Shloka 243

Adhyāya 8: Saṃprahāra-varṇana and Bhīma–Kṣemadhūrti Dvipa-Yuddha

Combat Description and Elephant Duel

Devanagari script

वरो महेन्द्रो देवानां कर्ण: प्रहरतां वर: । जैसे घोड़ोंमें उच्चै:श्रवा, राजाओंमें कुबेर और देवताओंमें महेन्द्र श्रेष्ठ हैं, उसी प्रकार कर्ण योद्धाओंमें ऊँचा स्थान रखता था

Transliteration

varo mahendro devānāṁ karṇaḥ praharatāṁ varaḥ | yathā aśvānām uccaiḥśravāḥ, rājñāṁ kuberaḥ, devānāṁ mahendraḥ śreṣṭhaḥ, tathā karṇo yoddhṛṣu ūrdhvaṁ sthānam āsthitaḥ |

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “Among the gods, Mahendra (Indra) is the foremost; and among those who strike in battle, Karṇa is the foremost. Just as Uccaiḥśravā is supreme among horses, Kubera among kings, and Mahendra among the gods, so too did Karṇa hold the highest rank among warriors.”

Word by Word

• वरः: excellent, best
• वरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• महेन्द्रः: Mahendra (Indra)
• महेन्द्रः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• कर्णः: Karna
• कर्णः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रहरताम्: of the fighters/strikers
• प्रहरताम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र-हृ
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural, present active participle used substantively: 'of those who strike/fight'

• वरः: the best
• वरः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Mahendra (Indra)
• Karna
• Uccaiḥśravā
• Kubera