Shloka 20

Devanagari script

ततो ध्वजं स्फाटिकचित्रकज्चुकं चिच्छेद वीरो नकुल: क्षुरेण । कर्णात्मजस्थेष्वसनं च चित्र भल्लेन जाम्बूनदचित्रनद्धम्‌,तदनन्तर वीर नकुलने एक क्षुरद्वारा कर्णपुत्रके उस ध्वजको काट डाला, जिसे स्फटिकमणिसे जटित विचित्र कंचुक (चोला) पहनाया गया था। साथ ही एक भल्लके द्वारा उसके सुवर्णजटित विचित्र धनुषको भी खण्डित कर दिया

Transliteration

tato dhvajaṃ sphāṭika-citrakañcukaṃ ciccheda vīro nakulaḥ kṣureṇa | karṇātmaja-stheṣv-asanaṃ ca citraṃ bhallena jāmbūnada-citra-naddham ||

Translation

随后，勇士那俱罗以刃锋般的利箭斩断迦尔纳之子之旗；其旗覆以奇妙的水晶镶饰。紧接着，他又以阔刃之矢击碎其华美之弓——那弓以阎浮那陀金精工缠饰。

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

ध्वजम्banner, standard

स्फाटिक-चित्रक-कञ्चुकम्having a crystal-ornamented variegated covering/coat

चिच्छेदcut, severed

वीरःthe hero

नकुलःNakula

क्षुरेणwith a razor(-edged arrow)

कर्ण-आत्मज-स्थेsituated on Karna's son (i.e., belonging to/placed upon him)

धनुःbow

चand

चित्रम्variegated, splendid

भल्लेनwith a bhalla-arrow

जाम्बूनद-चित्र-नद्धम्bound/fastened with variegated Jāmbūnada-gold

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Nakula

Karṇa’s son (Karṇātmaja)

dhvaja (banner/standard)

kañcuka (ornamental covering)

kṣura (razor-edged arrow)

bhalla (broad-headed arrow)

jāmbūnada (gold)

bow (dhanus, implied)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-dharma in battle: victory is pursued through skill and resolve, and striking an opponent’s standard and weapon symbolizes breaking both capability and arrogance, not merely inflicting bodily harm.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Nakula severs Karṇa’s son’s banner with a razor-edged arrow and then, with a bhalla, shatters his ornate, gold-adorned bow—disarming him and diminishing his battlefield prestige.