Shloka 33

Aśvatthāman’s Arrow-Screen and the Confrontation with Yudhiṣṭhira (द्रौणि–युधिष्ठिर-संग्रामः)

Devanagari script

मद्रके संगतं नास्ति हत॑ वृश्चिक ते विषम्‌ आशथर्वणेन मन्त्रेण यथा शान्ति: कृता मया,'ओ बिच्छू! जैसे मद्रनिवासियोंके पास रखी हुई धरोहर और गान्धारनिवासियोंमें शौचाचार नष्ट हो जाते हैं, जहाँ क्षत्रिय पुरोहित हो उस यजमानके यज्ञमें दिया हुआ हविष्य जैसे नष्ट हो जाता है, जैसे शूद्रोंका संस्कार करानेवाला ब्राह्मण पराभवको प्राप्त होता है, जैसे ब्रह्मद्रोही मनुष्य इस जगत्‌में सदा ही तिरस्कृत होते रहते हैं, जैसे मद्रनिवासियोंके साथ मित्रता करके मनुष्य पतित हो जाता है तथा जिस प्रकार मद्रनिवासीमें सौहार्दकी भावना सर्वथा नष्ट हो गयी है, उसी प्रकार तेरा यह विष भी नष्ट हो गया। मैंने अथर्ववेदके मन्त्रसे तेरे विषको शान्त कर दिया”

Transliteration

madrake saṅgataṃ nāsti hata vṛścika te viṣam āśatharvaṇena mantreṇa yathā śāntiḥ kṛtā mayā

Translation

Wika ni Karna: “O alakdan, ang iyong kamandag ay ngayo’y nawalan na ng bisa. Gaya ng ilang bagay na sinasabing napapariwara at nauuwi sa wala—ang yamang ipinagkatiwala sa mga Madra, ang kalinisan ng asal sa mga Gandhara, ang handog (havis) sa isang yajña na ang punong pari ay isang Kshatriya, ang Brahmanang gumaganap ng mga ritwal para sa mga Shudra, at ang taong nagtaksil sa kabanalan ng Brahmana kaya’t laging hinahamak—gayon din nawasak ang iyong lason. Sa pamamagitan ng isang mantrang Atharvan (Atharvaveda), aking pinayapa ang iyong kamandag.”

Word by Word

मद्रकेin/among the Madrakas

संगतम्association, companionship (lit. 'joined')

नnot

अस्तिis/exists

हतdestroyed, slain

वृश्चिकO scorpion

तेyour

विषम्poison

अथर्वणेनby (means of) Atharvan / Atharvaveda

मन्त्रेणby a mantra

यथाas, just as

शान्तिःpacification, calming

कृताdone, made

मयाby me

Speaker

कर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

Karna

scorpion (vṛścika)

Madra (Madraka/Madra people)

Gandhara (Gandhāra people)

Atharvaveda (Ātharvaṇa mantra)

yajña (sacrifice)

havis (oblation)

Kshatriya (as priest)

Brahmin

Shudra

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames moral and ritual transgression as self-nullifying and socially condemned, using a chain of examples to say: just as certain actions or associations are believed to destroy purity, merit, or reputation, so the scorpion’s poison has been neutralized. It also highlights the perceived efficacy of Atharvaveda mantras for pacification and protection.

What is happening in the narrative?

Karna addresses a scorpion and declares that its venom has been rendered ineffective. He claims to have pacified the poison through an Atharvan (Atharvaveda) mantra, reinforcing his command over protective rites while delivering a harsh, proverbial comparison involving Madra, Gandhara, and ritual/social norms.