Shloka 13

Devanagari script

अर्जुनेन विनाशं हि तव दानवसूदन: । प्रार्थयानो रणे वत्स कुण्डले ते जिहीर्षति,कर्ण! इन दोनों कुण्डलोंसे युक्त रहनेपर तुम सभी प्राणियोंके लिये अवध्य बने रहोगे। वत्स! दानवसूदन इन्द्र युद्धमें अर्जुनके द्वारा तुम्हारा विनाश चाहते हैं। इसीलिये वे तुम्हारे दोनों कुण्डलोंको हर लेनेकी इच्छा करते हैं

Transliteration

arjunena vināśaṃ hi tava dānavasūdanaḥ | prārthayāno raṇe vatsa kuṇḍale te jihīrṣati, karṇa |

Translation

Mein Kind, Indra, der Bezwinger der Dānava, begehrt deinen Untergang in der Schlacht durch Arjuna; darum will er dir die Ohrringe nehmen.

Word by Word

• {'arjunena': 'by/through Arjuna (instrumental of Arjuna)', 'vināśam': 'destruction, ruin', 'hi': 'indeed, for', 'tava': 'your', 'dānavasūdanaḥ': '‘slayer of the Dānavas’—epithet of Indra', 'prārthayānaḥ': 'seeking, desiring, aiming at', 'raṇe': 'in battle, in war', 'vatsa': 'dear child

• term of affection', 'kuṇḍale': 'the two earrings (dual)

• also a protective divine ornament in Karṇa’s case', 'te': 'your', 'jihīrṣati': 'wishes to take away, intends to seize', 'karṇa': 'Karna (vocative)'}

Speaker

सूर्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sūrya
• Karna
• Indra (Dānavasūdana)
• Arjuna
• Kuṇḍalas (earrings)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Power and protection can invite targeted hostility; ethical discernment is needed when divine or political forces seek to strip one’s safeguards. The verse highlights how destiny in war is shaped not only by valor but also by strategic removal of an opponent’s advantages.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sūrya, as Karṇa’s divine father, warns him that Indra—acting for Arjuna’s success—intends to seize Karṇa’s protective earrings. The warning frames an impending encounter where Indra will attempt to neutralize Karṇa’s invulnerability by taking his divine ornaments.