Mahabharata 7.161.64 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 161, Shloka 64

अजिशीर्षे प्रातःसंध्यायां संग्रामवर्णनम् / Dawn-Transition Battle at Ajiśīrṣa

Chapter 161

Devanagari script

विव्याध सायकै: पार्थश्चतुर्भि: पाण्डुनन्दन: । धनुष कट जाने और घोड़ों तथा सारथिके मारे जानेपर कर्णको पाण्डुनन्दन अर्जुनने चार बाणोंद्वारा घायल कर दिया ।।

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | vivyādha sāyakaiḥ pārthaś caturbhiḥ pāṇḍunandanaḥ | hataś cāt tu rathāt tūṛṇam avaplutya nararṣabhaḥ ||

Translation

سنجے نے کہا—تب پاندو کے بیٹے، پرتھا کے فرزند ارجن نے کرن کو چار تیروں سے چھید دیا۔ اس کے بعد وہ نرश्रेष्ठ فوراً رتھ سے کود پڑا۔

Word by Word

• विव्याध: pierced, wounded
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध्
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद), perfect, 3, singular

• सायकैः: with arrows
• सायकैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सायक
• Form: masculine, instrumental, plural

• पार्थः: Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• चतुर्भिः: with four
• चतुर्भिः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्
• Form: masculine/neuter, instrumental, plural

• पाण्डुनन्दनः: son of Pandu (Arjuna)
• पाण्डुनन्दनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डु-नन्दन
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• हतः: slain / struck down
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), masculine, nominative, singular

• चात्: and (enclitic; here in sandhi form)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• तु: but, however
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• रथात्: from the chariot
• रथात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: masculine, ablative, singular

• तूर्णम्: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तूर्ण

• अवप्लुत्य: having leapt down
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव+प्लु
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), parasmaipada (usage)

• नरर्षभः: bull among men (best of men)
• नरर्षभः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर-ऋषभ
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna (Pārtha, Pāṇḍunandana)
• Karṇa (implied by context)
• arrows (sāyaka)
• chariot (ratha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores kṣatriya resolve in war: a warrior continues to act despite setbacks. Ethically, it reflects the epic’s portrayal of duty-driven combat where persistence and courage are praised even amid destructive circumstances.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Arjuna strikes Karṇa with four arrows. Immediately after, the hero (described as ‘best of men’) swiftly leaps down from his chariot, indicating a sudden change in the fight’s situation and setting up the next action in the sequence.