Shloka 14

अर्जुनस्य द्रोणिप्रतिघातः कर्णोपसर्पणं च

Arjuna Checks Droṇaputra; Karṇa Advances

Devanagari script

महाराज! इस प्रकार समरांगणमें अलौकिक कर्म करनेवाले कर्णको पांचाल रथियोंने चारों ओरसे घेर लिया ।।

Transliteration

tataḥ sandhāya viśikhān pañca bhārata duḥsahān | pañcālān avadhīt pañca karṇo vaikartano vṛṣaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Bấy giờ Karṇa—Vaikartana, mãnh tướng như con bò mộng giữa hàng chiến sĩ—lắp năm mũi tên không thể chống đỡ vào cung và hạ sát năm chiến xa binh của Pāñcāla. Giữa chiến địa nơi các anh hùng bị vây bủa tứ phía, võ công phi thường của Karṇa hiện ra như những nhát kết liễu mau lẹ, dứt khoát, phơi bày sự căng thẳng nghiệt ngã của bổn phận kṣatriya: vinh quang và hiệu quả trong chiến tranh được đổi bằng sinh mạng bị tước đoạt.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः

• संधाय: having fixed/aimed (having set on the bow)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-धा
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund), परस्मैपद-प्रयोग (contextual), non-finite

• विशिखान्: arrows
• विशिखान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशिख
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पञ्च: five
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पञ्च

• भारत: O Bharata (descendant of Bharata)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• दुःसहान्: hard to endure, irresistible
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःसह
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पाञ्चालान्: the Panchalas
• पाञ्चालान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाञ्चाल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अवधीत्: killed, slew
• Type: Verb
• Root: वध्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पञ्च: five
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पञ्च

• कर्णः: Karna
• कर्णः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वैकर्तनः: Vaikartana (son of the cutter/Aditya; epithet of Karna)
• वैकर्तनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैकर्तन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वृषः: bull (best of men)
• वृषः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Dhritarashtra (implied by address 'Bhārata')
• Karna
• Vaikartana (epithet of Karna)
• Panchalas
• Arrows (viśikha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the harsh moral tension within kṣatriya-dharma: excellence in battle is praised as heroic strength, yet it is realized through lethal action. It invites reflection on how duty, reputation, and the demands of war can normalize violence even when narrated as ‘extraordinary deeds’.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Karna Parva battle scene, Karna is surrounded by Panchala chariot-warriors. He then nocks and aims five formidable arrows and kills five Panchala fighters in quick succession, demonstrating his dominance in that moment of the fight.