Shloka 23

अर्जुनकर्णसंनिपातवर्णनम् / The Convergence of Arjuna and Karṇa

Devanagari script

को नु मे जीवितेनार्थों राज्येनार्थों भवेत्‌ पुन: । ममैवं विक्षतस्याद्य कर्णेनाहवशोभिना

Transliteration

ko nu me jīvitena artho rājyenārtho bhavet punaḥ | mamaivaṁ vikṣatasya adya karṇenāhava-śobhinā, sa tvāṁ pṛcchāmi kaunteya yathādya kuśalaṁ tathā | tan mamācakṣva kārtsnyena yathā karṇo hatas tvayā kuntī-nandana ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira sprach: „Welchen Sinn hat für mich das Leben—welchen Sinn hat wieder das Königtum—da ich heute von Karṇa, dem Ruhm des Schlachtfeldes, so verwundet worden bin? Darum, o Sohn der Kuntī, frage ich dich: Da du heute heil zurückgekehrt bist und Karṇa erschlagen hast, berichte mir alles vollständig—wie Karṇa durch dich fiel.“

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'ko nu', 'definition': 'who indeed? (rhetorical: what possible…?)'}, {'term': 'me', 'definition': 'for me, to me'}, {'term': 'jīvitena', 'definition': 'by/with life

• life (instrumental)'}, {'term': 'arthaḥ', 'definition': 'purpose, value, use'}, {'term': 'rājya', 'definition': 'kingdom, sovereignty'}, {'term': 'bhavet punaḥ', 'definition': 'could there be again

• would be once more'}, {'term': 'mama', 'definition': 'of me, my'}, {'term': 'evaṁ', 'definition': 'thus, in this manner'}, {'term': 'vikṣatasya', 'definition': 'of one wounded, injured (genitive)'}, {'term': 'adya', 'definition': 'today, now'}, {'term': 'karṇena', 'definition': 'by Karṇa (instrumental)'}, {'term': 'āhava-śobhinā', 'definition': 'one who is the splendor/ornament of battle'}, {'term': 'pṛcchāmi', 'definition': 'I ask, I inquire'}, {'term': 'kaunteya', 'definition': 'O son of Kuntī (address to Arjuna)'}, {'term': 'kuśalam', 'definition': 'well-being, safety, welfare'}, {'term': 'ācakṣva', 'definition': 'tell, relate (imperative)'}, {'term': 'kārtsnyena', 'definition': 'completely, in full detail'}, {'term': 'hataḥ', 'definition': 'slain, killed'}, {'term': 'tvayā', 'definition': 'by you (instrumental)'}, {'term': 'kuntī-nandana', 'definition': 'son of Kuntī (epithet of Arjuna)'}]

Speaker

युधिषछ्िर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Karṇa
• Arjuna (Kaunteya, Kuntī-nandana)
• Kuntī
• rājya (kingdom)
• āhava (battle)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical weight of war: even rightful kingship feels hollow when one is wounded in spirit and body by the conflict. It underscores the primacy of human cost over political gain and the need for truthful, complete reporting of decisive acts in a dharmic struggle.

What is happening in the narrative?

After being struck and shaken by Karṇa’s prowess, Yudhiṣṭhira turns to Arjuna (addressed as Kaunteya/Kuntī-nandana) and asks whether he is safe and to narrate in full how he managed to kill Karṇa, the foremost ornament of the battlefield.