Shloka 38

Devanagari script

खड्गजिद्द धनुरास्यं शरदंष्टं तरस्विनम्‌ | दृप्तं पुरुषशार्टूलं जहि कर्ण धनंजय

Transliteration

khaḍgajihvaṃ dhanurāsyaṃ śaradantaṃ tarasvinam | dṛptaṃ puruṣaśārdūlaṃ jahi karṇaṃ dhanaṃjaya, arjuna! |

Translation

Vāyu sprach: „O Dhanañjaya Arjuna, erschlage Karṇa. Er ist wie ein Löwe unter den Menschen: Seine Zunge ist ein Schwert, sein aufgerissener Rachen der Bogen, und seine Zähne sind Pfeile. Er ist überaus schnell und vom Hochmut geschwollen. Darum töte ihn.“

Word by Word

• खड्गजिह्वः: having a sword as (his) tongue
• खड्गजिह्वः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खड्ग-जिह्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• धनुरास्यः: having a bow as (his) mouth
• धनुरास्यः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धनुस्-आस्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शरदंष्ट्रः: having arrows as (his) fangs/teeth
• शरदंष्ट्रः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शर-दंष्ट्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तरस्विनम्: swift, impetuous, powerful
• तरस्विनम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तरस्विन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• दृप्तम्: proud, arrogant
• दृप्तम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृप्त
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पुरुषशार्दूलम्: tiger among men (lion-like hero)
• पुरुषशार्दूलम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष-शार्दूल
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• जहि: slay!
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• कर्ण: Karna
• कर्ण: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• धनंजय: O Dhananjaya (Arjuna)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनंजय
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• अर्जुन: O Arjuna
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vāyudeva (Vāyu)
• Karna
• Arjuna (Dhanañjaya)
• sword (khaḍga)
• bow (dhanuḥ)
• arrows (śara)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames righteous action in war as resolute performance of one’s kṣatriya duty: when a dangerous, pride-driven adversary threatens the moral and strategic order of the battle, hesitation is discouraged and decisive action is urged.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyudeva addresses Arjuna (Dhanañjaya), urging him to kill Karṇa. Karṇa is portrayed through a vivid martial metaphor—sword-tongue, bow-mouth, arrow-teeth—emphasizing his ferocity, speed, and arrogance, and motivating Arjuna toward immediate combat action.