Shloka 33

कर्णपुत्रवधः (The Fall of Vṛṣasena) — Karṇa Parva, Adhyāya 62

Devanagari script

ताभ्यां स सहितस्तूर्ण व्रीडन्निव नरेश्वर:

Transliteration

tābhyāṃ sa sahitas tūrṇaṃ vrīḍann iva nareśvaraḥ | nakula-sahadevayoḥ saha śibiraṃ prāpya rathād avatarat, śubhaśayyāyāṃ ca śayānaḥ | tasmin kāle tasya sarvaṃ śarīraṃ bāṇaiḥ kṣata-vikṣataṃ babhūva ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Đi cùng hai người ấy—Nakula và Sahadeva—nhà vua vội vã trở về doanh trại, như thể đang hổ thẹn. Ngài xuống khỏi chiến xa và nằm trên một chiếc giường đẹp. Khi ấy, toàn thân ngài bị mũi tên xé rách, thương tích chằng chịt.

Word by Word

• ताभ्याम्: with those two (by them)
• ताभ्याम्: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: feminine, instrumental, dual

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• सहितः: accompanied (together)
• सहितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

• तूर्णम्: quickly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तूर्ण

• व्रीडन्: being ashamed
• व्रीडन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रीड्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), masculine, nominative, singular

• इव: as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• नरेश्वरः: the lord of men (king)
• नरेश्वरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरेश्वर
• Form: masculine, nominative, singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Nareśvara (the king)
• Nakula
• Sahadeva
• Śibira (camp)
• Ratha (chariot)
• Śayyā (couch/bed)
• Bāṇa (arrows)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the ethical cost of war: royal duty may compel battle, yet defeat and injury bring not only physical pain but also the sting of shame. It highlights how honor, responsibility, and the consequences of violence converge upon a ruler.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes the king returning swiftly to the camp with Nakula and Sahadeva, dismounting from his chariot, and lying on a fine couch while his body remains grievously wounded by arrows.