Shloka 21

कर्णपुत्रवधः (The Fall of Vṛṣasena) — Karṇa Parva, Adhyāya 62

Devanagari script

यदर्थ धार्तराष्ट्रेण सततं मानितो भवान्‌

Transliteration

yadartha dhārtarāṣṭreṇa satataṁ mānito bhavān

Translation

Sañjaya said: “For the sake of which purpose Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son has continually honored you…”

Word by Word

• यदर्थम्: for which purpose / for which reason
• यदर्थम्: Karma
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदर्थ (यत् + अर्थ)
• Form: Avyaya (accusative sense: 'for which purpose')

• धार्तराष्ट्रेण: by the son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra (Duryodhana)
• धार्तराष्ट्रेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धार्तराष्ट्र (धृतराष्ट्रस्य अपत्यं)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• सततम्: always / continually
• सततम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सतत
• Form: Avyaya

• मानितः: honoured / respected
• मानितः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानित (√मान्/मन् + णिच्; past passive participle)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भवान्: you (honorific)
• भवान्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: भवत्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Dhārtarāṣṭra (Duryodhana)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The line highlights how sustained honor from a ruler (here, Duryodhana) is often tied to a specific aim—raising the ethical question of whether one’s loyalty is grounded in dharma or in obligation created by patronage.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, narrating events to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, begins a pointed remark/question about the reason Duryodhana has consistently honored the addressed person—setting up an explanation of motives and alliances within the war context.