Shloka 41

कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ५७

Arjuna’s targeted advance; Śalya–Karṇa dialogue; interception attempts

Devanagari script

तथापरान्‌ नरश्रेष्ठ संदष्टौष्पुटान्‌ पुन: । भ्रुकुटीकुटिलै र्वक्त्रै: प्रेक्षमाणान्‌ समन्‍्ततः

Transliteration

tathāparān naraśreṣṭha saṃdaṣṭauṣṭhapūṭān punaḥ | bhru-kuṭī-kuṭilaiḥ vaktraiḥ prekṣamāṇān samantataḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya sagte: „O Bester der Menschen, sieh auch jene anderen Krieger: immer wieder beißen sie sich mit zusammengepressten Zähnen auf die Lippen, werfen Blicke in alle Richtungen, die Gesichter angespannt unter gerunzelten, schief gezogenen Brauen. Ihre äußere Unruhe verrät den inneren Druck der Schlacht, in der Furcht, Zorn und Entschlossenheit im Geist miteinander ringen.“

Word by Word

• तथा: thus/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा

• अपरान्: other (ones)
• अपरान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• नरश्रेष्ठ: O best of men
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरश्रेष्ठ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• संदष्ट: biting/gnashing
• संदष्ट: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + दंश्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• ओष्ठ-पुटान्: their lips (lip-folds)
• ओष्ठ-पुटान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओष्ठपुट
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• पुनः: again/further
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• भ्रुकुटी-कुटिलैः: with (faces) made crooked by frowning
• भ्रुकुटी-कुटिलैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भ्रुकुटीकुटिल
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• वक्त्रैः: with faces/mouths
• वक्त्रैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्त्र
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• प्रेक्षमाणान्: looking (at)
• प्रेक्षमाणान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + ईक्ष्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• समन्ततः: on all sides
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• other warriors

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the inner turbulence that war provokes—visible in involuntary bodily signs like clenched teeth and furrowed brows—reminding the reader that ethical choices in conflict are made under intense psychological pressure, where self-control and discernment are tested.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, narrating the battlefield to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, points out the condition of other warriors: they are tense and vigilant, biting their lips and scanning all directions with frowning, contorted faces, indicating anxiety and readiness amid the fighting.