Shloka 226

Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 58 — Arjuna’s Arrow-Storm and Relief of Bhīmasena

Devanagari script

यतमानं परं शक्‍त्या यतमानो महारथ: । ऐसा कहकर शीघ्रता करनेवाले प्रयत्नशील महारथी अभ्व॒त्थामाने अत्यन्त तेज, घोर एवं पैने बाणोंद्वारा यथाशक्ति विजयके लिये प्रयत्न करनेवाले वीर धृष्टद्युम्नको ढक दिया

Transliteration

yatamānaṃ paraṃ śaktyā yatamāno mahārathaḥ |

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: Dengan segenap kekuatannya, sang maharathi itu—sendiri pun berusaha hingga ke batas tertinggi—menyelubungi pahlawan Dhṛṣṭadyumna, yang juga berjuang demi kemenangan menurut daya upayanya, dengan anak-anak panah yang amat ganas dan tajam.

Word by Word

• यतमानम्: one who is striving
• यतमानम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यतमान (यत् धातु, आत्मनेपद वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• परम्: great, utmost
• परम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शक्त्या: with (his) power/ability
• शक्त्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• यतमानः: striving
• यतमानः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यतमान (यत् धातु, आत्मनेपद वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महारथः: great chariot-warrior
• महारथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Aśvatthāman
• Dhṛṣṭadyumna
• arrows (bāṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethic of total exertion in a warrior’s duty: each side pursues victory according to capacity, and the battlefield rewards sustained effort and skill rather than hesitation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Aśvatthāman, acting as a great chariot-warrior, showers Dhṛṣṭadyumna with fierce, sharp arrows, effectively covering or overwhelming him as both strive intensely for victory.