Shloka 54

Devanagari script

राधेयस्याद्य पापस्य भूमि: पास्यति शोणितम्‌

Transliteration

rādheyasyādya pāpasya bhūmiḥ pāsyati śoṇitam

Translation

Sañjaya said: “Today the earth will drink the blood of Radheya—Karna—whose deeds are sinful.”

Word by Word

• राधेयस्य: of Radheya (Karna)
• राधेयस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: राधेय
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• अद्य: today
• अद्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य

• पापस्य: of the sinful one
• पापस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• भूमिः: the earth/ground
• भूमिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• पास्यति: will drink
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (पिबति)
• Form: Simple Future (Luṭ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शोणितम्: blood
• शोणितम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोणित
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Rādheya (Karna)
• Bhūmi (Earth)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The line frames battlefield death as moral consequence: violent and unrighteous choices culminate in inevitable retribution, symbolized by the earth ‘drinking’ blood. It underscores the Mahābhārata’s ethical lens that adharma in action ripens into suffering, even for great warriors.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, narrating the war to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, foretells that Karna (Rādheya) will shed blood on that day—an ominous prediction of imminent slaughter and Karna’s downfall in the climactic fighting of the Karṇa Parva.