Shloka 39

कर्णस्य सेनापत्याभिषेकः | Karṇa’s Consecration as Commander-in-Chief

Devanagari script

(पाण्ड्यराजश्च विक्रान्तो बलवान्‌ बाहुशालिना | अश्वत्थाम्ना हतस्तत्र गमितो वै यमक्षयम्‌ ।।

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

pāṇḍyarājaś ca vikrānto balavān bāhuśālinā |

aśvatthāmnā hataḥ tatra gamito vai yamakṣayam ||

ete cānye ca bahavaḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahārathāḥ |

hatā droṇena vikramya yan māṃ tvaṃ paripṛcchasi ||

Translation

قال سانجيا: هناك قُتل ملكُ البانديا الشجاعُ القويّ على يدِ أشڤاتثامان، المشهورِ بقوةِ ذراعيه، فأُرسل إلى دارِ يَما. وكثيرٌ من عظماءِ فرسانِ العجلات من الباندافا—ممن تسألني عنهم—قَطَعهم درونا في القتال قَطعًا بالقوة.

Word by Word

• पाण्ड्यराजः: the Pandya king
• पाण्ड्यराजः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्ड्यराज
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

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

• विक्रान्तः: valiant, striding forth
• विक्रान्तः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विक्रान्त
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बलवान्: strong
• बलवान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बाहुशालिना: with mighty arms
• बाहुशालिना: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाहुशालिन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• अश्वत्थाम्ना: by Ashvatthaman
• अश्वत्थाम्ना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वत्थामन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• हतः: slain
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Passive (PPP)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• गमितः: was caused to go / was sent
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Passive (causative PPP)

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै

• यमक्षयम्: to Yama's abode (realm of death)
• यमक्षयम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यमक्षय
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Aśvatthāman
• Pāṇḍyarāja (king of the Pāṇḍyas)
• Droṇa
• Pāṇḍavas
• Yama
• Yamakṣaya (abode of Yama)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the harsh ethical reality of war: even renowned heroes fall when violence escalates. It implicitly warns that martial prowess, when driven by wrath and rivalry, leads swiftly to death and collective loss, pressing the listener to reflect on dharma amid conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to the blind king (Dhṛtarāṣṭra) that Aśvatthāman has slain the Pāṇḍya king and that many other Pāṇḍava great warriors—those Dhṛtarāṣṭra is asking about—have been killed in battle by Droṇa through sheer prowess.