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Shloka 4

तम्मिंस्त्वमानुषे युद्धे वर्तमाने महाभये । कर्णराक्षसयोर्नक्त दारुणप्रतिदर्शने,(न द्रौणिर्न कृपो द्रोणो न शल्यो न च माधव: । एक एव तु तेनासीद्‌ योद्धा कर्णो रणे वृषा ।।) उस रात्रिकालमें जब कर्ण और घटोत्कचका अत्यन्त भयंकर और दारुण अमानुषिक युद्ध चल रहा था। उस समय न तो अश्व॒त्थामा, न कृपाचार्य, न द्रोणाचार्य, न शल्य और न कृतवर्मा ही घटोत्कचका सामना कर सके। अकेला दानवीर कर्ण ही रणभूमिमें उसके साथ जूझ रहा था

sañjaya uvāca |

tammiṁstvamānuṣe yuddhe vartamāne mahābhaye |

karṇarākṣasayor nakta dāruṇapratidarśane |

na drauṇir na kṛpo droṇo na śalyo na ca mādhavaḥ |

eka eva tu tenāsīd yoddhā karṇo raṇe vṛṣā ||

Sañjaya sprach: „In jener Nacht, als eine gewaltige, furchtbare, beinahe übermenschliche Schlacht tobte, erschien der Kampf zwischen Karṇa und dem Rākṣasa (Ghaṭotkaca) düster und grausam ohne Maß. Da vermochten weder Aśvatthāman noch Kṛpa noch Droṇa noch Śalya noch Kṛtavarman Ghaṭotkaca standzuhalten; allein Karṇa—unbeugsam wie ein Stier im Gefecht—rang mit ihm auf dem Feld.“

तम्him/that (one)
तम्:
Karma
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
तस्मिन्in that (time/place)
तस्मिन्:
Adhikarana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular
तुbut/indeed
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
अमानुषेin superhuman/inhuman
अमानुषे:
Adhikarana
TypeAdjective
Rootअमानुष
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
युद्धेin the battle
युद्धे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootयुद्ध
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
वर्तमानेgoing on/occurring
वर्तमाने:
TypeAdjective
Rootवृत्
Formशानच् (present active participle, Ātmanepada usage), Neuter, Locative, Singular
महाभयेin great terror
महाभये:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootमहाभय
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
कर्णof Karna
कर्ण:
TypeNoun
Rootकर्ण
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular
राक्षसयोःof the two (Karna and) rākṣasa
राक्षसयोः:
TypeNoun
Rootराक्षस
FormMasculine, Genitive, Dual
नक्तम्by night/at night
नक्तम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनक्तम्
दारुणterrible
दारुण:
TypeAdjective
Rootदारुण
FormNeuter, Locative, Dual
प्रतिदर्शनेin appearance/sight
प्रतिदर्शने:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootप्रतिदर्शन
FormNeuter, Locative, Dual
not
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
द्रौणिःDrauni (Aśvatthāmā)
द्रौणिः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootद्रौणि
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
nor
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
कृपःKripa
कृपः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootकृप
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
द्रोणःDrona
द्रोणः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootद्रोण
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
nor
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
शल्यःShalya
शल्यः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशल्य
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
nor
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
माधवःMādhava (Kṛṣṇa/also used for Kṛtavarman in some recensions; here likely Kṛṣṇa epithet)
माधवः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootमाधव
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
एकःalone/one
एकः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootएक
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
एवonly/indeed
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
तुbut
तु:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु
तेनwith him/by him
तेन:
Karana
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Singular
आसीत्was
आसीत्:
TypeVerb
Rootअस्
FormImperfect (Laṅ), 3, Singular, Parasmaipada
योद्धाfighter/warrior
योद्धा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootयोद्धृ
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
कर्णःKarna
कर्णः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootकर्ण
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
रणेin battle
रणे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootरण
FormMasculine/Neuter, Locative, Singular
वृषाbull (i.e., best/foremost)
वृषा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवृषन्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
K
Karṇa
G
Ghaṭotkaca (rākṣasa)
A
Aśvatthāman (Drauṇi)
K
Kṛpācārya (Kṛpa)
D
Droṇācārya (Droṇa)
Ś
Śalya
K
Kṛtavarman

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights how warfare can become 'amānuṣa'—beyond normal human bounds—yet responsibility in crisis often falls on individuals. It implicitly contrasts collective incapacity with solitary steadfastness, showing how courage and resolve can momentarily uphold an entire side amid overwhelming fear.

During a terrifying night battle, Ghaṭotkaca’s rākṣasa power makes him nearly unstoppable. Major Kaurava warriors—Aśvatthāman, Kṛpa, Droṇa, Śalya, and Kṛtavarman—cannot face him effectively, and Karṇa alone continues to engage him directly in combat.