Shloka 1

Adhyāya 36: Ghora-yuddha-varṇanam

A Clinical Description of the Intensified Engagement

Devanagari script

अफ्-#-रा- सप्तत्रिशो5्ध्याय: कौरव-सेनामें अपशकुन, कर्णकी आत्मप्रशंसा, शल्यके द्वारा उसका उपहास और अर्जुनके बल-पराक्रमका वर्णन संजय उवाच दृष्टवा कर्ण महेष्वासं युयुत्सुं समवस्थितम्‌ । चुक्॒ुशु: कुरव: सर्वे हृष्टरूपा: समनन्‍्तत:ः

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | dṛṣṭvā karṇaṃ maheṣvāsaṃ yuyutsuṃ samavasthitam | cukruśuḥ kuravaḥ sarve hṛṣṭarūpāḥ samanantataḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Seeing Karṇa—the great archer—standing ready and eager to fight, all the Kurus cried out in jubilation from every side.

Word by Word

• संजयः: Sanjaya
• संजयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: संजय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive), Active (parasmai sense)

• कर्णम्: Karna
• कर्णम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• महेष्वासम्: great bowman
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महेष्वास
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• युयुत्सुम्: desirous to fight
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युयुत्सु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular, सुन् (desiderative adjective from √युध्)

• समवस्थितम्: standing ready / stationed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + अव + स्था
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• चुक्रुशुः: shouted / cried out
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्रुश्
• Form: Perfect (Paroksha-bhuta), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada

• कुरवः: the Kurus
• कुरवः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सर्वे: all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• हृष्ट-रूपाः: having delighted appearance / joyful-looking
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृष्ट-रूप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• समन्ततः: on all sides / all around
• समन्ततः: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः
• Form: true

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Karṇa
• Kuravaḥ (Kurus/Kauravas)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how collective enthusiasm in war often gathers around renowned strength, yet such excitement can obscure deeper ethical judgment; true discernment in the Mahābhārata lies in weighing dharma beyond battlefield acclaim.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that when the Kuru forces see Karṇa positioned and eager for combat, they erupt in cheers from all directions, indicating a surge of confidence in their champion at the opening of the chapter’s events.