aviśakalīkurvann amitrān abhyavīvṛṣat | suvalaṅkṛtān aśvasādīn pattīṃś cāhan dhanañjayaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: Dhananjaya (Arjuna), menghujani musuh dengan anak panah, memecah-belahkan barisan lawan menjadi serpihan. Dia menewaskan penunggang kuda yang berhias dan para infantri; sementara anak panahnya meremukkan kereta-kereta perang yang megah—ditarik kuda terlatih dan dinaiki kusir yang mabuk perang—hingga jatuh seperti runtuhan kota kayangan yang musnah.

Word by Word

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

• अविशकलीकुर्वन्: making into pieces, shattering
• अविशकलीकुर्वन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: विशकलीकृ (वि+शकली+कृ)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, शतृ (present active participle)

• अमित्रान्: enemies
• अमित्रान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमित्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अभ्यवीवृषत्: rained (down), showered
• अभ्यवीवृषत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृष् (अभि+वृष्)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• स्वलंकृतान्: well-adorned
• स्वलंकृतान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वलंकृत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अश्वसादीन्: horsemen and others
• अश्वसादीन्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वसादि
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पत्तीन्: foot-soldiers
• पत्तीन्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्ति
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• अहन्: killed, struck down
• अहन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• धनंजयः: Dhanañjaya (Arjuna)
• धनंजयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनंजय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Dhananjaya (Arjuna)
• enemies (amitra)
• arrows (śara)
• horsemen (aśvasādin)
• infantry (patti)
• war-chariots (implied by context of rathins and decorated vehicles)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the grim reality of kṣatriya-duty in war: disciplined skill and resolve can become overwhelming force. Ethically, it points to the tension between martial excellence and the destructive consequences of battle undertaken as a perceived obligation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya describes Arjuna on the battlefield showering arrows, shattering enemy formations and breaking apart splendid chariots, while also cutting down decorated horsemen and foot-soldiers.