Shloka 12

Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 58 — Arjuna’s Arrow-Storm and Relief of Bhīmasena

Devanagari script

तथैव राजन्‌ कर्णो5पि पार्षतं शत्रुतापनम्‌

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | tathaiva rājan karṇo 'pi pārṣataṁ śatrutāpanam viṣadhara-sarpavat viṣaileṣubhir bāṇair āchādayām āsa | punaś ca droṇaśatruḥ mahādhanurdharaḥ dhṛṣṭadyumno 'pi karṇaṁ tīkṣṇaiḥ śaraiḥ kṣatam akarot |

Translation

तथैव राजन् कर्णोऽपि पार्षतं शत्रुतापनम् । सर्पवद् विषदिग्धैश्च शरैः समवकीर्यत ॥ अथ द्रोणशत्रुर्महाधनुर्धरः धृष्टद्युम्नोऽपि कर्णं तीक्ष्णैः शरैः समताडयद् व्रणैश्च तम् अकरोत् ॥

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• एव: indeed, just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कर्णः: Karna
• कर्णः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• पार्षतम्: the son of Prishata (Dhrishtadyumna)
• पार्षतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्षत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शत्रुतापनम्: tormenter of enemies
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत्रुतापन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Dhritarashtra
• Karna
• Dhrishtadyumna
• Prishata
• Drona
• battlefield
• venomous arrows
• serpent (simile)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the relentless reciprocity of violence in war: even the greatest warriors alternately overpower and are overpowered. It implicitly underscores the Mahabharata’s ethical tension—kshatriya valor and duty operate within a tragic cycle where skill and fury do not guarantee moral clarity or lasting victory.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports to Dhritarashtra that Karna showers Dhrishtadyumna with venom-like arrows, overwhelming him. Immediately afterward, Dhrishtadyumna—renowned as Drona’s slayer—counterattacks and wounds Karna with sharp arrows, showing the back-and-forth intensity of the duel.