Shloka 42

Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 19 — Saṃśaptaka–Trigarta Assault and Aindra-astra Counter

Devanagari script

स तोमरं भास्कररश्मिवर्चसं बलास्त्रसर्गोत्तमयत्नमन्युभि: । ससर्ज शीघ्र॑ं परिपीडयन्‌ गजं गुरो: सुतायाद्रिपती श्वरो नदन्‌

Transliteration

sa tomaraṃ bhāskara-raśmi-varcasaṃ balāstra-sargottama-yatnam anyubhiḥ | sasarja śīghraṃ paripīḍayan gajaṃ guroḥ sutāyādripatīśvaro nadan |

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Bị thúc đẩy bởi sức mạnh, bởi nỗ lực tinh diệu nhất trong nghệ thuật binh khí và bởi cơn giận, chúa tể Malaya—vị chủ của ngọn núi vương—vừa thúc voi xông lên vừa gầm vang, rồi phóng nhanh một cây lao (tomara) rực sáng như tia mặt trời về phía con trai của Guru (Droṇa).

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तोमरम्: a javelin/spear
• तोमरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोमर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• भास्कर-रश्मि-वर्चसम्: having the brilliance of the sun’s rays
• भास्कर-रश्मि-वर्चसम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भास्कररश्मिवर्चस्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• बल-अस्त्र-सर्ग-उत्तम-यत्नम्: the best effort for a forceful weapon-discharge
• बल-अस्त्र-सर्ग-उत्तम-यत्नम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलास्त्रसर्गोत्तमयत्न
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मन्युभिः: with wrath/anger
• मन्युभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्यु
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• ससर्ज: he hurled/let fly
• ससर्ज: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), Third, Singular

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• शीघ्रम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र

• परिपीडयन्: pressing/torturing
• परिपीडयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-पीड्
• Form: Present active participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• गजम्: the elephant
• गजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• गुरोः: of the teacher
• गुरोः: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• सुताय: to the son
• सुताय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• अद्रिपतीश्वरः: the lord of the mountain-kings (a mighty ruler)
• अद्रिपतीश्वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अद्रिपतीश्वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• नदन्: roaring
• नदन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: नद्
• Form: Present active participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• guroḥ suta (Droṇa-putra, commonly Aśvatthāman)
• Malaya (mountain)
• tomara (javelin)
• gaja (elephant)
• Sūrya/Bhāskara (as simile)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how anger (krodha), when joined with strength and skill, accelerates violent decision-making in war. Ethically, it points to the peril of wrath: it sharpens action but can eclipse restraint and discernment, intensifying harm in the name of martial duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

A mountain-lord associated with Malaya, riding and urging his elephant, roars and swiftly hurls a sun-bright javelin (tomara) at the ‘Guru’s son’—understood as Droṇa’s son (Aśvatthāman)—as the battle surges forward.