Shloka 14

युधिष्ठिरस्य धनंजय-प्रति गर्हा

Yudhiṣṭhira’s Reproach to Dhanaṃjaya

Devanagari script

एवमुक्त्वा महाराज कर्ण पाण्डुसुतस्तदा । सुवर्णपुड्खैर्दशभिर्विव्याधायस्मयै: शरै:

Transliteration

evam uktvā mahārāja karṇa pāṇḍusutas tadā | suvarṇapuḍkhair daśabhir vivyādha āyasmyaiḥ śaraiḥ ||

Translation

Sinabi ni Sañjaya: O dakilang hari, matapos sabihin iyon, ang anak ni Pāṇḍu ay tumusok kay Karṇa gamit ang sampung palasong bakal na may gintong balahibo.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम्
• Form: Avyaya

• उक्त्वा: having said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा), indeclinable; prior action

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

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

• पाण्डुसुतः: the son of Pandu (Arjuna)
• पाण्डुसुतः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डुसुत
• Form: Masculine, nominative, singular

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा
• Form: Avyaya

• सुवर्णपुड्खैः: with golden-feathered (arrows)
• सुवर्णपुड्खैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुवर्णपुड्ख
• Form: Masculine, instrumental, plural

• दशभिः: with ten
• दशभिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, instrumental, plural

• विव्याध: pierced
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, singular, parasmaipada

• आयस्मयैः: iron (made of iron)
• आयस्मयैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आयस्मय
• Form: Masculine, instrumental, plural

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

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Karna
• Arjuna (Pāṇḍusuta)
• iron arrows
• golden-fletched arrows

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the kṣatriya ethic that speech in war is immediately accountable to action: declarations and challenges are validated through disciplined, skillful execution, while the conflict’s moral tension lies in how duty and retaliation drive escalating violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

After a prior exchange of words, Arjuna (the son of Pāṇḍu) promptly attacks Karṇa, striking him with ten iron arrows adorned with golden fletching, as Sañjaya reports the unfolding duel to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra.