Shloka 7

Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 58 — Arjuna’s Arrow-Storm and Relief of Bhīmasena

Devanagari script

तयोरासीन्महाराज संग्रामो लोमहर्षण: । धृष्टय्युम्नस्तु राधेयं शरेणानतपर्वणा

Transliteration

tayor āsīn mahārāja saṅgrāmo lomaharṣaṇaḥ | dhṛṣṭadyumnas tu rādheyaṃ śareṇānataparvaṇā ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Tâu Đại vương, giữa hai người ấy bùng lên một cuộc giao tranh khiến tóc gáy dựng đứng. Rồi Dhṛṣṭadyumna bắn Rādheya (Karṇa) một mũi tên có các đốt liền lạc, làm cuộc đụng độ của hai dũng tướng càng thêm dữ dội.

Word by Word

• तयोः: of those two
• तयोः: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Dual

• आसीत्: was
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Imperfect, 3rd, Singular

• महाराज: O great king
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराज
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• संग्रामः: battle
• संग्रामः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्राम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• लोमहर्षणः: hair-raising, thrilling
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोमहर्षण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धृष्टद्युम्नः: Dhrishtadyumna
• धृष्टद्युम्नः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृष्टद्युम्न
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• राधेयम्: Radheya (Karna)
• राधेयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: राधेय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शरेण: with an arrow
• शरेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• अनतपर्वणा: having unbent joints (i.e., straight-jointed)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनतपर्वन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• Dhṛṣṭadyumna
• Rādheya (Karna)
• arrow (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the Mahābhārata’s ethic of kṣatriya confrontation: when rival champions meet, the conflict becomes intense and consequential, and each act (like a well-aimed arrow) carries moral and strategic weight within the larger dharmic crisis of the war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that a terrifying duel has erupted between Dhṛṣṭadyumna and Karna, and that Dhṛṣṭadyumna strikes Karna with a powerful, firm arrow, marking a sharp moment in their direct engagement.