Shloka 8

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

Devanagari script

विजयं च धनु: श्रेष्ठ विधुन्वानो महारथ:

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | vijayaṃ ca dhanuḥ-śreṣṭhaṃ vidhunvāno mahārathaḥ | tataḥ mahārathī karṇaḥ svam “vijaya”-nāma śreṣṭhaṃ dhanuḥ kampayitvā dhṛṣṭadyumnasya dhanuḥ viṣadhara-sarpa-sadṛśān viṣailān bāṇān api chittvā | punaḥ krodhaṃ samāviśya nava-bāṇaiḥ dhṛṣṭadyumnam api vyathayat ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Rung chuyển cây cung lừng danh Vijaya, đại xa chiến binh Karṇa đã chém gãy cả cung của Dhṛṣṭadyumna và cả những mũi tên độc như rắn dữ của chàng. Rồi cơn giận bùng lên, Karṇa bắn chín mũi tên trúng Dhṛṣṭadyumna, khiến chàng bị thương.

Word by Word

• विजयम्: victory (name/thing called ‘Vijaya’)
• विजयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विजय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• श्रेष्ठम्: excellent, best
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• विधुन्वानः: shaking, brandishing
• विधुन्वानः: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: विधुन्वत् (धातु: धुन्/धुन्व् + वि)
• Form: Present participle (Parasmaipada), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महारथः: great chariot-warrior
• महारथः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Karna
• Dhṛṣṭadyumna
• Vijaya (Karna’s bow)
• bow (Dhṛṣṭadyumna’s)
• poisonous arrows
• serpent (as simile)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how extraordinary skill (śaurya and astravidyā) can become ethically perilous when driven by krodha (wrath). In the battlefield setting of kṣatriya-dharma, prowess is expected, yet the narrative also signals the moral cost of anger-fueled escalation—where the aim shifts from contest to crushing the opponent.

What is happening in the narrative?

Karna, wielding his celebrated bow Vijaya, overwhelms Dhṛṣṭadyumna: he severs Dhṛṣṭadyumna’s bow and cuts down even the venom-like arrows, then in anger shoots Dhṛṣṭadyumna with nine arrows, injuring him.