Mahabharata 7.161.55 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 161, Shloka 55

अजिशीर्षे प्रातःसंध्यायां संग्रामवर्णनम् / Dawn-Transition Battle at Ajiśīrṣa

Chapter 161

Devanagari script

तस्मै बाणान्‌ शिलाधौतान प्रसन्नाग्रानजिद्दागान्‌ । प्राहिणोत्‌ सूतपुत्राय त्रिशतं शत्रुतापन:

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

tasmai bāṇān śilādhautān prasannāgrān ajihmagān |

prāhiṇot sūtaputrāya triśataṁ śatrutāpanaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Không thể chịu nổi màn phô diễn tốc độ ấy, Arjuna—kẻ thiêu đốt quân thù—đã phóng về phía Karṇa, con của người đánh xe, ba trăm mũi tên: được mài nhẵn trên đá, đầu tên sáng sạch, bay thẳng như ý. Bài kệ nêu bật sự leo thang không dứt của tài nghệ chiến trận, nơi uy lực và ý chí thúc các chiến binh đáp trả sức mạnh bằng sức mạnh lớn hơn.

Word by Word

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• बाणान्: arrows
• बाणान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• शिलाधौतान्: whetted/polished on a stone
• शिलाधौतान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिलाधौत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• प्रसन्नाग्रान्: with clear/bright points
• प्रसन्नाग्रान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्नाग्र
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अजिद्दागान्: unconquered/irresistible (reading uncertain)
• अजिद्दागान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अजिद्दाग
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• प्राहिणोत्: sent/shot forth
• प्राहिणोत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-हिण्
• Form: Imperfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सूतपुत्राय: to the charioteer’s son (Karna)
• सूतपुत्राय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूतपुत्र
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• त्रिशतम्: three hundred
• त्रिशतम्: Karma
• Type: Numeral
• Root: त्रिशत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• शत्रुतापनः: the tormenter of foes
• शत्रुतापनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शत्रुतापन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna
• Karṇa
• arrows (bāṇa)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya battlefield ethic: when challenged, a warrior responds with disciplined, intensified effort. It also hints at the moral tension of war—skill and determination can magnify destruction even when performed as ‘duty’.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the midst of the Arjuna–Karṇa encounter, Arjuna (described as ‘scorcher of enemies’) counters Karṇa by releasing a concentrated volley of three hundred straight-flying, stone-polished, bright-tipped arrows.