Shloka 8

Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 58 — Arjuna’s Arrow-Storm and Relief of Bhīmasena

Devanagari script

विजयं च धनु: श्रेष्ठ विधुन्वानो महारथ:

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | vijayaṃ ca dhanuḥ-śreṣṭhaṃ vidhunvāno mahārathaḥ | tataḥ mahārathī karṇaḥ svam “vijaya”-nāma śreṣṭhaṃ dhanuḥ kampayitvā dhṛṣṭadyumnasya dhanuḥ viṣadhara-sarpa-sadṛśān viṣailān bāṇān api chittvā | punaḥ krodhaṃ samāviśya nava-bāṇaiḥ dhṛṣṭadyumnam api vyathayat ||

Translation

Sabi ni Sañjaya: Inalog ni Karṇa, ang dakilang mandirigmang nakasakay sa karwahe, ang tanyag na busog na Vijaya, at pinutol niya kapwa ang busog ni Dhṛṣṭadyumna at maging ang mga palasong makamandag, tila mga ahas na may lason. Pagkaraan, sa pag-alab ng galit, tinamaan ni Karṇa si Dhṛṣṭadyumna ng siyam na palaso at siya’y nasugatan.

Word by Word

• विजयम्: victory (name/thing called ‘Vijaya’)
• विजयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विजय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• श्रेष्ठम्: excellent, best
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• विधुन्वानः: shaking, brandishing
• विधुन्वानः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: विधुन्वत् (धातु: धुन्/धुन्व् + वि)
• Form: Present participle (Parasmaipada), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महारथः: great chariot-warrior
• महारथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Karna
• Dhṛṣṭadyumna
• Vijaya (Karna’s bow)
• bow (Dhṛṣṭadyumna’s)
• poisonous arrows
• serpent (as simile)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how extraordinary skill (śaurya and astravidyā) can become ethically perilous when driven by krodha (wrath). In the battlefield setting of kṣatriya-dharma, prowess is expected, yet the narrative also signals the moral cost of anger-fueled escalation—where the aim shifts from contest to crushing the opponent.

What is happening in the narrative?

Karna, wielding his celebrated bow Vijaya, overwhelms Dhṛṣṭadyumna: he severs Dhṛṣṭadyumna’s bow and cuts down even the venom-like arrows, then in anger shoots Dhṛṣṭadyumna with nine arrows, injuring him.