Shloka 87

Devanagari script

एवं ब्रुवन्‌ प्रस्खलिता श्वसूतो विचाल्यमानो<र्जुनबाणपातै: । मर्माभिघाताच्छिथिल: क्रियासु पुन: पुनर्धर्ममसौ जगह

Transliteration

evaṁ bruvan praskhalitaḥ śvasūtaḥ vicālyamāno 'rjunabāṇapātaiḥ | marmābhighātāc chithilaḥ kriyāsu punaḥ punaḥ dharmam asau jagarha ||

Translation

สัญชัยกล่าวว่า: เมื่อเขากล่าวดังนั้น กรรณะก็ถูกห่าลูกศรของอรชุนสั่นคลอนครั้งแล้วครั้งเล่า ทั้งสารถีและม้าศึกก็โซเซสะดุด ครั้นถูกโจมตีถูกจุดสำคัญ เขาก็อ่อนแรงในการกระทำ และกลับกล่าวติเตียนธรรมะซ้ำแล้วซ้ำเล่า

Word by Word

• {'evaṁ': 'thus, in this manner', 'bruvan': 'speaking (present participle of √brū)', 'praskhalitaḥ': 'stumbling, slipping, faltering', 'śvasūtaḥ': 'the charioteer (sūta)

• here, Karṇa’s charioteer', 'vicālyamānaḥ': 'being shaken, made to reel', 'arjuna-bāṇa-pātaiḥ': 'by the fall/volleys of Arjuna’s arrows', 'marma': 'vital spot, vulnerable point', 'abhighāta': 'blow, strike, impact', 'chithilaḥ': 'loosened, weakened, slackened', 'kriyāsu': 'in actions, in performance of deeds', 'punaḥ punaḥ': 'again and again, repeatedly', 'dharma': 'righteous order, duty, moral law', 'jagarha': 'reviled, censured, denounced (perfect of √garh)', 'asau': 'that man, he (here: Karṇa)'}

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• संजय (Sañjaya)
• कर्ण (Karṇa)
• अर्जुन (Arjuna)
• श्व (horses)
• सूत (charioteer)
• बाण (arrows)
• धर्म (Dharma)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how extreme suffering and defeat can distort moral perception: when overwhelmed by pain and helplessness, even a great warrior may lash out at dharma itself. It implicitly contrasts steadfastness in dharma with the human tendency to blame moral order when fortune turns.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes Karṇa being battered by Arjuna’s arrow-showers. His chariot-team and charioteer falter; struck at vital points, Karṇa’s ability to act weakens, and in frustration he repeatedly denounces dharma.