Shloka 15

Devanagari script

अहं वैकर्तन: कर्णश्नित्रसेनो विविंशति: । भूरिश्रवा: शल: शल्यो वृषसेनो दुरासद:,“मैं, सूर्यपुत्र कर्ण, चित्रसेन, विविंशति, भूरिश्रवा, शल, शल्य, दुर्धर्ष वीर वृषसेन, पुरुमित्र, जय, भोज, काम्बोजराज सुदक्षिण, सत्यव्रत, महाबाहु विकर्ण, दुर्मुख, दुःशासन, सुबाहु, अस्त्र-शस्त्रधारी कलिंगराज, अवन्तीके दोनों राजकुमार विन्द और अनुविन्द, द्रोण, अश्वत्थामा और शकुनि--ये तथा और भी बहुत-से नरेश जो विभिन्न देशोंके अधिपति हैं, अपनी सेनाके साथ तुम्हारी रक्षाके लिये चलेंगे। अतः तुम्हारी मानसिक चिन्ता दूर हो जानी चाहिये

Transliteration

ahaṃ vaikartanaḥ karṇaś citraseno viviṃśatiḥ | bhūriśravāḥ śalaḥ śalyo vṛṣaseno durāsadaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “I—Karna, the son of the Sun (Vaikartana)—together with Citrasena, Viviṃśati, Bhūriśravas, Śala, Śalya, and the hard-to-assail Vṛṣasena…”

Word by Word

अहम्I

वैindeed

कर्तनःKarna (son of Vikartana)

कर्णःKarna

चित्रसेनःChitrasena

विविंशतिःVivimshati

भूरिश्रवाःBhurishravas

शलःShala

शल्यःShalya

वृषसेनःVrishasena

दुरासदःhard to assail; formidable

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Karna (Vaikartana)

Citrasena

Viviṃśati

Bhūriśravas

Śala

Śalya

Vṛṣasena

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 models how, in crisis, leaders and messengers strengthen morale by naming reliable protectors and allies. Ethically, it also hints at the Mahābhārata’s recurring tension: immense martial power can be organized for a cause, yet power itself does not settle the question of dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya begins enumerating notable Kaurava-side warriors—starting with Karṇa and others—presenting them as a protective force. It functions as a catalogue of champions within the war narrative, signaling preparedness and reassurance.