Shloka 2

Karṇa-nidhana-śravaṇa, Kṣaya-Varṇana, and Śeṣa-sainika-nirdeśa

Hearing of Karṇa’s Fall, Accounting of Losses, and Naming of Remaining Warriors

Devanagari script

तस्मिन्‌ निपतिते भूमौ विह्नलले राजसत्तमे

Transliteration

tasmin nipatite bhūmau vihvalale rājasattame

Translation

When he had fallen upon the ground, O best of kings, he lay there overwhelmed and disoriented—an image that shows how swiftly the pride of warriors is brought low amid the moral weight and chaos of war.

Word by Word

• तस्मिन्: in/when that (one/that situation)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुं, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• निपतिते: having fallen
• निपतिते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + पत् (धातु) → निपतित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुं, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• भूमौ: on the ground
• भूमौ: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्री, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• विह्नलले: when (he was) bewildered/overwhelmed
• विह्नलले: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विह्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• राजसत्तमे: in/when the best of kings (was ...)
• राजसत्तमे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजसत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं, सप्तमी, एकवचन

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• वैशम्पायन (Vaiśampāyana)
• रājasattama (best of kings—address to Janamejaya)
• भूमि (earth/ground)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the fragility of human strength and status in the face of violent conflict: even the mighty can be reduced to helplessness in an instant, inviting reflection on restraint, responsibility, and the ethical gravity of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana describes a figure who has fallen to the ground and lies there in a stunned, distressed state, while addressing the listener as 'best of kings'—a typical epic narration frame directed to King Janamejaya.