Shloka 78

Devanagari script

“रणभूमिमें अभिमन्युके सामने खड़े होनेकी शक्ति कर्णमें नहीं रह गयी थी। वह सुभद्राकुमारके बाणोंसे छिन्न-भिन्न हो खूनसे लथपथ एवं अचेत हो गया था ।। निःश्वसन्‌ क्रोधसंदीप्तो विमुख: सायकार्दित: । अपयानकृतोत्साहो निराशश्वापि जीविते,“वह क्रोधसे चलकर लंबी साँस खींचता हुआ अभिमन्युके बाणोंसे पीड़ित हो युद्धसे मुँह मोड़ चुका था। अब उसके मनमें भाग जानेका ही उत्साह था। वह जीवनसे निराश हो चुका था

Transliteration

niḥśvasan krodha-saṃdīpto vimukhaḥ sāyakārdītaḥ | apayāna-kṛtotsāho nirāśaś cāpi jīvite ||

Translation

सञ्जय उवाच—निःश्वसन् क्रोधसंदीप्तः सायकार्दितो विमुखोऽभवत्। अपयानकृतोत्साहो निराशोऽपि स्वजीविते।

Word by Word

निःश्वसन्breathing out / sighing

क्रोध-संदीप्तःinflamed with anger

विमुखःturned away / averse

सायक-अर्दितःtormented by arrows

अपयान-कृत-उत्साहःwhose zeal was set on retreat (flight)

निराशःhopeless / despondent

चand

अपिeven / also

जीवितेin (regard to) life

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Karṇa

Abhimanyu

arrows (sāyaka)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a moral-psychological truth of the battlefield: anger does not guarantee strength. When one’s conduct is driven by wrath and ego rather than steady dharma and discipline, courage can quickly degrade into panic and hopelessness under pressure.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Karṇa, struck repeatedly by Abhimanyu’s arrows, is in visible distress—panting, enraged, yet turning away from combat. His resolve shifts toward retreat, and he becomes doubtful even about surviving.