Shloka 18

Devanagari script

कवचं च ध्वजं चैव धनु: शक्ति्हया: शरा: । शरै: कृत्ता महेष्वास यतमानस्य संयुगे

Transliteration

kavacaṃ ca dhvajaṃ caiva dhanuḥ śaktiṃ hayāḥ śarāḥ | śaraiḥ kṛttā maheṣvāsa yatamānasya saṃyuge ||

Translation

ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—ମହେଷ୍ୱାସ! ଯୁଦ୍ଧରେ ମୁଁ ଯତ୍ନପୂର୍ବକ ଚେଷ୍ଟା କରୁଥିବାବେଳେ, ସମଗ୍ର ସେନା ଦେଖୁଥିବା ସମୟରେ କର୍ଣ୍ଣ ନିଜ ଶରଦ୍ୱାରା ମୋର କବଚ ଓ ଧ୍ୱଜ, ଧନୁ, ଶକ୍ତି, ଘୋଡ଼ା ଓ ଶର—ସବୁକୁ କାଟି ଖଣ୍ଡଖଣ୍ଡ କରିଦେଲା।

Word by Word

• कवचम्: armor
• कवचम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कवच
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• ध्वजम्: banner/standard
• ध्वजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• शक्तिः: spear/lance
• शक्तिः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• हयाः: horses
• हयाः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• शराः: arrows
• शराः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• कृत्ताः: cut/broken into pieces
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (√कृत्/√कृद् = छेदने)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• महेष्वास: O great archer
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-इष्वास
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• यतमानस्य: of (me) striving/endeavoring
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यतमान (√यत् आत्मनेपदी)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• संयुगे: in battle
• संयुगे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयुग
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Karṇa
• kavaca (armour)
• dhvaja (banner)
• dhanuḥ (bow)
• śakti (spear)
• hayāḥ (horses)
• śarāḥ (arrows)
• saṃyuga (battlefield)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the tension between human effort (yatna) and overpowering force on the battlefield: even a determined warrior can be undone when confronted by superior skill. Ethically, it underscores the Mahābhārata’s recurring reflection on kṣatriya-dharma—courage and persistence amid destructive consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a battlefield moment in which Karṇa’s arrows visibly dismantle an opponent’s key martial supports—armour, standard, weapons, horses, and ammunition—signaling Karṇa’s dominance and the rapid reversal of a combatant’s capacity to fight.