Shloka 16

अर्जुनस्य गुरुधर्मविलापः तथा शैनेयकर्णयोर्युद्धारम्भः | Arjuna’s Lament on Guru-Dharma and the Opening of the Sātyaki–Karṇa Duel

Devanagari script

पृथिवीं चान्तरिक्षं च कम्पयन्‌ सागरानपि । एतद्‌ बलार्णवं सूत वारयिष्ये महारणे

Transliteration

pṛthivīṃ cāntarikṣaṃ ca kampayan sāgarān api | etad balārṇavaṃ sūta vārayiṣye mahāraṇe ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: „Er ließ Erde und Zwischenraum erbeben und selbst die Meere aufwühlen — o Wagenlenker; in dieser großen Schlacht werde ich diese meeresgleiche Flut der Macht zurückhalten.“

Word by Word

• पृथिवीम्: the earth
• पृथिवीम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

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

• अन्तरिक्षम्: the sky/atmosphere
• अन्तरिक्षम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तरिक्ष
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

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

• कम्पयन्: shaking, causing to tremble
• कम्पयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: कम्प्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सागरान्: oceans
• सागरान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सागर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• बल-अर्णवम्: ocean of strength (mighty host)
• बल-अर्णवम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल + अर्णव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सूत: O charioteer
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• वारयिष्ये: I shall restrain/ward off
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (वारयति, causative of √वृ/√वृञ् 'to restrain/ward off')
• Form: Lṛṭ (Simple Future), Parasmaipada, First, Singular

• महा-रणे: in the great battle
• महा-रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् + रण
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• sūta (charioteer)
• pṛthivī (earth)
• antarikṣa (sky/atmosphere)
• sāgara (oceans)
• mahāraṇa (great battle)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Power in war is portrayed as something to be governed: true heroism includes the capacity to restrain an overwhelming surge of force, aligning strength with disciplined duty rather than uncontrolled violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a moment of intense martial energy—so great it is likened to an ocean that shakes earth, sky, and seas—while addressing a charioteer and declaring an intention to check or hold back that massive onrush in the midst of the great battle.