Shloka 38

Devanagari script

गोविन्द! जनार्दन! विचित्र ध्वजदण्डोंसे सुशोभित निर्मल रथपंक्तियाँ ही इस रणयज्ञमें यूपोंका काम करेंगी ।।

Transliteration

govinda! janārdana! vicitra-dhvajadaṇḍaiḥ suśobhitā nirmala-ratha-paṅktaya eva asmin raṇa-yajñe yūpānāṃ kāryaṃ kariṣyanti. karṇi-nālika-nārācā vatsadantopabṛṃhaṇāḥ; tomarāḥ soma-kalaśāḥ; pavitrāṇi dhanūṃṣi ca.

Translation

Karna sprach: „O Govinda, o Janārdana! In diesem Opfer der Schlacht werden die makellosen Reihen der Wagen, geschmückt mit wunderbaren Fahnenstangen, selbst zu Opferpfählen werden. Die Pfeile karṇi, nālika, nārāca und vatsadanta werden die Hilfsgeräte der Darbringung sein; die tomara-Speere werden die Soma-Gefäße sein; und die Bögen werden als reinigende Siebe (pavitra) dienen.“

Word by Word

• {'govinda': 'Krishna

• an epithet of Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa', 'janārdana': 'Krishna

• an epithet of Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa', 'vicitra': 'variegated, wondrous, splendid', 'dhvaja-daṇḍa': 'flagstaff, banner-pole (on a chariot)', 'suśobhitāḥ': 'beautifully adorned, resplendent', 'nirmala': 'pure, spotless, bright', 'ratha-paṅkti': 'row/line of chariots', 'raṇa-yajña': '‘sacrifice of battle’

• war conceived as a yajña', 'yūpa': 'sacrificial post (to which the victim is tied in Vedic ritual)', 'karṇi': 'a type of arrow (name of a particular shaft/head)', 'nālika': 'a type of arrow (reed-like/with tubular shaft

• technical term for a missile)', 'nārāca': 'iron-pointed arrow

• a well-known arrow type', 'vatsadanta': '‘calf-tooth’

• a type of arrow (named by shape/point)', 'upabṛṃhaṇa': 'auxiliary/strengthening rite or implement

• here: subsidiary offering implements (e.g., ladles/cups used in Soma ritual)', 'tomara': 'spear, javelin', 'soma-kalaśa': 'Soma-vessel/pitcher used in Soma sacrifice', 'pavitra': 'purifier/strainer (esp. for Soma)

• also ‘purifying instrument’', 'dhanus': 'bow'}

Speaker

कर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Karna
• Govinda (Krishna)
• Janardana (Krishna)
• chariot rows (ratha-paṅkti)
• flagstaffs (dhvaja-daṇḍa)
• sacrificial post (yūpa)
• arrows: karṇi, nālika, nārāca, vatsadanta
• tomara (spears/javelins)
• Soma-vessel (soma-kalaśa)
• bow (dhanus)
• purifying strainer (pavitra)
• battle-sacrifice (raṇa-yajña)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents a kṣatriya-style ethical rationalization: war is framed as a solemn yajña where weapons and military formations become ritual implements. This sacralization does not remove violence, but it seeks to place it under a code of duty and gravity, implying that actions in war should be performed with disciplined intent rather than mere cruelty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Karna addresses Krishna (Govinda/Janardana) and uses extended sacrificial metaphors to describe the impending battle. He declares that chariot lines will function like yūpa-posts, arrows like auxiliary offering tools, spears like Soma vessels, and bows like purifying strainers—depicting the battlefield as a ritual arena.