Shloka 20

Bhīṣma–Karṇa Saṃvāda on the Śaraśayyā (भीष्म–कर्ण संवादः शरशय्यायाम्)

Devanagari script

तत्राद्भुतमपश्याम रणे पार्थस्य विक्रमम्‌ । शरै: संवार्य तान्‌ वीरान्‌ यज्जघान महाबल:

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | tatrādbhutam apaśyāma raṇe pārthasya vikramam | śaraiḥ saṃvārya tān vīrān yaj jaghāna mahābalaḥ | ekaikaṃ tribhir ānarccchat kaḍukabarhiṇavājitaiḥ |

Translation

三阇耶说道：在那里战场之上，我见到了般度之子帕尔塔的神奇勇武。那大力之士以箭雨遏止诸将，并将其击倒。他以三支迅疾锐利、以兀鹫之翎为羽的箭矢贯穿每一人，从而阻住敌军最杰出的勇士，在兵刃交鸣之际造成决定性的伤害。

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• अद्भुतम्: wonderful, marvelous (thing)
• अद्भुतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अपश्याम: we saw
• अपश्याम: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 1st, Plural

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• पार्थस्य: of Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• विक्रमम्: valor, prowess
• विक्रमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विक्रम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शरैः: with arrows
• शरैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• संवार्य: having checked/held back
• संवार्य: Karana
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+वृ (संवृ)
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral)

• तान्: those
• तान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• वीरान्: heroes, warriors
• वीरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• यत्: which (fact/that)
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• जघान: he slew
• जघान: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Singular

• महाबलः: the very strong one
• महाबलः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाबल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• एकैकम्: each one (individually)
• एकैकम्: Karma
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एकैक

• त्रिभिः: with three
• त्रिभिः: Karana
• Type: Numeral
• Root: त्रि
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• आनर्च्छत्: he struck/assailed (hit)
• आनर्च्छत्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आन्+ऋच्छ् (आनृच्छ्/आनर्च्छ्)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular

• कडुकबर्हिणवाजितैः: with arrows fitted with (vulture-)feathers (barbed/feathered)
• कडुकबर्हिणवाजितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कडुक-बर्हिन्-वाजित
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Pārtha (Arjuna)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in its battlefield form: disciplined force used to restrain and neutralize dangerous opponents. It also underscores the ethical weight of eyewitness narration—Sañjaya reports not triumphalism but the astonishing effectiveness of Arjuna’s controlled martial skill.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Arjuna displayed extraordinary prowess in battle: he checked the enemy’s leading heroes with arrows and struck them decisively, piercing each with three swift, feathered shafts.