Shloka 1

Karṇa’s Camp-Council Discourse: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Lament, Sañjaya’s Counsel, and Karṇa’s Request for Śalya

Book 8, Chapter 22

Devanagari script

ऑपनआक्ाता बा अकाल त्रयोविशो5 ध्याय: सहदेवके द्वारा दःशासनकी पराजय संजय उवाच सहदेवं तथा क्रुद्धं दहन्तं तव वाहिनीम्‌ । दुःशासनो महाराज भ्राता भ्रातरमभ्ययात्‌,संजय कहते हैं--महाराज! सहदेव क्रोधमें भरकर आपकी विशाल सेनाको दग्ध करने लगे। उस समय भाई दुःशासनने अपने उस भ्राताका सामना किया

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | sahadevaṃ tathā kruddhaṃ dahantaṃ tava vāhinīm | duḥśāsano mahārāja bhrātā bhrātaram abhyayāt |

Translation

Sanjaya said: “O King, Sahadeva, inflamed with wrath, began to burn through your vast host. At that moment your brother Duhshasana advanced to confront his brother.”

Word by Word

• {'sañjaya uvāca': 'Sanjaya said', 'sahadevam': 'Sahadeva (the youngest Pandava)', 'tathā': 'thus

• in that manner', 'kruddham': 'angered

• wrathful', 'dahantam': 'burning

• destroying (as if by fire)', 'tava': 'your', 'vāhinīm': 'army

• military formation', 'duḥśāsanaḥ': 'Duhshasana (a Kaurava prince, brother of Duryodhana)', 'mahārāja': 'O great king (address to Dhritarashtra)', 'bhrātā': 'brother', 'bhrātaram': 'brother (accusative: his brother)', 'abhyayāt': 'advanced toward

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sanjaya
• Dhritarashtra
• Sahadeva
• Duhshasana
• Kaurava army (tava vāhinī)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how unchecked wrath (krodha) rapidly escalates violence in war, drawing even close kin into direct confrontation; it implicitly warns that inner passions can override familial bonds and ethical restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sanjaya reports to King Dhritarashtra that Sahadeva, enraged, is cutting down the Kaurava forces, and Duhshasana steps forward to meet him in battle—setting up a brother-against-brother clash within the wider Kurukshetra war.