Shloka 77

Devanagari script

शरोत्तमान्‌ सम्प्रहितान्‌ महारथै- श्रिच्छेद पार्थ: प्रहसन्‌ शरौचै: । भूयश्व तानहनद्‌ बाणसड्घान्‌ गाण्डीवधन्वायतपूर्णमण्डल:

Transliteration

śarottamān samprahitān mahārathaiḥ śiccheda pārthaḥ prahasan śaraughaiḥ | bhūyaś ca tān ahanad bāṇa-saṅghān gāṇḍīva-dhanvāyata-pūrṇa-maṇḍalaḥ ||

Translation

迦尔那说道：“考罗婆诸大车战士所射出的上等利箭，被帕尔塔（阿周那）含笑迎击，以自己如暴雨般的箭簇尽数斩断。一次又一次，他击碎那成群的箭雨；当‘甘狄瓦’被拉至极满，弯成圆环般的完美弧度时，他便反复倾泻齐射，向敌对的考罗婆军阵降下箭雨。”

Word by Word

• शर-उत्तमान्: the best arrows
• शर-उत्तमान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरोत्तम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• सम्प्रहितान्: shot/loosed
• सम्प्रहितान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-प्र-हिता (√हि/धा in passive sense 'sent/placed')
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• महारथैः: by the great chariot-warriors
• महारथैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महारथ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• श्रीच्छेद: cut asunder
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रीच्छेद (√छिद्)
• Form: Perfect (Parasmaipada), 3rd, Singular

• पार्थः: Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रहसन्: laughing
• प्रहसन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-हस् (√हस्)
• Form: Present participle, Parasmaipada, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शर-ओघैः: with torrents/hosts of arrows
• शर-ओघैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरौघ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• भूयः: again, repeatedly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस्

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

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

• अहनत्: struck, smote
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हन्
• Form: Imperfect, 3rd, Singular

• बाण-सङ्घान्: masses of arrows
• बाण-सङ्घान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाणसङ्घ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• गाण्डीव-धन्वा: the wielder of the Gandiva bow
• गाण्डीव-धन्वा: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाण्डीवधन्वन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• आयत-पूर्ण-मण्डलः: whose (bow) when drawn formed a full circle
• आयत-पूर्ण-मण्डलः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आयतपूर्णमण्डल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कौरव-महारथैः: by the Kaurava great chariot-warriors
• कौरव-महारथैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौरवमहारथ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

कर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Karna
• Arjuna (Partha, son of Kunti)
• Gāṇḍīva (bow)
• Kaurava warriors (mahārathas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya discipline: skill joined with steadiness of mind. Arjuna’s smiling composure amid danger suggests mastery over fear and anger, using strength with controlled intent rather than panic—an ethical ideal for warriors in the epic.

What is happening in the narrative?

During the Karṇa Parva battle, Kaurava great warriors unleash excellent arrows. Arjuna counters by cutting them down with dense arrow-streams and then repeatedly showers volleys, drawing the Gāṇḍīva to its full arc, overwhelming the opposing forces.