Shloka 21

भीष्म-पर्व अध्याय १०० — त्रिगर्त-आक्रमण, भीष्म-केन्द्रित पुनर्संयोजन, तथा शक्त्यस्त्र-विनिमय

Devanagari script

उसने शिरीषपुष्प एवं सुवर्णके समान पीतवर्णका बहुमूल्य सुगन्धित चन्दन लगा रखा था

Transliteration

sa śirīṣapuṣpasuvarṇakasamaṃ pītavarṇaṃ bahumūlyaṃ sugandhi candanaṃ liptaḥ

Translation

সিয়ে শিৰীষ-পুষ্পৰ দৰে কোমল আৰু সোণৰ দৰে পীতবৰ্ণৰ, বহুমূল্য সুগন্ধি চন্দনৰ লেপ মাখি ৰাখিছিল।

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शिरीषपुष्पसुवर्णकसमपीतवर्णकम्: yellow-colored like śirīṣa-flowers and gold
• शिरीषपुष्पसुवर्णकसमपीतवर्णकम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीतवर्णक
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• बहुमूल्यम्: very valuable
• बहुमूल्यम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहुमूल्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• सुगन्धि: fragrant
• सुगन्धि: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुगन्धि
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• चन्दनम्: sandalwood (paste)
• चन्दनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्दन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• लिप्तवान्: had applied / was smeared with
• Type: Verb
• Root: लिप्
• Form: Perfect (periphrastic), Third, Singular, Masculine

Speaker

कर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Karna
• śirīṣa flower
• gold (suvarṇa)
• sandalwood paste (candana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The line highlights how external signs of refinement—perfume, costly adornment, and golden radiance—can accompany a life entangled in conflict; it invites reflection on the difference between outward prestige and inner dharma, especially in a war setting.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Karna’s speech, a person is described as being anointed with expensive, fragrant sandalwood paste, golden-yellow like the śirīṣa blossom—an image used to convey noble appearance and elevated status amid the unfolding martial narrative.