Shloka 26

अर्जुनस्य शीघ्रप्रयाणं भीम-शकुनियुद्धं च

Arjuna’s Rapid Advance and the Bhīma–Śakuni Encounter

Devanagari script

ते वर्म हेमविकृतं भित्त्वा राज्ञ: शिलाशिता:

Transliteration

te varma hemavikṛtaṃ bhittvā rājñaḥ śilāśitāḥ

Translation

Санджая сказал: Те снаряды с каменными наконечниками, пробив царские доспехи — выкованные и украшенные золотом, — прошили их защиту насквозь. В суровой этике ратного долга даже великолепная царская броня оказывается хрупкой перед неумолимой силой, когда доблесть и судьба подталкивают воинов к назначенному им исходу.

Word by Word

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

• वर्म: armor, cuirass
• वर्म: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• हेमविकृतम्: made/ornamented with gold
• हेमविकृतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हेम-विकृत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• भित्त्वा: having pierced/broken through
• Type: Verb
• Root: भिद्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite

• राज्ञः: of the king
• राज्ञः: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• शिलाशिताः: stone-whetted (sharpened on stone)
• शिलाशिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिला-आशित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• राजा/राज्ञः (the king)
• वर्म (armor)
• हेम (gold)
• शिलाशिताः (stone-tipped missiles/shafts)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the battlefield truth that external splendor and protection (gold-worked armor) cannot guarantee safety; in war, duty-driven violence and the momentum of fate can overwhelm even royal defenses, reminding readers of the fragility of worldly safeguards.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a combat moment where stone-tipped missiles/shafts pierce a king’s gold-adorned armor, indicating a successful, forceful strike against a prominent warrior amid the Karṇa Parva battle.