Shloka 9

Kuntī–Karṇa Saṃvāda: Lineage Disclosure and Appeal to Fraternal Dharma

Devanagari script

ततः कुरूणामनयो भविता वीरनाशन: । चिन्तयन्‌ न लभे निद्रामह:सु च निशासु च

Transliteration

tataḥ kurūṇām anayo bhavitā vīranāśanaḥ | cintayan na labhe nidrām ahaḥsu ca niśāsu ca ||

Translation

Da dachte ich: Dieses Unrecht der Kurus wird zum Verderben der Helden werden. Grübelnd darüber finde ich keinen Schlaf — weder am Tage noch in der Nacht.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (तद्-प्रातिपदिकात् अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय

• कुरूणाम्: of the Kurus
• कुरूणाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• अनयः: injustice/wrongdoing
• अनयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भविता: will become/will be
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्काल), प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वीर-नाशनः: destroyer of heroes; causing the destruction of warriors
• वीर-नाशनः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाशन (प्रातिपदिक; √नश्/नाश् ‘to destroy’ से) / वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• चिन्तयन्: thinking/pondering
• चिन्तयन्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्तय् (धातु; √चिन्त् ‘to think’ का णिच्)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न
• Form: अव्यय

• लभे: I obtain/get
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• निद्राम्: sleep
• निद्राम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: निद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अहःसु: in the days (by day)
• अहःसु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन्/अहः (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: अव्यय

• निशासु: in the nights (by night)
• निशासु: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: अव्यय

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Kuru (Kauravas/Kuru lineage)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Adharma (wrongdoing) is not a private fault but a force that ripens into collective catastrophe. The verse frames injustice as vīranāśana—something that destroys even the greatest heroes—highlighting the ethical principle that unrighteous choices generate far-reaching, unavoidable consequences.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana, as narrator, describes the mounting crisis caused by the Kurus’ unjust conduct. The situation is so grave that the speaker is consumed by worry and foresees large-scale destruction, resulting in sleeplessness both day and night.