Shloka 14

Nara-Nārāyaṇa Precedent and Bhīṣma’s Counsel on Kṛṣṇa–Arjuna; Karṇa’s Reply

Devanagari script

नर इन्द्रस्य संग्रामे हत्वा शत्रून्‌ परंतप:ः । पौलोमान्‌ कालखज्जांश्व सहस्नाणि शतानि च

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | nara indrasyasaṅgrāme hatvā śatrūn paraṃtapaḥ | paulomān kālakhañjāṃś ca sahasrāṇi śatāni ca ||

Translation

একদা শত্রু-সন্তাপক নর ইন্দ্রের যুদ্ধে শত্রুদের বধ করলেন; ইন্দ্রের প্রতি বৈরী পৌলোম ও কালখঞ্জ নামক দানবদের শত-সহস্র সংহার করলেন।

Word by Word

• नरः: Nara (Arjuna as Nara)
• नरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इन्द्रस्य: of Indra
• इन्द्रस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• संग्रामे: in battle
• संग्रामे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्राम
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• हत्वा: having slain
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• शत्रून्: enemies
• शत्रून्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• परंतपः: foe-scorcher (epithet)
• परंतपः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परंतप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पौलोमान्: Paulomas (a class of demons)
• पौलोमान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौलोम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• कालखञ्जान्: Kālakhāñjas (a class of demons)
• कालखञ्जान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालखञ्ज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

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

• सहस्राणि: thousands
• सहस्राणि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

• शतानि: hundreds
• शतानि: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Plural

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

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Nara
• Indra
• Pauloma (Paulomas)
• Kālakhañja (Kālakhañjas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Power and violence are framed as ethically meaningful when exercised to restrain hostile, disordering forces and to protect a larger moral-cosmic order (dharma), rather than for egoistic conquest.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana recounts that Nara (linked with Arjuna) fought in Indra’s battle and killed vast numbers—hundreds and thousands—of the Pauloma and Kālakhañja demons who were antagonistic to Indra.