Shloka 29

कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ५७

Arjuna’s targeted advance; Śalya–Karṇa dialogue; interception attempts

Devanagari script

विपाटितविचित्रांश्व॒ रूप्यचित्रान्‌ कुथाड्कुशान्‌ | भिन्नाश्न बहुधा घण्टा महद्धिः पतितैर्गजै:

Transliteration

vipāṭita-vicitrāṁś ca rūpya-citrān kuṭhāṅkuśān | bhinnāś ca bahudhā ghaṇṭā mahadbhis patitair gajaiḥ ||

Translation

ਸੰਜਯ ਬੋਲੇ—ਚੀਰ-ਫਾੜ ਹੋ ਚੁੱਕੇ, ਚਾਂਦੀ ਦੇ ਕੰਮ ਨਾਲ ਸਜੇ ਹਾਥੀਆਂ ਦੇ ਵਿਲੱਖਣ ਝੂਲ, ਕੂਥਾ (ਆਵਰਨ), ਅੰਕੁਸ਼, ਅਤੇ ਅਨੇਕ ਟੁਕੜਿਆਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਟੁੱਟੀਆਂ ਵੱਡੀਆਂ ਵੱਡੀਆਂ ਘੰਟੀਆਂ—ਇਹ ਸਭ ਮਹਾਨ ਹਾਥੀਆਂ ਦੇ ਡਿੱਗਣ ਨਾਲ ਹੀ ਧਰਤੀ ਉੱਤੇ ਵਿਖਰ ਗਈਆਂ ਸਨ।

Word by Word

• विपाटित: torn, ripped apart
• विपाटित: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि+पट् (धातु) → विपाटित (कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• विचित्रांशून्: variegated rays/strips (i.e., patterned trappings)
• विचित्रांशून्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विचित्रांशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• रूप्यचित्रान्: decorated with silver (silver-embroidered)
• रूप्यचित्रान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूप्यचित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• कुथान्: blankets, coverings
• कुथान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अङ्कुशान्: elephant-goads
• अङ्कुशान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्कुश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• भिन्नाः: broken, split
• भिन्नाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भिद् (धातु) → भिन्न (कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• बहुधा: in many ways; into many pieces
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुधा (अव्यय)

• घण्टाः: bells
• घण्टाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: घण्टा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• महद्धिः: by/with the great (ones)
• महद्धिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• पतितैः: fallen
• पतितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पत् (धातु) → पतित (कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• गजैः: by/with elephants
• गजैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• gaja (war-elephants)
• rūpya-citra (silver-inlaid trappings)
• aṅkuśa (elephant-goad)
• kuṭhā (axe)
• ghaṇṭā (bells)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the fragility of worldly splendor in war: ornate wealth and instruments of power (silver trappings, bells, goads) are reduced to fragments when life is cut down, highlighting impermanence and the cost of violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes the battlefield aftermath: mighty elephants have fallen, and with them their decorated coverings and equipment—silver-worked ornaments, goads, axes, and bells—now torn and broken, strewn across the earth.