Shloka 21

Devanagari script

हताश्वात्तु ततो यानादवप्लुत्य महारथ: । शक्तिं चिक्षेप कर्णाय संक्रुद्ध:ः शत्रुतापन:,उस अश्वहीन रथसे कूदकर कुपित हुए शत्रुसंतापी महारथी शिखण्डीने कर्णपर शक्ति चलायी

Transliteration

hatāśvāt tu tato yānād avaplutya mahārathaḥ | śaktiṃ cikṣepa karṇāya saṃkruddhaḥ śatrutāpanaḥ ||

Translation

Nang mapatay ang kanyang mga kabayo, ang dakilang mandirigmang si Śikhaṇḍin ay lumundag mula sa kanyang karwahe. Nag-aalab sa galit, ang tagapagpahirap sa mga kaaway ay inihagis kay Karṇa ang śakti—isang sibat.

Word by Word

हताश्वात्from the horse-less (chariot)

तुbut/indeed

ततःthen/from there

यानात्from the vehicle/chariot

अवप्लुत्यhaving leapt down

महारथःthe great chariot-warrior

शक्तिम्a spear/javelin

चand

चिक्षेपthrew/cast

कर्णायto/at Karna

संक्रुद्धःenraged

शत्रुतापनःscorcher of foes

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Karṇa

Śakti (spear/javelin)

Chariot (yāna)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the warrior ethic under kṣatriya-dharma: even when disadvantaged (horses slain), a fighter persists. It also cautions that anger (saṃkruddhaḥ) can intensify violence, shaping choices and consequences on the battlefield.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that after his horses were killed, the great warrior jumped down from his chariot and, in fury, hurled a śakti (spear/javelin) at Karṇa.