Shloka 15

अर्जुन-कर्ण-सङ्ग्रामः

Arjuna–Karna Engagement in the Cattle-Raid Aftermath

Devanagari script

समिद्ध॑ पावकं चैव घृतमेदोवसाहुतम्‌ । घृताक्तश्लीरवासास्त्व॑ मध्येनोत्तर्तुमिच्छसि

Transliteration

samiddhaṁ pāvakaṁ caiva ghṛta-medovasā-hutam | ghṛtākta-śīrṇa-vāsās tvaṁ madhyenottartum icchasi ||

Translation

Kṛpa sagte: „Willst du wirklich mitten durch ein loderndes Feuer gehen—genährt von Opfergaben aus Ghee, Fett und Talg—nachdem du deinen eigenen Leib mit Ghee bestrichen und Lumpen oder Rindenkleider angelegt hast?“

Word by Word

• समिद्धम्: kindled, blazing
• समिद्धम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समिद्ध (सम्-इन्ध् धातोः क्त)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• पावकम्: fire
• पावकम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावक
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव

• घृत-मेदस्-वसा-आहुतम्: fed with oblations of ghee, fat and grease
• घृत-मेदस्-वसा-आहुतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आहुत (आ-हु धातोः क्त); घृत/मेदस्/वसा (उपपद)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• घृत-आक्त-श्लीर्वासाः: you whose garments (rags/bark-cloth) are smeared with ghee
• घृत-आक्त-श्लीर्वासाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वस् (वस धातोः क्तिन्/आसन्-प्रत्ययान्त बहुव्रीहिः); घृत/आक्त (आञ्ज् धातोः क्त); श्लीर्व (श्लीर्व/श्लीव = चिथडा/वल्कल)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• मध्येन: through the middle
• मध्येन: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• उत्तर्तुम्: to cross over / to come out
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-तॄ (तॄ धातुः)
• Form: Infinitive

• इच्छसि: you wish/desire
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (इच्छ्)
• Form: Present, Second, Singular

Speaker

कृप उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Kṛpa
• pāvaka (Agni/fire)
• ghṛta (ghee)
• medas (fat)
• vasā (grease/suet)
• valkala (bark-garment)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse warns against rash, self-destructive action. By comparing the intention to crossing a blazing, ghee-fed fire while smeared with ghee, Kṛpa underscores that choices must be guided by discernment and dharma, not by impulsive bravado or despair.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kṛpa speaks in a cutting, rhetorical question to dissuade someone from an extremely dangerous course of action. The imagery of an intensely fueled fire functions as a vivid deterrent, emphasizing the near-certain ruin that would follow such a decision.