Shloka 67

Devanagari script

कर्णमाश्रित्य कौन्तेय धार्तराष्ट्रेण विग्रह:

Transliteration

karṇam āśritya kaunteya dhārtarāṣṭreṇa vigrahaḥ

Translation

Sañjaya said: “O son of Kuntī, the clash of arms was undertaken by the son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, taking refuge in Karṇa—relying on him as his chief support in the war.”

Word by Word

• कर्णम्: Karna (as object of resort/depending on)
• कर्णम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• आश्रित्य: having resorted to / relying on
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-श्रि
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Prior action (having resorted to)

• कौन्तेय: O son of Kunti (Arjuna/Yudhishthira)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौन्तेय
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

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

• विग्रहः: conflict / hostility / battle
• विग्रहः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विग्रह
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• Karṇa
• Kaunteya (son of Kuntī)
• Dhārtarāṣṭra (descendant/son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how a leader’s choices in war often hinge on dependence upon a single powerful ally. Ethically, it points to the risks of staking a cause on strength alone—when the underlying cause is adharma, reliance on might cannot secure lasting rightness or stability.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the Kaurava side (the Dhārtarāṣṭra) engages in battle by leaning on Karṇa as its chief pillar. It signals Karṇa’s central role as Duryodhana’s main support at this stage of the war.