Shloka 40

Devanagari script

यस्य वीर्येण वीर्य ते धार्तराष्ट्रोडवमन्यते । तमद्य पार्थ संग्रामे कर्ण वैकर्तनं॑ जहि,पार्थ! जिसके बलसे दुर्योधन तुम्हारे बल-पराक्रमकी अवहेलना करता है, उस वैकर्तन कर्णको आज तुम युद्धमें मार डालो

Transliteration

yasya vīryeṇa vīrya te dhārtarāṣṭro ’vamanyate | tam adya pārtha saṅgrāme karṇa vaikartanaṃ jahi ||

Translation

Vāyu said: “It is relying on that man’s might that Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son dares to slight your own valor. Therefore, O Pārtha, today in the battle, strike down Karṇa, Vaikartana—the ‘son of the cutter’.”

Word by Word

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• वीर्येण: by (his) prowess/strength
• वीर्येण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर्य
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• वीर्य: prowess/valor
• वीर्य: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर्य
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• धार्तराष्ट्रः: the son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra (Duryodhana)
• धार्तराष्ट्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun (proper)
• Root: धार्तराष्ट्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उदवमन्यते: disregards/holds in contempt
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-√मन्
• Form: Present, 3rd, Singular, Ātmanepada

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

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

• पार्थ: O Pārtha (Arjuna)
• पार्थ: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun (vocative, proper)
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• संग्रामे: in battle
• संग्रामे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्राम
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• कर्ण: O Karṇa
• कर्ण: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun (vocative, proper)
• Root: कर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• वैकर्तनम्: Vaikartana (Karṇa)
• वैकर्तनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun (proper epithet)
• Root: वैकर्तन
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• जहि: slay
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हन्
• Form: Imperative, 2nd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• पार्थ: O Pārtha
• पार्थ: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun (vocative, proper)
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

वायुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

• वायुदेव (Vāyu)
• पार्थ (Pārtha/Arjuna)
• धार्तराष्ट्र (Dhārtarāṣṭra—Duryodhana)
• कर्ण (Karṇa)
• वैकर्तन (Vaikartana—epithet of Karṇa)
• संग्राम (battlefield/war)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse links ethical order in war to removing the pillar of unjust confidence: Duryodhana’s contempt is fueled by Karṇa’s strength, so defeating Karṇa is urged as both a tactical turning point and a corrective to pride that sustains adharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāyu addresses Arjuna (Pārtha) on the battlefield, identifying Karṇa as the key support behind Duryodhana’s boldness and urging Arjuna to kill Karṇa that very day in combat.