Shloka 7

कर्णस्य मन्त्रः — Duryodhana-प्रति नीति-विचारः

Karna’s Counsel on Strategy toward the Pāṇḍavas

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वा हमरसंकाश तव वाक्यमरिंदम । ध्रुवं विवाहकरणमास्थास्यामि विधानत:,देवताओंके समान तेजस्वी शत्रुसूदन! मैं आपकी बात सुनकर निश्चय ही विधिपूर्वक विवाहकी तैयारी करूँगा

Transliteration

śrutvā ha marasaṅkāśa tava vākyam ariṃdama | dhruvaṃ vivāhakaraṇam āsthāsyāmi vidhānataḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „O du, der du wie die Götter leuchtest, o Bezwinger der Feinde — nachdem ich deine Worte vernommen habe, bin ich gewiss: Ich werde die Vorbereitungen zur Hochzeit in Angriff nehmen und alles nach Ritus und Vorschrift vollziehen.“

Word by Word

श्रुत्वाhaving heard

अमर-संकाशO one resembling the immortals (gods)

तवof you/your

वाक्यम्speech/words

अरिंदमO subduer of foes

ध्रुवम्certainly

विवाह-करणम्the act/preparation of marriage

आस्थास्यामिI shall undertake / I will set about

विधानतःaccording to rule/ritual

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana (narrator-speaker)

unnamed addressee described as marasaṅkāśa and ariṃdama

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse emphasizes dharma through vidhāna—undertaking major life and social acts (like marriage) with certainty, restraint, and adherence to prescribed rites and proper procedure, rather than impulsively or irregularly.

What is happening in the narrative?

After hearing the addressee’s counsel or request, the speaker declares firm resolve to proceed with arranging the marriage, explicitly stating it will be done according to established rules and ritual norms.