Shloka 40

युधिष्ठिरस्य धनंजय-प्रति गर्हा

Yudhiṣṭhira’s Reproach to Dhanaṃjaya

Devanagari script

(ततस्तेषां महाराज पाण्डवानां महारथा: । सृञ्जयानां च सर्वेषां शतशो5थ सहसत्रश: ।।

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

tatas teṣāṃ mahārāja pāṇḍavānāṃ mahārathāḥ |

śṛñjayānāṃ ca sarveṣāṃ śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ ||

astraiḥ karṇa maheṣvāsaṃ samantāt paryavārayan ||

sa sandhāya mahāstrāṇi maheṣvāso mahāmanāḥ |

prahasya puruṣendrasya śaraiś ciccheda kārmukam ||

Translation

สัญชัยกล่าวว่า—แล้ว โอ้พระราชา เหล่ามหารถีทั้งหลายจากฝ่ายปาณฑพและหมู่ศฤญชัยทั้งหมด นับร้อยนับพัน ต่างโปรยอาวุธดุจห่าฝนและเข้าล้อมกรรณะ—มหาธนูผู้เกรียงไกร—ไว้ทุกด้าน. ครั้นแล้วกรรณะผู้มีจิตสูง ผู้ชำนาญธนู ได้ประกอบและอัญเชิญมหาศัสตราวุธทั้งหลาย; แล้วหัวเราะพลาง ใช้ศรตัดคันธนูของยุธิษฐิระ ผู้เป็นนายเหนือมนุษย์ทั้งปวงลง.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/from there
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• तेषाम्: of them
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive, plural

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: masculine, vocative, singular

• पाण्डवानाम्: of the Pandavas
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: masculine, genitive, plural

• महारथाः: great chariot-warriors
• महारथाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: masculine, nominative, plural

• सृञ्जयानाम्: of the Srijayas
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृञ्जय
• Form: masculine, genitive, plural

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

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: masculine/neuter, genitive, plural

• शतशः: by hundreds
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शतशः

• अथ: then/and now
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ

• सहस्रशः: by thousands
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रशः

• अस्त्रैः: with weapons/missiles
• अस्त्रैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र
• Form: neuter, instrumental, plural

• कर्णम्: Karna
• कर्णम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• महेष्वासम्: great bowman
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महेष्वास
• Form: masculine, accusative, singular

• समन्तात्: on all sides
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्तात्

• पर्यवारयन्: they surrounded/encircled
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + वृ (वारयति)
• Form: imperfect, 3, plural, parasmaipada

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• संधाय: having fixed/aimed/strung (having applied)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + धा
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund)

• महास्त्राणि: great missiles
• महास्त्राणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: महास्त्र
• Form: neuter, accusative, plural

• महेष्वासः: the great bowman
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेष्वास
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• महामनाः: high-souled
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महामनस्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• प्रहस्य: having laughed
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + हस्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund)

• पुरुषेन्द्रस्य: of the lord of men (king)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुषेन्द्र
• Form: masculine, genitive, singular

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• चिच्छेद: cut/broke
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद्
• Form: perfect, 3, singular, parasmaipada

• कार्मुकम्: bow
• कार्मुकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्मुक
• Form: neuter, accusative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Pāṇḍavas
• Śṛñjayas
• Karna
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• arrows (śara)
• bow (kārmuka)
• great weapons/missiles (mahāstra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the moral complexity of dharma in war: righteousness alone does not guarantee safety, and battlefield outcomes often hinge on skill, coordination, and resolve. It also reflects the epic’s recurring tension between ethical ideals and the harsh mechanics of armed conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Pāṇḍava and Śṛñjaya warriors mass together and surround Karṇa from all sides, attacking with volleys of missiles. Karṇa responds by invoking powerful weapons and, with confident ease, severs Yudhiṣṭhira’s bow with his arrows.