Shloka 51

अध्याय ९ — कर्णस्य प्रहारः, योधयुग्मनियोजनम्, शैनेय-कैकेययोर्युद्धविन्यासः

Devanagari script

एतान्‌ हत्वा हनिष्यामि पश्चाद्‌ वैकर्तनं रणे । इति व्यपदिशन्‌ पार्थों वर्जयन्‌ सूतजं रणे

Transliteration

etān hatvā haniṣyāmi paścād vaikartanaṃ raṇe | iti vyapadiśan pārtho varjayan sūtajaṃ raṇe ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: „Nachdem ich diese erschlagen habe, werde ich danach Vaikartana im Kampf töten.“ So seinen Vorsatz verkündend, ließ Pārtha (Arjuna) im Gefecht den Sohn des Wagenlenkers (Karṇa) absichtlich beiseite und schob die direkte Begegnung hinaus.

Word by Word

• एतान्: these (men)
• एतान्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• हत्वा: having slain
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive), Active, Prior action (having done)

• हनिष्यामि: I will slay
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Future (Simple), 1st, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात्

• वैकर्तनम्: Vaikartana (Karna)
• वैकर्तनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैकर्तन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• व्यपदिशन्: declaring / stating
• व्यपदिशन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यपदिश्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पार्थः: Partha (Arjuna)
• पार्थः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वर्जयन्: avoiding / leaving aside
• वर्जयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्जय्
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सूतजम्: the charioteer’s son (Karna)
• सूतजम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूतज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• रणे: in battle
• रणे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• वैशम्पायन (Vaiśampāyana)
• पार्थ (Arjuna)
• वैकर्तन (Karna)
• सूतज (Karna, as 'son of a charioteer')
• रण (battlefield)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical and strategic dimension of warrior conduct: even amid rage and rivalry, a fighter may prioritize immediate threats and order of engagement, framing action through an avowed intention (vyapadeśa) that preserves focus and battlefield discipline.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna declares that he will deal with the present opponents first and only afterward confront Karna (Vaikartana). Accordingly, he avoids directly engaging Karna for the moment, postponing that decisive duel.