Shloka 18

द्रोणकर्णयोः निशि संप्रहारः — Night Engagement with Droṇa and Karṇa

Devanagari script

नूनमात्मविनाशाय पाण्डवेन किरीटिना । प्रतिज्ञेयं कृता कर्ण जयद्रथवर्ध॑ प्रति,“कर्ण! निश्चय ही किरीटधारी पाण्डव अर्जुनने अपने ही विनाशके लिये जयद्रथ-वधकी यह प्रतिज्ञा कर डाली है

Transliteration

nūnam ātmavināśāya pāṇḍavena kirīṭinā | pratijñeyaṃ kṛtā karṇa jayadrathavadhaṃ prati ||

Translation

ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—ହେ କର୍ଣ୍ଣ! ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ମୁକୁଟଧାରୀ ପାଣ୍ଡବ ଅର୍ଜୁନ ନିଜ ବିନାଶକୁ ଡାକି ଆଣିବା ପରି ଜୟଦ୍ରଥବଧର ଏହି ପ୍ରତିଜ୍ଞା କରିଛି।

Word by Word

नूनम्surely, indeed

आत्मविनाशायfor (his own) destruction

पाण्डवेनby the Pandava (Arjuna)

किरीटिनाby the diadem-wearer

प्रतिज्ञेयम्a vow to be made / fit to be vowed

कृताmade, done

कर्णO Karna

जयद्रथवर्धम्the slaying of Jayadratha

प्रतिtowards, concerning, against

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Arjuna (Kirīṭin, Pāṇḍava)

Karṇa

Jayadratha

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 binding force of a warrior’s vow: once a public pledge is made, dharma and honor demand completion, even if the undertaking appears self-destructive. It also reflects how vows can be used to create decisive pressure in battle.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Abhimanyu’s death and Jayadratha’s role in blocking the Pāṇḍavas, Arjuna vows to kill Jayadratha within a fixed time. Sañjaya reports to Karṇa that this vow seems so perilous that it looks like Arjuna has pledged toward his own ruin if he fails.