Shloka 14

कर्णेन सैन्यस्थापनं तथा नानायुद्धसमवायः

Karna Reforms the Host and Multiple Duels Converge

Devanagari script

कुरव: सहपाञ्चाला: शाल्वा मत्स्या: सनैमिषा: | कोसला: काशयोडज्जञाशक्ष॒ कालिड्रा मागधास्तथा

Transliteration

kuravāḥ saha-pāñcālāḥ śālvā matsyāḥ sa-naimiṣāḥ | kosalāḥ kāśayo ḍa-jñāśakṣaḥ kāliḍrā māgadhās tathā ||

Translation

Karna sprach: „Die Kurus zusammen mit den Pañcālas; die Śālvas; die Matsyas; jene, die mit Naimiṣa verbunden sind; die Kosalas; die Kāśis; und ebenso die Māgadhas — all diese Völker und weitere Verbündete sind in diesen Krieg hineingezogen worden.“

Word by Word

• कुरवः: the Kurus
• कुरवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सह: together with
• सह: Karana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह

• पाञ्चालाः: the Panchalas
• पाञ्चालाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाञ्चाल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शाल्वाः: the Shalvas
• शाल्वाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाल्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मत्स्याः: the Matsyas
• मत्स्याः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्स्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• स: they/those
• स: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• नैमिषाः: the Naimishas (people of Naimisha)
• नैमिषाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैमिष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कोसलाः: the Kosalas
• कोसलाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोसल
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• काशयः: the Kashis (people of Kashi)
• काशयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशि
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• उडज्ज्ञाः: the Uḍajjñas (tribal name; uncertain reading)
• उडज्ज्ञाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: उडज्ज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• शक्षः: Shaksha (proper name/tribal; uncertain reading)
• शक्षः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ष
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कालिड्राः: the Kālīḍras (tribal name; uncertain reading)
• कालिड्राः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालिड्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• मागधाः: the Magadhas
• मागधाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: मागध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• तथा: and also/likewise
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

Speaker

कर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Karna
• Kuravas (Kurus)
• Pañcālas
• Śālvas
• Matsyas
• Naimiṣa (Naimiṣa region/people)
• Kosalas
• Kāśis (Kāśī)
• Māgadhas (Magadha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

By enumerating many kingdoms, the verse highlights how private ambition and unresolved rivalry can engulf entire societies. The ethical implication is that rulers and warriors bear responsibility not only for personal honor but for the widespread human cost their choices impose.

What is happening in the narrative?

Karna is speaking and naming the various peoples/kingdoms involved, effectively marking the breadth of forces drawn into the Kurukṣetra war and emphasizing the scale of the conflict.