Shloka 18

Devanagari script

चोदयाश्वान्‌ हृषीकेश रथं मम महारथ । नाहत्वा समरे कर्ण निवर्तिष्यति फाल्गुन:,महारथी हृषीकेश! आप मेरे रथ और घोड़ोंको आगे बढ़ाइये। अब अर्जुन समरांगणमें कर्णका वध किये बिना पीछे नहीं लौटेगा

Transliteration

codayāśvān hṛṣīkeśa rathaṁ mama mahāratha | nāhatvā samare karṇaṁ nivartiṣyati phālgunaḥ ||

Translation

Arjuna sprach: „O Hṛṣīkeśa, o großer Streitwagenkämpfer, treibe die Pferde an und lenke meinen Wagen vorwärts. Phālguna wird von diesem Schlachtfeld nicht weichen, ehe er Karṇa im Kampf erschlagen hat.“

Word by Word

चोदयurge/drive (you)

अश्वान्horses

हृषीकेशO Hrishikesha (Krishna)

रथम्chariot

ममmy

महारथO great charioteer/warrior

नnot

आहत्वाhaving slain

समरेin battle

कर्णम्Karna

निवर्तिष्यतिwill return/turn back

फाल्गुनःPhalguna (Arjuna)

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna (Phālguna)

Kṛṣṇa (Hṛṣīkeśa)

Karṇa

chariot

horses

battlefield (samara)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya resolve and accountability in war: once a righteous objective is embraced within the accepted code of battle, wavering and retreat are rejected. It also shows disciplined reliance on one’s charioteer-guide (Kṛṣṇa) while maintaining personal responsibility for the act.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Karṇa Parva battle sequence, Arjuna addresses Kṛṣṇa, his charioteer, commanding him to press the horses forward. Arjuna declares a firm vow that he will not withdraw from the fight until Karṇa is slain.