Shloka 41

Devanagari script

इषवोत्र परिस्तोमा मुक्ता गाण्डीवधन्चना । महारथप्रयुक्ताश्च द्रोणद्रौणिप्रचोदिता:

Transliteration

iṣavo 'tra paristomā muktā gāṇḍīvadhanvanā | mahāratha-prayuktāś ca droṇa-drauṇi-pracoditāḥ ||

Translation

Karna berkata: “Di sini, hujan anak panah—dilepaskan dengan rapat dalam corak melingkari—telah ditembakkan oleh pemegang Gāṇḍīva (Arjuna). Itulah peluru seorang maharathi, dan ia sedang didorong serta dipergiat di bawah dorongan Droṇa dan putera Droṇa (Aśvatthāman).”

Word by Word

इषवःarrows

उतand/also

परिस्तोमाःvolleys (lit. surrounding showers/streams)

मुक्ताःreleased/shot

गाण्डीवधन्वनाby the wielder of Gāṇḍīva (Arjuna)

महारथप्रयुक्ताःdischarged by great chariot-warriors

चand

द्रोणद्रौणिप्रचोदिताःimpelled by Droṇa and Droṇi (Aśvatthāman)

Speaker

कर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

Karna

Arjuna

Gāṇḍīva

Droṇa

Aśvatthāman (Drauṇi)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that extraordinary power and technique in war are ethically charged: when great skill is urged on by authoritative figures, it can either serve dharma or intensify harm. It invites reflection on accountability—of the warrior who acts, and of the mentors who incite.

What is happening in the narrative?

Karna describes the battlefield moment: Arjuna, wielding the Gāṇḍīva, releases dense, surrounding volleys of arrows. Karna notes these are the actions of a mahāratha and says the assault is being spurred on by Droṇa and Aśvatthāman.