Shloka 17

Karṇa-vadha-pratyaya: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Verification of Karṇa’s Fall (कर्णवध-प्रत्ययः)

Devanagari script

हृष्टसेना: सुसंरब्धा रथानीकप्रहारिण: । कोसलै: काश्यमत्स्यैश्ष कारूषै: केकयैरपि

Transliteration

hṛṣṭasenāḥ susaṃrabdhā rathānīkaprahāriṇaḥ | kosalaiḥ kāśyamatśyaiś ca kārūṣaiḥ kekayair api ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: The warriors, exultant and fiercely aroused, were striking at the massed chariot-formations. Along with them were the Kosalas, the Kāśyas and Matsyas, the Kārūṣas, and the Kekayas as well—regional contingents drawn into the same violent surge of battle, where collective zeal and anger drive men to assault organized ranks without pause.

Word by Word

• हृष्टसेनाः: those whose armies are exhilarated/joyful (i.e., exultant warriors)
• हृष्टसेनाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृष्टसेना
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• सुसंरब्धाः: highly enraged / fiercely excited
• सुसंरब्धाः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुसंरब्ध
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• रथानीकप्रहारिणः: attackers/strikers of chariot-formations
• रथानीकप्रहारिणः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथानीकप्रहारिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• कोसलैः: by/with the Kosalas
• कोसलैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोसल
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• काश्य: by/with the Kāśyas (men of Kāśi)
• काश्य: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: काश्य
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• मत्स्यैः: by/with the Matsyas
• मत्स्यैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्स्य
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• कारूषैः: by/with the Kārūṣas
• कारूषैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारूष
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• केकयैः: by/with the Kekayas
• केकयैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: केकय
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Kosala
• Kāśya
• Matsya
• Karūṣa
• Kekaya
• rathānīka (chariot formation)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how, in war, collective exhilaration and anger can intensify violence and make disciplined formations the immediate targets. Ethically, it points to the peril of being driven by saṃrambha (fury/impetuosity), even while acting within the kṣatriya sphere of battle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that multiple regional forces—Kosalas, Kāśyas, Matsyas, Kārūṣas, and Kekayas—are actively assaulting chariot-divisions, striking at organized chariot arrays amid the heightened momentum of the fight.