Shloka 42

कर्णेन व्यूहविधानम् — Karṇa’s Battle Formation and the Pāṇḍava Counter-Plan

Adhyāya 31

Devanagari script

यो हाभ्युपगतं प्रीत्या गरीयांसं वशे स्थितम्‌

Transliteration

yo hābhyupagataṁ prītyā garīyāṁsaṁ vaśe sthitam

Translation

Śalya said: “Whoever, with genuine affection, accepts a superior person who has come to him and is living under his authority…”

Word by Word

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ह: indeed/for emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (निपात)

• अभ्युपगतम्: one who has approached/come near; one who has sought refuge
• अभ्युपगतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि-उप-गम् (धातु) → अभ्युपगत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रीत्या: with affection/gladly
• प्रीत्या: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• गरीयांसम्: a superior/elder/more venerable (person)
• गरीयांसम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गरीयस् (प्रातिपदिक; तुलनात्मक-विशेषण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वशे: in (one's) control/power
• वशे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• स्थितम्: standing/remaining; being situated
• स्थितम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

शल्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śalya

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames an ethical principle about how one should treat a superior person who has approached in goodwill and is placed under one’s authority: such a situation demands restraint, respect, and dharmic conduct rather than exploitation of power.

What is happening in the narrative?

Śalya is speaking in the Karṇa Parva amid the war context, introducing a moral observation about relationships of authority—especially when a venerable person comes willingly and remains under another’s control—setting up a critique or counsel about proper behavior in such a delicate hierarchy.