Shloka 21

Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 19 — Saṃśaptaka–Trigarta Assault and Aindra-astra Counter

Devanagari script

मर्मभेदिभिरत्युग्रैर्बाणैरग्निशिखोपमै: । स्मयन्नभ्यहनद्‌ द्रौणि: पाण्ड्यमाचार्यसत्तम:,तब आचार्यप्रवर अश्वत्थामाने अत्यन्त भयंकर तथा अग्निशिखाके समान तेजस्वी मर्मभेदी बाणोंद्वारा पाण्ड्यनरेशको मुसकराते हुए घायल कर दिया

Transliteration

marmabhedibhir atyugrair bāṇair agniśikhopamaiḥ | smayann abhyahanad drauṇiḥ pāṇḍyam ācāryasattamaḥ ||

Translation

Санджая сказал: Тогда Ашваттхаман, сын Дроны, лучший из наставников, улыбаясь, поразил царя Пандьи стрелами необычайной ярости — пронзающими жизненно важные места и пылающими, словно языки огня.

Word by Word

• मर्मभेदिभिः: with vital-spot-piercing (ones)
• मर्मभेदिभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मर्मभेदिन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अति-उग्रैः: with exceedingly fierce (ones)
• अति-उग्रैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अत्युग्र
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• बाणैः: with arrows
• बाणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अग्नि-शिखा-उपमैः: with (arrows) like flames of fire
• अग्नि-शिखा-उपमैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्निशिखोपम
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• स्मयन्: smiling
• स्मयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मि (स्मयते)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अभ्यहनत्: struck, wounded
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3, Singular

• द्रौणिः: Drauni (Ashvatthaman, son of Drona)
• द्रौणिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रौणि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पाण्ड्यम्: the Pandya king
• पाण्ड्यम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्ड्य
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आचार्य-सत्तमः: the best of teachers
• आचार्य-सत्तमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार्यसत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Aśvatthāman (Drauṇi)
• Droṇa
• Pāṇḍya king
• arrows (bāṇa)
• fire/flames (agniśikhā)
• marman (vital points)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the moral tension of war: extraordinary martial skill can coexist with a disturbing emotional detachment (smiling while inflicting grievous wounds), prompting reflection on how dharma is strained and tested in battlefield conduct.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Aśvatthāman, famed as Droṇa’s son and a leading warrior, attacks the Pāṇḍya king, wounding him with extremely fierce arrows described as piercing vital points and blazing like fire.