Shloka 35

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

Devanagari script

द्रोणश्न विवरं दृष्टवा भीमसेनं शिलीमुखै: । विव्याध बाणैर्निशितै: पञठचषष्टिभिरायसै:

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | droṇas tu vivaraṃ dṛṣṭvā bhīmasenaṃ śilimukhaiḥ | vivyādha bāṇair niśitaiḥ pañcaṣaṣṭibhir āyasaiḥ | ekaikaṃ tribhir ānarcchet kaṅkubārhiṇavājitaiḥ |

Translation

三阇耶说道：德罗那窥见破绽，便以锐利的铁镞箭射中毗摩塞那，共六十五支。随后他又以饰有“冈库”鸟羽的箭矢，对其余诸将各射三箭，皆使之中创。

Word by Word

• द्रोणः: Drona
• द्रोणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रोण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• विवरम्: an opening, gap
• विवरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवर
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral), Non-finite

• भीमसेनम्: Bhimasena
• भीमसेनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीमसेन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• शिलीमुखैः: with arrows (lit. 'stone-faced')
• शिलीमुखैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिलीमुख
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• विव्याध: pierced
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यध्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• बाणैः: with arrows
• बाणैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• निशितैः: sharp
• निशितैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निशित
• Form: क्त (past passive participle used adjectivally), Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• पञ्चषष्टिभिः: with sixty-five (in number)
• पञ्चषष्टिभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चषष्टि
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

• आयसैः: made of iron
• आयसैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आयस
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Droṇa (Droṇācārya)
• Bhīmasena (Bhīma)
• Śilimukha arrows
• Iron arrows (āyasa-bāṇa)
• Kaṅku-bird feathers (arrow fletching)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how, in war, mastery and alertness exploit even a small ‘vivara’ (opening). It implicitly warns that power and skill, when yoked to conflict, intensify suffering; therefore discernment about the causes and conduct of war remains ethically significant even amid kṣatriya duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Droṇa notices a vulnerability and showers Bhīma with sixty-five sharp iron arrows, then strikes other warriors individually with three arrows each, using feather-adorned shafts—depicting Droṇa’s tactical precision and dominance in the battle moment.