Shloka 4

Devanagari script

रामादुपात्तेन महामहिम्ना ह्याथर्वणेनारिविनाशनेन । तदर्जुनास्त्रं व्यधमद्‌ दहन्तं कर्णस्तु बाणैर्निशितैर्महात्मा,महामनस्वी वीर कर्णने परशुरामजीसे प्राप्त हुए महाप्रभावशाली शत्रुनाशक आथर्वण अस्त्रका प्रयोग करके पैने बाणोंद्वारा अर्जुनके उस अस्त्रको, जो कौरव-सेनाको दग्ध कर रहा था, नष्ट कर दिया

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

rāmādupāttena mahāmahimnā hyātharvaṇenārivināśanena |

tadarjunāstraṃ vyadhamad dahantaṃ karṇastu bāṇair niśitair mahātmā mahāmanasvī ||

Translation

三阇耶说道：于是，那位高魂大志的迦尔纳施展了威力无边的“阿闼婆那”神兵——此术承自罗摩（即帕罗修罗摩），以灭敌著称——并以锐利箭矢击碎了阿周那那枚烈焰腾腾、正焚烧俱卢军的飞射之器。

Word by Word

रामात्from Rama (Parashurama)

उपात्तेनobtained/received

महामहिम्नाof great glory/might

हिindeed

अथthen

आथर्वणेनAtharvan (pertaining to Atharva-veda)

अरिविनाशनेनenemy-destroying

तत्that

अर्जुनास्त्रम्Arjuna's weapon

व्यधमत्he blew away/dispelled

दहन्तम्burning

कर्णःKarna

तुbut/indeed

बाणैःwith arrows

निशितैःsharp

महात्माthe great-souled one

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Karna

Arjuna

Rāma (Paraśurāma)

Atharvaṇa astra (weapon)

Arjuna’s astra (weapon/missile)

Kaurava army (implied by ‘burning the host’)

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 that power in battle is not only personal valor but also disciplined knowledge received through legitimate transmission (guru-lineage). Ethically, it shows how warfare tends to intensify: even a devastating weapon is met with an equally formidable counter, reminding readers of the tragic momentum of conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna releases a blazing weapon that is burning the Kaurava forces. Karna counters it by employing the Atharvaṇa weapon he learned from Paraśurāma, and with sharp arrows he breaks/neutralizes Arjuna’s missile.