Shloka 16

अध्याय ४ — भीष्मेन कर्णोत्साहनम्

Bhīṣma’s Encouragement of Karṇa

Devanagari script

सो5भिवीक्ष्य नरौघाणां स्थानमप्रतिमं महत्‌ । व्यूढप्रहरणोरस्कं॑ सैन्यं तत्‌ समबृंहयत्‌,वहाँ कर्णने कौरव सैनिकोंका वह अनुपम एवं विशाल स्थान देखा। समस्त सैनिक व्यूहाकारमें खड़े थे और अपने वक्ष:स्थलके समीप अनेक प्रकारके अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंको बाँधे हुए थे। कर्णने उस समय सारी कौरव-सेनाको उत्साहित किया

Transliteration

so ’bhivīkṣya naraughāṇāṁ sthānam apratimaṁ mahat | vyūḍha-praharaṇoraskaṁ sainyaṁ tat samabṛṁhayat ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Seeing that vast and incomparable position of the massed warriors—an army drawn up in ordered formation, with weapons and armor borne upon their chests—Karna then strengthened the spirit of the Kaurava host, rousing them for the coming clash.

Word by Word

• {'so (saḥ)': 'he (Karna)', 'abhivīkṣya': 'having looked upon, observing closely', 'naraughāṇām': 'of the multitude/host of men (warriors)', 'sthānam': 'position, station, emplacement', 'apratimam': 'incomparable, matchless', 'mahat': 'great, vast', 'vyūḍha': 'arrayed, drawn up (in battle formation)', 'praharaṇa': 'weapon, implement of striking', 'uraskaṁ (uras-kam)': 'upon the chest

• chest-borne (i.e., armed/armored at the breast)', 'sainyam': 'army', 'tat': 'that (army/host)', 'samabṛṁhayat': 'he increased, strengthened, encouraged (morale)'}

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Karna
• Kaurava army
• weapons (praharaṇa)
• battle formation (vyūha)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a wartime ethic of leadership: a commander must assess the situation clearly (seeing the army’s formation and readiness) and then strengthen the resolve of his troops. It underscores the practical side of kṣatriya-duty—organization, preparedness, and sustaining morale amid impending violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates that Karna observes the Kaurava forces standing in a well-ordered battle array, armed and armored, occupying a vast and impressive position. After taking in this sight, Karna boosts and emboldens the entire Kaurava army.