Shloka 16

कर्णप्रवेशः—रङ्गे द्वन्द्वयुद्धप्रस्तावः तथा अङ्गराज्याभिषेकः

Karna’s Entry, Duel Proposal, and Consecration as King of Aṅga

Devanagari script

सा च सत्यवती देवी कौसल्या च यशस्विनी । राजदारै: परिवृता गान्धारी चापि निर्यया,देवी सत्यवती, काशिराजकुमारी यशस्विनी कौसल्या तथा राजघरानेकी स्त्रियोंसे घिरी हुई गान्धारी भी अन्तःपुरसे निकलकर वहाँ आयीं

Transliteration

sā ca satyavatī devī kausalyā ca yaśasvinī | rājadaraiḥ parivṛtā gāndhārī cāpi niryayau ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: The venerable lady Satyavatī, and the illustrious Kausalyā, and Gāndhārī as well—surrounded by the women of the royal household—came out from the inner apartments and arrived there.

Word by Word

साshe (that lady)

चand

सत्यवतीSatyavatī

देवीthe queen/lady

कौसल्याKauśalyā

चand

यशस्विनीrenowned, illustrious

राजदारैःby the king's wives/royal women

परिवृताsurrounded, attended

गान्धारीGāndhārī

चand

अपिalso

निर्ययौwent out, came forth

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Satyavatī

Kausalyā

Gāndhārī

rājadarāḥ (royal women/queens)

antaḥpura (inner apartments/royal harem)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights dharma in a social-ethical sense: when a grave situation arises, even those bound by seclusion and protocol (the royal women of the antaḥpura) step forward. Responsibility to family and kingdom can override ordinary boundaries, showing that duty and compassion are not confined by rank or gendered spaces.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Satyavatī and Kausalyā, along with Gāndhārī attended by the royal women, come out from the inner quarters and proceed to the place where the main event is unfolding, indicating heightened concern and the public significance of the moment.