Shloka 353

Śalya Appointed as Karṇa’s Sārathi; Discourse on Praise, Blame, and Beneficial Counsel (कर्णस्य शल्यसारथ्यं तथा स्तवनिन्दाविचारः)

Devanagari script

जीवितान्तकरं घोरं व्यसृजत्त्वरयान्वित: । तत्पश्चात्‌ प्रहार करनेवाले योद्धाओंमें श्रेष्ठ कृतवर्माने उसके ऊपर समरांगणमें बड़ी उतावलीके साथ एक भयंकर प्राणान्तकारी बाण छोड़ा

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | jīvitāntakaraṃ ghoraṃ vyasṛjat tvarayānvitaḥ | tatpaścāt prahāra-karṇevāle yoddhāoṃ meṃ śreṣṭha kṛtavarmāne tasya upari samarāṅgaṇe baṛī utāvalīke sātha eka bhayaṅkara prāṇāntakārī bāṇa choṛā |

Translation

Disse Sañjaya: Então, numa pressa sombria, ele disparou um terrível projétil capaz de pôr fim à vida. Depois disso, Kṛtavarmā—o primeiro entre os guerreiros peritos no golpe—lançou contra ele, no campo de batalha, com grande urgência, uma flecha aterradora, ceifadora de vida.

Word by Word

• जीवितान्तकरम्: life-ending, causing death
• जीवितान्तकरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जीवितान्तकर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• घोरम्: terrible, dreadful
• घोरम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• व्यसृजत्: he discharged, released
• व्यसृजत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• त्वरया: with haste
• त्वरया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वरा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• अन्वितः: endowed with, accompanied by
• अन्वितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्वित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Kṛtavarmā
• battlefield (samarāṅgaṇa)
• deadly arrow (bāṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the grim ethical tension of kṣatriya warfare: valor and skill are praised, yet the action described is explicitly life-ending, reminding the listener that battlefield excellence operates within a tragic economy of death and urgency.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports a rapid escalation in combat: a dreadful, fatal weapon is released, and then Kṛtavarmā—renowned for effective striking—swiftly shoots a terrifying, deadly arrow at his opponent on the battlefield.