Shloka 18

दुर्योधन-कर्ण-संवादः

Duryodhana–Karna Dialogue on Vyūha-bheda and Daiva

Devanagari script

द्रोणं विव्याध सप्तत्या स्वर्णपुड्खै: शिलाशितै: । सारथिं चास्य बाणेन भृशं मर्मस्वताडयत्‌,उन्होंने सानपर चढ़ाकर तेज किये हुए सुवर्ण-पंखयुक्त सत्तर बाणोंसे द्रोणाचार्यको बींध डाला और एक बाणद्धारा उनके सारथिके मर्मस्थानोंमें गहरी चोट पहुँचायी

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | droṇaṃ vivyādha saptatyā svarṇapuḍkhaiḥ śilāśitaiḥ | sārathiṃ cāsya bāṇena bhṛśaṃ marmasvatāḍayat |

Translation

ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—ଶିଳାରେ ଶାଣ ଦେଇ ତୀକ୍ଷ୍ଣ କରାଯାଇଥିବା ସୁବର୍ଣ୍ଣ-ପକ୍ଷଯୁକ୍ତ ସତରିଟି ବାଣରେ ସେ ଦ୍ରୋଣାଚାର୍ଯ୍ୟଙ୍କୁ ବିଦ୍ଧ କଲା; ଏବଂ ଅନ୍ୟ ଗୋଟିଏ ବାଣରେ ତାଙ୍କ ସାରଥିଙ୍କ ମର୍ମସ୍ଥାନରେ ଭୟଙ୍କର ଆଘାତ କଲା।

Word by Word

द्रोणम्Drona

विव्याधpierced

सप्तत्याwith seventy (arrows)

स्वर्णपुड्खैःwith golden-feathered (shafts)

शिलाशितैःsharpened on a whetstone

सारथिम्the charioteer

चand

अस्यof him / his

बाणेनwith an arrow

भृशम्severely, greatly

मर्मसुin the vital spots

अताडयत्struck, smote

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Droṇa (Droṇācārya)

sārathi (Droṇa’s charioteer)

bāṇa (arrows)

svarṇa-puḍkha (golden-fletched arrows)

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 mastery and determination in war can become morally stark: technical excellence (stone-honed, golden-fletched arrows; targeting marmas) is ethically neutral and gains its moral color from intent and context. It also underscores the tragic widening of violence, where even non-heroic attendants like charioteers are drawn into lethal harm.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Sañjaya’s battlefield report, an unnamed warrior (contextually, a combatant opposing Droṇa) shoots Droṇācārya with seventy sharpened, golden-fletched arrows and then strikes Droṇa’s charioteer with another arrow, hitting vital points and causing severe injury.