Shloka 57

Devanagari script

सो5योधयत्‌ तदा कर्ण मायया लाघवेन च

Transliteration

so ’yodhayat tadā karṇa māyayā lāghavena ca

Translation

Sañjaya said: Then he engaged Karṇa in battle, relying on strategic illusion and swift maneuvering.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अयोधयत्: made (him) fight / fought (with)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध्
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Causative (ṇic), Parasmaipada

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा

• कर्णम्: Karna
• कर्णम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• मायया: by illusion / by magic
• मायया: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular

• लाघवेन: by lightness / agility
• लाघवेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लाघव
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

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

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Karṇa

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights that victory in war is not only about strength but also about disciplined skill—agility and tactical intelligence. It implicitly raises an ethical tension: stratagem (māyā) can be effective, yet its use must be weighed against dharma and the norms of righteous combat.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the (previously referenced) warrior confronts Karṇa and draws him into combat, using deceptive tactics and swift movements to challenge and counter him on the battlefield.