Shloka 21

Devanagari script

ततस्तत्त्वमिति ज्ञात्वा राधेय: परवीरहा । शक्तिमेवाभिकाड्क्षन्‌ वै वासवं प्रत्यपालयत्‌

Transliteration

tatastattvam iti jñātvā rādheyaḥ paravīrahā | śaktim evābhikāṅkṣan vai vāsavaṃ pratyapālayat ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana sprach: Daraufhin, nachdem Rādheya—der Bezwinger feindlicher Helden—die Wahrheit der Sache erkannt hatte, wartete er weiter auf Vāsava (Indra), einzig darauf bedacht, den Speer (śakti) zu erlangen.

Word by Word

ततःthen, thereafter

तत्that (thing)

तत्त्वम्the truth, reality

इतिthus (quotative)

ज्ञात्वाhaving known

राधेयःRadheya (Karna)

परवीरहाslayer of enemy-heroes

शक्तिम्the spear (weapon शक्ति)

एवindeed, only

अभिकाङ्क्षन्desiring, longing for

वैindeed (emphatic particle)

वासवम्Vasava (Indra)

प्रत्यपालयत्waited for, watched for, awaited

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Rādheya (Karna)

Vāsava (Indra)

Śakti (spear/javelin)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores discerning reality (tattva-jñāna) and then acting with disciplined restraint: once Karna understands the situation, he does not rush, but waits strategically for the moment that will secure the decisive weapon. Ethically, it also points to how fixation on power (a single weapon) can narrow one’s moral horizon.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana narrates that Karna (Rādheya), after realizing the true situation, keeps watch for Indra (Vāsava), desiring the śakti (spear). He is portrayed as deliberately waiting for the encounter that will yield this potent weapon.