Shloka 29

दुर्योधन-कर्ण-संवादः

Duryodhana–Karna Dialogue on Vyūha-bheda and Daiva

Devanagari script

अथान्यद्‌ धनुरादाय शैशुपालिमीहारथ: । विव्याध सायकैद्रोणं कड़कबर्हिणवाजितै:,यह देख महारथी शिशुपालकुमारने दूसरा धनुष हाथमें लेकर कंक और मोरकी पाँखोंसे युक्त बाणोंद्वारा द्रोणाचार्यकोी घायल कर दिया

Transliteration

athānyad dhanur ādāya śaiśupālimahārathaḥ | vivyādha sāyakair droṇaṃ kaṅka-barhiṇa-vājitaiḥ ||

Translation

సంజయుడు పలికెను—ఇది చూచి శిశుపాలుని కుమారుడైన మహారథుడు మరొక ధనుస్సు ఎత్తుకొని కంక-బర్హిణ (నారకొంగ, నెమలి) పక్షపంక్తులతో అలంకరించిన శరములతో ద్రోణాచార్యుని గాయపరచెను.

Word by Word

अथthen

अन्यत्another (one)

धनुःbow

आदायhaving taken

शैशुपालिःthe son of Śiśupāla

महारथःgreat chariot-warrior

विव्याधpierced, wounded

सायकैःwith arrows

द्रोणम्Droṇa

कडकबर्हिणवाजितैःwith (arrows) furnished with heron-feathers and peacock-feathers

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Droṇācārya (Droṇa)

Śiśupāla’s son (Śaiśupāli)

bow (dhanuḥ)

arrows (sāyaka)

heron feathers (kaṅka)

peacock feathers (barhiṇa)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the tension between personal reverence and battlefield duty: even a venerable teacher like Droṇa becomes a legitimate target under kṣatriya-dharma, and warriors must act decisively within the harsh ethics of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Śiśupāla’s son, an elite chariot-warrior, switches to another bow and wounds Droṇācārya with feathered arrows (heron- and peacock-plumed), emphasizing speed, skill, and relentless engagement in combat.