Shloka 163

कर्णस्य सेनापत्याभिषेकः | Karṇa’s Consecration as Commander-in-Chief

Devanagari script

अश्वत्थाम्ना विकर्णेन गमितो यमसादनम्‌ | समुद्रतटटवासी नील और पराक्रमी व्याप्रदत्त--इन दोनोंको क्रमश: अश्वत्थामा और विकर्णने यमलोक पहुँचा दिया

Transliteration

aśvatthāmnā vikarṇena gamito yamasādanam |

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Durch Aśvatthāmā und durch Vikarṇa wurde er in Yamas Wohnstatt gesandt—im Kampf erschlagen. Nīla, der Küstenbewohner, und der tapfere Vyāpradatta: Diese beiden wurden der Reihe nach von Aśvatthāmā und Vikarṇa nach Yamas Welt befördert.

Word by Word

• अश्वत्थाम्ना: by Ashvatthaman
• अश्वत्थाम्ना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वत्थामन्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• विकर्णेन: by Vikarna
• विकर्णेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: विकर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• गमितः: was caused to go / was sent
• गमितः: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: णिच् + क्त (causative past passive participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• यमसादनम्: to Yama’s abode
• यमसादनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: यमसादन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Aśvatthāmā
• Vikarṇa
• Yama
• Yamasādana (abode of Yama)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the stark consequence of warfare: martial action swiftly results in death, symbolized as being sent to Yama’s abode. It implicitly points to the ethical weight of kṣatriya conflict—valor and violence are inseparable from mortality and accountability.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that a warrior has been killed in combat by Aśvatthāmā and Vikarṇa, expressed succinctly as being dispatched to Yama’s realm.