Shloka 39

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

Devanagari script

अथ द्रौणिरम॑हेष्वास: पाण्ड्यं शत्रुनिबर्हणम्‌ । विरथं रथिनां श्रेष्ठ नाहनद्‌ युद्धकाड्क्षया

Transliteration

atha drauṇir amaheṣvāsaḥ pāṇḍyaṃ śatrunibarhaṇam | virathaṃ rathināṃ śreṣṭha nāhanad yuddhakāṅkṣayā ||

Translation

अथ द्रौणिरमहेष्वासः पाण्ड्यं शत्रुनिबर्हणम् । विरथं रथिनां श्रेष्ठं नाहनद् युद्धकाङ्क्षया ॥

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

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

• महेष्वासः: great archer
• महेष्वासः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महेष्वास
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• शत्रुनिबर्हणम्: destroyer of enemies
• शत्रुनिबर्हणम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत्रुनिबर्हण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• विरथम्: without a chariot
• विरथम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विरथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• रथिनाम्: of chariot-warriors
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• श्रेष्ठम्: the best
• श्रेष्ठम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अहनत्: killed / struck down
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Imperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• युद्धकाङ्क्षया: due to desire for battle
• युद्धकाङ्क्षया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्धकाङ्क्षा
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Drauṇi (Aśvatthāman)
• Pāṇḍya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even in war, a warrior’s choices can reflect values beyond mere victory—such as restraint, honor, and the wish to face an opponent in a ‘proper’ contest rather than killing him at a moment of helplessness.

What is happening in the narrative?

Aśvatthāman disables Pāṇḍya by making him chariotless, but refrains from killing him immediately because he wants to continue fighting him, treating him as a worthy opponent.