Shloka 46
वसवो मरुतः साध्या रुद्रा विश्वेदश्चिनौ तथा,वसु, मरुदगण, साध्य, रुद्र, विश्वेदेव, अश्विनीकुमार, अग्नि, इन्द्र, सोम, पवन और दसों दिशाएँ अर्जुनके पक्षमें हो गये एवं (इन्द्रके सिवा अन्य) आदित्यगण कर्णके पक्षमें हो गये। महाराज! वैश्य, शूद्र, सूत तथा संकर जातिके लोग सब प्रकारसे उस समय राधापुत्र कर्णको ही अपनाने लगे
vasavo marutaḥ sādhyā rudrā viśvedāśvinau tathā | agnir indraḥ somaḥ pavano daśa diśaś ca arjunasya pakṣe 'bhavan, indraṃ vinā anye ādityāḥ karṇasya pakṣe 'bhavan | mahārāja! vaiśya-śūdra-sūta-saṅkara-jātikāḥ sarve janāḥ sarvathā tadā rādheyaṃ karṇam eva parigṛhṇanti sma ||
Sañjaya said: The Vasus, the Maruts, the Sādhyas, the Rudras, the Viśvedevas, and the two Aśvins—along with Agni, Indra, Soma, Vāyu, and the ten directions—took the side of Arjuna; while the Ādityas (except Indra) aligned themselves with Karṇa. O King, at that time people of the Vaiśya and Śūdra orders, the Sūtas, and those of mixed birth, in every way chose to attach themselves to Karṇa, the son of Rādhā. The passage frames the war as not merely human conflict but a cosmic alignment, while also exposing how social groups, moved by loyalty, reputation, or perceived advantage, rally behind a champion—raising questions about dharma, status, and the ethics of allegiance in a fractured polity.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents the Kurukṣetra war as a moral and cosmic drama: divine powers are depicted as taking sides, suggesting that human choices resonate with a larger order. At the same time, it highlights how social groups rally behind a figure like Karṇa, inviting reflection on dharma—whether allegiance is guided by righteousness, gratitude, fear, or worldly advantage.
Sañjaya reports to the king that many classes of deities align with Arjuna, while the Ādityas (except Indra) align with Karṇa. He then notes that various human social groups—Vaiśyas, Śūdras, Sūtas, and mixed communities—gravitate toward Karṇa, portraying a broad, socially diverse support base around him at that moment in the battle narrative.