Karna Parva Adhyaya 85 Shloka 1 - Mahabharata | Chinese | Vedapath

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Shloka 1

Devanagari script

संजय कहते हैं--महाराज! वृषसेनने नकुलके धनुष और तलवारको काट दिया है

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca—mahārāja! vṛṣasenena nakulasya dhanuḥ khaḍgaṃ ca chittvā taṃ rathahīnaṃ kṛtavān; śatrubāṇapīḍitaṃ ca karṇaputreṇa svāstrabalena parājitaṃ jñātvā, śreṣṭhapuruṣa-bhīmasenasyājñayā hastāyudhāḥ śatrūn prati samarthāḥ—drupadasya pañca śreṣṭhaputrāḥ, ṣaṣṭhaḥ sātyakiḥ, draupadyāḥ pañca putrāś ca—ete ekādaśa vīrāḥ, tava pakṣasya gaja-aśva-ratha-pādātān sarpavat-tulyaiḥ śaraiḥ saṃharantaḥ rathaiḥ tatra śīghram upāyayuḥ. tadā teṣāṃ rathadhvajā vāyuvegena phalanti sma; teṣāṃ hayā uccalantaḥ samāyānti sma; sarve ca mahāsvanena nādantaḥ sma.

Translation

三阇耶说道：“大王啊，弗利沙塞那已斩断那俱罗的弓与剑，使他失却战车，受敌箭所苦；迦尔那之子又以兵器之威将其压制。得知此事后，奉最杰出之人毗摩塞那之命，十一位英雄——德鲁帕陀最优秀的五子、萨底耶吉为第六、以及德劳帕蒂的五子——皆手执兵刃、足以当敌，乘战车疾驰而至。行进之间，他们以蛇般迅疾致命的箭矢，屠戮你方的象、马、战车与步兵。其时，车旗随劲风猎猎飞扬，骏马腾跃向前，众人齐声怒吼。”

Word by Word

संजयःSanjaya

कथयतिsays/tells

महाराजO great king

वृषसेनःVrishasena

नकुलस्यof Nakula

धनुःbow

खड्गम्sword

चand

छित्त्वाhaving cut

रथहीनःwithout a chariot

अभवत्became/was

शत्रोःof the enemy

बाणैःby arrows

पीडितःafflicted/tormented

कर्णस्यof Karna

पुत्रःson

स्वैःwith his own

अस्त्रैःweapons/missiles

पराजित्यhaving defeated

इतिthus

ज्ञात्वाhaving known

श्रेष्ठःexcellent/best

पुरुषःman/hero

भीमसेनस्यof Bhimasena

आदेशेनby the command

हस्तेषुin (their) hands

अस्त्रशस्त्राणिweapons and arms

गृहीत्वाhaving taken/holding

शत्रून्enemies

अभिमुखीकरणेin facing/turning towards (them)

समर्थाःcapable

त्रुपदस्यof Drupada

पञ्चfive

श्रेष्ठाःbest/excellent

पुत्राःsons

षष्ठःthe sixth

सात्यकिःSatyaki

द्रौपद्याःof Draupadi

पञ्चfive

पुत्राःsons

एतेthese

एकादशeleven

वीराःheroes/warriors

तवyour

पक्षस्यof the side/party

हस्तिनःelephants

अश्वान्horses

रथान्chariots

पत्तीन्foot-soldiers

सर्पतुल्यैःsnake-like

बाणैःby arrows

संहरन्तःdestroying/slaying

रथैःwith chariots

तत्रthere

शीघ्रम्quickly

आजग्मुःcame/arrived

तदाthen

तेषाम्of them/their

रथानाम्of the chariots

पताकाःbanners/flags

वायुवेगेनby the force of the wind

फेरुःfluttered/waved

तेषाम्their

अश्वाःhorses

प्लवमानाःleaping/springing

आजग्मुःcame

तेthey

सर्वेall

उच्चैःloudly

ननदुःroared/shouted

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Vṛṣasena

Nakula

Karna

Bhīmasena

Drupada

Drupada’s five sons (Pāñcāla princes)

Sātyaki

Draupadī

Draupadī’s five sons (Upapāṇḍavas)

chariot

bow

sword

arrows

banners/standards

horses

elephants

infantry

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-ethics in war: when an ally is overwhelmed, leaders must respond swiftly with coordinated support. Courage is paired with responsibility—protecting one’s side and restoring balance on the battlefield rather than abandoning a comrade in distress.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vṛṣasena, Karṇa’s son, has disabled Nakula by cutting his weapons and leaving him chariotless. On learning this, Bhīma orders a rapid counter-move: eleven Pāṇḍava-aligned warriors (Drupada’s five sons, Sātyaki, and Draupadī’s five sons) rush in chariots, cutting down Kaurava forces as they arrive with banners flying and battle-cries resounding.