Shloka 8

Devanagari script

कृत्वा विमर्द महदर्जुनेन कर्णो हत: केसरिणेव नाग: । तीर्णा प्रतिज्ञा पुरुषर्षभेण वैरस्यान्तं गतवांश्षापि पार्थ:

Transliteration

kṛtvā vimardaṃ mahad arjunena karṇo hataḥ kesariṇeva nāgaḥ | tīrṇā pratijñā puruṣarṣabheṇa vairasyāntaṃ gatavān so’pi pārthaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya disse: Depois de um combate grande e esmagador travado por Arjuna, Karṇa foi morto—como um elefante derrubado por um leão. Assim, Pārtha (Arjuna), touro entre os homens, cumpriu seu voto e levou a antiga inimizade ao fim.

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having done / after doing
• कृत्वा: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• विमर्दम्: crushing fight, slaughter
• विमर्दम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विमर्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महत्: great
• महत्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अर्जुनेन: by Arjuna
• अर्जुनेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• कर्णः: Karna
• कर्णः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हतः: slain
• हतः: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• केसरिणा: by a lion
• केसरिणा: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: केसरिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• इव: as, like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव
• Form: avyaya

• नागः: elephant
• नागः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तीर्णा: fulfilled, carried through
• तीर्णा: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: तॄ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रतिज्ञा: vow, promise
• प्रतिज्ञा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• पुरुषर्षभेण: by the bull among men (best of men)
• पुरुषर्षभेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुषर्षभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• वैरस्य: of enmity
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अन्तम्: end
• अन्तम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• गतवान्: went to / reached
• गतवान्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्तवतु (perfective past active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: also, even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि
• Form: avyaya

• पार्थः: Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna (Pārtha)
• Karṇa
• lion
• elephant

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the binding force of a solemn vow (pratijñā) and the harsh moral terrain of kṣatriya-dharma: even when the outcome is tragic, a warrior is portrayed as obligated to complete a pledged duty and bring a conflict to its decisive end.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Arjuna, after an intense battle, kills Karṇa. The simile compares Karṇa’s fall to an elephant felled by a lion. Arjuna thereby completes his vow and ends the enmity centered on this duel.