Shloka 6

Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 20 — Yudhiṣṭhira–Duryodhana Encounter and Escalation of Arms

Devanagari script

सर्वमाख्यातवान्‌ वीरो वासुदेव: किरीटिने

Transliteration

sarvam ākhyātavān vīro vāsudevaḥ kirīṭine | śrutvā ca tad bhayān ghoraṃ mahad bhrātari vartamānam | pāṇḍukumāro 'rjuno 'bravīd—hṛṣīkeśa! śīghram etān aśvān vardhaya ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: The heroic Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa) told everything to Arjuna, the wearer of the diadem. Hearing it, and seeing the dreadful, great peril that had befallen his brother, Arjuna, son of Pāṇḍu, said: “Hṛṣīkeśa, quickly urge these horses on.”

Word by Word

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• आख्यातवान्: having told / narrated
• आख्यातवान्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ख्या (धातु)
• Form: क्तवतुँ (past active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वीरः: the hero
• वीरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वासुदेवः: Vasudeva (Krishna)
• वासुदेवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• किरीटिने: to the diadem-wearer (Arjuna)
• किरीटिने: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: किरीटिन्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)
• Arjuna (Kirīṭin, Pāṇḍukumāra)
• Hṛṣīkeśa
• Arjuna's brother (implied)
• horses

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights kṣatriya-duty expressed as swift, decisive action in response to imminent danger to one’s kin, and the coordinated reliance between warrior and charioteer—Arjuna’s resolve paired with Kṛṣṇa’s guidance and execution.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Kṛṣṇa (Vāsudeva) has explained the situation to Arjuna, Arjuna perceives a grave threat to his brother on the battlefield and urgently instructs Kṛṣṇa, addressed as Hṛṣīkeśa, to drive the chariot faster by urging the horses onward.