Shloka 20

Kṛṣṇasya Karṇam Prati Sāntvavacana

Kṛṣṇa’s Conciliatory Address to Karṇa

Devanagari script

सहाया ब्राह्मणा यस्य धृतिमन्तो जितेन्द्रिया: । तमुग्रतपसं वीरं कथं जेष्यसि पाण्डवम्‌

Transliteration

sahāyā brāhmaṇā yasya dhṛtimanto jitendriyāḥ | tam ugratapasaṃ vīraṃ kathaṃ jeṣyasi pāṇḍavam ||

Translation

Bhīṣma sprach: „Wessen Verbündete Brāhmaṇas sind—standhaft im Entschluss und Herr ihrer Sinne—wie willst du jenen Pāṇḍava-Helden besiegen, einen Mann von wilder Askese?“

Word by Word

सहायाःhelpers, allies

ब्राह्मणाःBrahmins

यस्यwhose

धृतिमन्तःsteadfast, resolute

जितेन्द्रियाःself-controlled (having conquered the senses)

तम्him

उग्रतपसम्of fierce austerity

वीरम्hero, brave man

कथम्how

जेष्यसिwill you conquer

पाण्डवम्the Pandava (son of Pandu)

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

Bhīṣma

Pāṇḍava (a son of Pāṇḍu)

Brāhmaṇas

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?

Bhīṣma highlights that ethical and spiritual capital—self-mastery (jitendriyatā), steadfastness (dhṛti), and the support of disciplined brāhmaṇas—constitutes a form of power that can outweigh brute strength. Victory is not merely martial; it is grounded in inner restraint and righteous support.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war counsel, Bhīṣma warns the Kuru side that the Pāṇḍavas are backed by resolute, self-controlled brāhmaṇas and possess intense tapas. He questions how such a hero can be overcome, implying that the Kauravas should reconsider their course.