Shloka 21

भीष्म-पर्व अध्याय १०० — त्रिगर्त-आक्रमण, भीष्म-केन्द्रित पुनर्संयोजन, तथा शक्त्यस्त्र-विनिमय

Devanagari script

उसने शिरीषपुष्प एवं सुवर्णके समान पीतवर्णका बहुमूल्य सुगन्धित चन्दन लगा रखा था

Transliteration

sa śirīṣapuṣpasuvarṇakasamaṃ pītavarṇaṃ bahumūlyaṃ sugandhi candanaṃ liptaḥ

Translation

Karna said that he was anointed with fragrant sandalwood paste—costly, golden-yellow in hue, and delicate like the blossom of the śirīṣa—signaling refined splendor.

Word by Word

सःhe

शिरीषपुष्पसुवर्णकसमपीतवर्णकम्yellow-colored like śirīṣa-flowers and gold

बहुमूल्यम्very valuable

सुगन्धिfragrant

चन्दनम्sandalwood (paste)

लिप्तवान्had applied / was smeared with

Speaker

कर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

Karna

śirīṣa flower

gold (suvarṇa)

sandalwood paste (candana)

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 line highlights how external signs of refinement—perfume, costly adornment, and golden radiance—can accompany a life entangled in conflict; it invites reflection on the difference between outward prestige and inner dharma, especially in a war setting.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Karna’s speech, a person is described as being anointed with expensive, fragrant sandalwood paste, golden-yellow like the śirīṣa blossom—an image used to convey noble appearance and elevated status amid the unfolding martial narrative.