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Mahabharata · 7.108.40–41
॥
Санджая
Devanāgarī
स तु तं विरथं कृत्वा स्मयन्न् अत्यन्तवैरिणम् ॥
समाचिनोद् बाणगणैः शतघ्नीम् इव शङ्कुभिः ॥
तथाप्य् अतिरथः कर्णो भिद्यमानः स्म सायकैः ॥
न जहौ समरे भीमं क्रुद्धरूपं परंतपः ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sa tu taṃ virathaṃ kṛtvā smayann atyantavairiṇam ||
samācinod bāṇagaṇaiḥ śataghnīm iva śaṅkubhiḥ ||
tathāpy atirathaḥ karṇo bhidyamānaḥ sma sāyakaiḥ ||
na jahau samare bhīmaṃ kruddharūpaṃ paraṃtapaḥ ||
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
सः तु तम् विरथम् कृत्वाsaḥ tu tam viratham kṛtvāhaving unhorsed him; having deprived him of his chariot
स्मयन् अत्यन्तवैरिणम्smayan atyantavairiṇamsmiling, his sworn foe; smiling, [at] his sworn foe
समाचिनोत् बाणगणैःsamācinot bāṇagaṇaiḥcovered [him] with masses of arrows; showered clouds of arrows
शतघ्नीम् इव शङ्कुभिःśataghnīm iva śaṅkubhiḥlike a shataghni with spikes; as a shataghni — with its spikes
तथा अपि अतिरथः कर्णःtathā api atirathaḥ karṇaḥyet still the atiratha Karna; yet still the atiratha Karna
भिद्यमानः स्म सायकैःbhidyamānaḥ sma sāyakaiḥpierced by arrows; pierced by arrows
न जहौ समरे भीमम्na jahau samare bhīmamdid not abandon Bhima in battle; did not leave Bhima in the fight
क्रुद्धरूपम् परंतपःkruddharūpam paraṃtapaḥof wrathful aspect, scorcher of foes; terrible in form, scorcher of foes
Translation
"He [Bhima], having unhorsed his sworn enemy, smiling, covered him with masses of arrows, as a shataghni is covered with spikes. And yet the atiratha Karna, scorcher of foes, though pierced by arrows, did not abandon the fearsome Bhima in that battle."
Version
1697f62f6637 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:17:34 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Once again Bhima gains the upper hand -- he unhorses his foe and showers him with arrows as a shataghni bristles with spikes -- yet Karna, though pierced, does not retreat. This persistence is telling: even in an unjust camp, valor is genuine, and Karna's steadfastness commands not scorn but respect. The verse teaches that courage and fidelity to duty deserve honor on any side, though the praise is bitter when given to one unshakable in defense of a wrongful cause.