Shloka 96

Devanagari script

दोधूयमानस्य भृशं धनुष: शृणु नि:स्वनम्‌ । “अमित तेजस्वी कर्ण अपने धनुषको बड़े वेगसे हिला रहा है। उसकी टंकारथ्वनि बड़ी भारी आवाजको भी दबाकर सुनायी पड़ रही है, सुनो

Transliteration

dodhūyamānasya bhṛśaṃ dhanuṣaḥ śṛṇu niḥsvanam |

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: “Dengarlah dentang nyaring busur yang digoncang dengan sekuat-kuatnya. Karna, menyala dengan keperkasaan yang tiada terukur, memutar busurnya begitu dahsyat sehingga gema petikannya seakan menenggelamkan bunyi-bunyi besar yang lain—dengarlah!”

Word by Word

दोधूयमानस्यof (one) shaking violently

भृशम्excessively, greatly

धनुषःof the bow

शृणुhear!

निःस्वनम्sound, clang

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Karṇa

bow (dhanuḥ)

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 how outward signs—like the thunderous twang of a bow—signal inner resolve and martial capability. Ethically, it frames war as a realm where intention, preparedness, and the projection of power shape morale and perception, even before weapons strike.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Karṇa is forcefully shaking/whirling his bow, producing a tremendous reverberation. The sound functions as a dramatic marker of Karṇa’s readiness and the escalating intensity of the battle scene.