Shloka 283

ध्वजवर्णनम् | Dhvaja-varṇanam

Description of War Standards

Devanagari script

अर्जुनार्थे हनिष्पामि सकर्णान्‌ ससुयोधनान्‌ । “मैं अर्जुनके लिये हाथी, घोड़े, कर्ण और दुर्योधनसहित उन समस्त शत्रुओंको जीतकर सहसा उनका संहार कर डालूँगा

Transliteration

arjunārthe haniṣyāmi sa-karṇān sa-suyodhanān |

Translation

Sañjaya said: “For Arjuna’s sake, I shall swiftly strike down and destroy all those enemies—along with Karṇa and Suyodhana.” The line conveys a vow of decisive violence framed as loyalty to Arjuna, highlighting how personal devotion and battlefield duty can intensify the resolve to annihilate opponents in war.

Word by Word

• अर्जुनार्थे: for Arjuna's sake / in Arjuna's cause
• अर्जुनार्थे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुनार्थ (अर्जुन + अर्थ)
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• हनिष्यामि: I will slay
• हनिष्यामि: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: Simple Future (लृट्), First, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सकर्णान्: together with Karna
• सकर्णान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकर्ण (स + कर्ण)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• ससुयोधनान्: together with Suyodhana (Duryodhana)
• ससुयोधनान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ससुयोधन (स + सुयोधन)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Arjuna
• Karṇa
• Suyodhana (Duryodhana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds how allegiance to a righteous cause or beloved ally (here, Arjuna) can harden into an uncompromising vow of destruction. Ethically, it illustrates the Mahābhārata’s tension between dharma as duty in war and the moral cost of totalizing enmity.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports a warrior’s fierce resolve: acting ‘for Arjuna’s sake,’ he declares he will swiftly slay the opposing forces, explicitly naming Karṇa and Suyodhana (Duryodhana) among those to be destroyed—signaling an escalation toward decisive confrontation.