Shloka 19

Devanagari script

लाघवाद्‌ व्याकुलीकृत्य कर्ण: प्रहरतां वर: । हतसूतांश्व भूयिष्ठानवजिग्ये नराधिपान्‌

Transliteration

lāghavād vyākulīkṛtya karṇaḥ praharatāṃ varaḥ | hatasūtānśva bhūyiṣṭhān avajigye narādhipān ||

Translation

قال نارادا: بقتاله السريع الرشيق أوقع كارنا—وهو أبرع الضاربين—العدوَّ في الاضطراب. وبعد أن قتل كثيرًا من السُّوَاقِ (سائقي العربات) والخيول، غلب الملوك مرارًا. وتُبرز الآية كيف تهيمن المهارة القتالية الخالصة على ساحة الوغى، وتُلمّح إلى أن النصر كثيرًا ما يقوم على تدمير قوى الإسناد (السائقين والجياد) لا على مواجهة الملوك وحدهم وجهًا لوجه.

Word by Word

• लाघवात्: by/through lightness (agility)
• लाघवात्: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लाघव
• Form: Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• व्याकुलीकृत्य: having thrown into confusion
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्याकुली-कृ
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), having made (them) confused

• कर्णः: Karna
• कर्णः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रहरताम्: (of) those who were striking/attacking
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-हृ
• Form: Present, 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada, लट्, genitive plural participial sense in context: 'of those who were striking/attacking'

• वरः: the best, the foremost
• वरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• हतसूतान्: those whose charioteers were slain
• हतसूतान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हत-सूत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• अश्वान्: horses
• अश्वान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• भूयिष्ठान्: most, very many
• भूयिष्ठान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूयिष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अवजिग्ये: defeated, overcame
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-√जि
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Singular, Atmanepada, लिट्

• नराधिपान्: kings, rulers of men
• नराधिपान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर-अधिप
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

नारद उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Karṇa
• sūta (charioteers)
• aśva (horses)
• narādhipa (kings)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores that dominance in conflict can arise from speed, precision, and disruption of an opponent’s support system (charioteers and horses). Ethically, it hints that outcomes in war are shaped as much by tactical destruction of enabling structures as by direct confrontation with leaders.

What is happening in the narrative?

Nārada describes Karṇa’s performance in battle: through swift attacks he confuses the opposing side, kills many charioteers and horses, and thereby repeatedly defeats numerous kings.