Mahabharata 7.3.17 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 3, Shloka 17

भीष्मपातने कर्णविलापः | Karṇa’s Lament upon Seeing Bhīṣma Fallen

Devanagari script

येन येन प्रसरतो वाय्वग्नी सहितौ वने

Transliteration

yena yena prasarato vāyvagnī sahitau vane

Translation

అరణ్యంలో గాలి మరియు అగ్ని కలిసి ఎటు ఎటు వ్యాపిస్తాయో, అటు అటు వినాశపు వేగం ఆపలేనిదై పోతుంది.

Word by Word

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• प्रसरतः: (they two) spread/advance
• प्रसरतः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√सृ (सरति)
• Form: Present, Third, Dual

• वायु: wind
• वायु: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अग्नि: fire
• अग्नि: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सहितौ: together, accompanied (as a pair)
• सहितौ: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• वने: in the forest
• वने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• vāyu (wind)
• agni (fire)
• vana (forest)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse’s imagery suggests that when destructive forces combine—like wind feeding fire—the resulting harm spreads rapidly and indiscriminately. Ethically, it cautions that violence, once set in motion, can exceed intention and become difficult to contain.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is beginning a simile-based description of events in the battle, comparing the onward surge of devastation to wind and fire moving together through a forest, emphasizing speed, reach, and uncontrollable spread.