Mahabharata — Drona Parva, Shloka 306

Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 107: Karṇa–Bhīma Saṃmarda

Arrow-storm Engagement

Devanagari script

कार्मुकाण्याददुस्तूर्णमर्जुनार्थे परंतपा: । तदनन्तर शत्रुओंको संताप देनेवाले उन सब महारथियोंने अर्जुनको मारनेके लिये तुरंत ही विचित्र, चमकीले और विशाल धनुष हाथमें ले लिये

Transliteration

kārmukāṇy ādadus tūrṇam arjunārthe paraṃtapāḥ | tad-anantaraṃ śatrūṇāṃ santāpa-dena-vāle una sab mahārathiyoṃ ne arjuna ko mārane ke liye turanta hī vicitra, camakīle aura viśāla dhanuṣa hātha meṃ le liye |

Translation

三阇耶说道：那些大车战士——焚灼敌人的勇者——为阿周那之故迅疾举起弓来。继而，他们一心欲杀阿周那，立刻夺取奇异、耀目而宏大的强弓，准备使仇敌饱受煎熬。

Word by Word

• कार्मुकाणि: bows
• कार्मुकाणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्मुक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• आददुः: took up
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + दा
• Form: Perfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

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

• अर्जुनार्थे: for Arjuna's sake / with regard to Arjuna
• अर्जुनार्थे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुनार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• परंतपाः: the tormentors of foes (mighty warriors)
• परंतपाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: परंतप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna
• kārmuka (bows)
• dhanuṣ (bows)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the immediacy of martial resolve and the ethical pressure of war: when a decisive figure like Arjuna becomes the focus, warriors rapidly arm themselves, showing how intention (saṅkalpa) turns into action and escalates the conflict’s moral and strategic stakes.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that powerful warriors quickly take up their bows, preparing for a concentrated assault aimed at killing Arjuna; the scene signals an intensification of battle where elite fighters mobilize with urgency.