Mahabharata 7.3.22 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 3, Shloka 22

भीष्मपातने कर्णविलापः | Karṇa’s Lament upon Seeing Bhīṣma Fallen

Devanagari script

यस्य दिव्यानि कर्माणि प्रवदन्ति मनीषिण: । अमानुषैश्च संग्रामस्त्रयम्बकेण महात्मना

Transliteration

yasya divyāni karmāṇi pravadanti manīṣiṇaḥ | amānuṣaiś ca saṅgrāmas trayambakeṇa mahātmanā ||

Translation

సంజయుడు పలికెను—మునులు దివ్యమని కీర్తించే కర్మలు గలవాడు, మానవేతరులతో కూడ సంగ్రామం చేసినవాడు, త్రయంబక మహాత్ముడు (శివుడు)తో కూడ యుద్ధం చేసినవాడు—ఆ పార్థ అర్జునునితో నీ తప్ప మరెవడు రాజు యుద్ధం చేయగలడు?

Word by Word

• यस्य: of whom/whose
• यस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• दिव्यानि: divine
• दिव्यानि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Plural

• कर्माणि: deeds
• कर्माणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Plural

• प्रवदन्ति: declare, speak of
• प्रवदन्ति: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वद्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada

• मनीषिणः: sages, wise men
• मनीषिणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनीषिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अमानुषैः: with non-human (beings)
• अमानुषैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमानुष
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• संग्रामः: battle
• संग्रामः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्राम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्रयम्बकेण: with the three-eyed one (Śiva)
• त्रयम्बकेण: Karana
• Type: Noun/Adjective
• Root: त्रयम्बक
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• महात्मना: with the great-souled (one)
• महात्मना: Karana
• Type: Adjective (substantive)
• Root: महात्मन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna
• Śiva (Trayambaka, the Three-eyed Lord)
• manīṣiṇaḥ (the wise/sages)
• amānuṣāḥ (non-human beings, e.g., asuras/daityas as per the prose gloss)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores that true martial authority is grounded not merely in royal status but in proven excellence and divine-tested valor; Arjuna’s prowess is portrayed as so exceptional—acknowledged by the wise and measured even against superhuman opponents—that ordinary political power cannot easily rival it.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is describing Arjuna’s extraordinary reputation and past exploits to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, emphasizing that Arjuna has fought non-human beings and even encountered Śiva in battle; therefore, Sañjaya implies that few—if any—kings besides the addressed listener could credibly face Arjuna in war.