Shloka 77

Devanagari script

अशवनुवंश्वाभिमन्यो: कर्ण: स्थातुं रणेडग्रत: । सौभद्रशरनिर्भिन्नो विसंज्ञ: शोणितोक्षित:

Transliteration

aśvan uvaṁśvābhimanyoḥ karṇaḥ sthātuṁ raṇe 'grataḥ | saubhadra-śara-nirbhinnō visaṁjñaḥ śoṇitokṣitaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: Karṇa, tidak lagi mampu bertahan di barisan hadapan ketika berhadapan dengan Abhimanyu, telah ditembusi anak panah putera Subhadrā; dia rebah tidak sedarkan diri, bermandikan darah. Adegan ini menegaskan bahawa dalam kekacauan perang, bahkan yang terperkasa pun boleh direndahkan oleh keberanian dan penentangan yang benar, dan bahawa keperkasaan tanpa kendali akhirnya menemui batasnya di medan laga.

Word by Word

अशक्नुवन्was not able

अभिमन्योःof Abhimanyu

कर्णःKarna

स्थातुम्to stand

रणेin battle

अग्रतःin front

सौभद्र-शर-निर्भिन्नःpierced by the arrows of Saubhadra (Abhimanyu)

विसंज्ञःunconscious

शोणित-उक्षितःsprinkled/bathed with blood

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Karna

Abhimanyu

Subhadrā

arrows (śara)

battlefield (raṇa)

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 moral and existential reality of war: strength and reputation do not guarantee invulnerability. Martial power meets limits when confronted by equal or superior valor, and the battlefield exposes the consequences of choosing violence as a means of resolving conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Karṇa, facing Abhimanyu at the front of the battle, cannot maintain his position. Abhimanyu (called Saubhadra) pierces him with arrows, leaving Karṇa unconscious and covered in blood.