Mahabharata 7.111.22 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 111, Shloka 22

कर्णभीमसेनयुद्धम् | Karṇa–Bhīmasena Engagement

Chapter 111

Devanagari script

व्यसृजत्‌ सायकांस्तूर्ण रुक्मपुड्खान्‌ शिलाशितान्‌ | बलवान घटोत्कचद्वारा अत्यन्त क्षत-विक्षत होकर उस महाबली राक्षसराजने तुरंत ही सानपर चढ़ाकर तेज किये हुए सुवर्णमय पंखवाले बाणोंकी वर्षा आरम्भ कर दी ।।

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

vyasṛjat sāyakāṁs tūrṇaṁ rukmapuṅkhān śilāśitān |

te śarā nataparvāṇo viviśū rākṣasaṁ tadā ||

Translation

Санджая сказал: Затем он стремительно выпустил стрелы — с золотыми оперениями, отточенные о камень. Эти древки, чьи сочленения словно отогнулись назад от силы удара, в тот миг вонзились в ракшасу. Картина подчёркивает неумолимую эскалацию боя: мастерство и мощь обращаются на нанесение ран, а нравственная тяжесть насилия в дхармической войне остаётся ощутимой в сдержанном тоне повествователя.

Word by Word

• व्यसृजत्: he discharged/shot forth
• व्यसृजत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+सृज्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सायकान्: arrows
• सायकान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सायक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• तूर्णम्: swiftly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तूर्ण

• रुक्मपुड्खान्: having golden fletchings
• रुक्मपुड्खान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुक्म-पुड्ख
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• शिलाशितान्: stone-whetted/sharpened on stone
• शिलाशितान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिला-आशित
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• ते: those
• ते: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शराः: arrows
• शराः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नतपर्वाणः: having bent joints/knots (well-jointed)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नत-पर्वन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• विविशुः: entered/pierced
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+विश्
• Form: Perfect (Lit), 3, Plural, Parasmaipada

• राक्षसम्: the rākṣasa (demon)
• राक्षसम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• rākṣasa
• sāyaka (arrows)
• śara (shafts)
• rukma-puṅkha (golden fletching)
• śilā (whetstone/stone)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the grim discipline of warfare: technical prowess and speed can inflict decisive harm, yet the narrator’s detached reporting invites reflection on the ethical burden of violence even within a dharma-framed conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a warrior rapidly releasing stone-sharpened, golden-feathered arrows; the arrows strike effectively and pierce a rākṣasa combatant, indicating a fierce exchange and mounting injuries on the battlefield.