Shloka 47
अग्निरिन्द्रश्न सोमश्न॒ पवनो5थ दिशो दश । धनंजयस्य ते पक्षे आदित्या: कर्णतो5भवन्,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
agnir indraś ca somaś ca pavano 'tha diśo daśa | dhanañjayasya te pakṣe ādityāḥ karṇato 'bhavan | vasavo marudgaṇāḥ sādhya-rudrā viśve devā aśvinīkumārā agnir indraḥ somaḥ pavano daśa diśaś ca arjunasya pakṣe 'bhavan, indraṃ vinānyā ādityagaṇāḥ karṇasya pakṣe 'bhavan | mahārāja vaiśya-śūdra-sūta-saṅkara-jātīyāḥ sarvaprakāreṇa tadā rādhāputraṃ karṇam evopajagmuḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Agni, Indra, Soma, Vāyu, and the ten directions took their stand on Dhanañjaya Arjuna’s side; the Vasus, hosts of Maruts, Sādhyas, Rudras, the Viśvedevas, and the Aśvin twins likewise aligned with Arjuna. But the Ādityas—except Indra—came over to Karṇa’s side. O King, at that time people of the Vaiśya, Śūdra, Sūta, and mixed communities, in every manner, chose to attach themselves to Rādhā’s son Karṇa alone.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames the battle as not merely human but cosmically witnessed: divine powers and symbolic forces (fire, wind, directions, celestial classes) are portrayed as taking sides. It also highlights how social groups may rally behind a charismatic warrior like Karṇa, suggesting that allegiance in crisis can be driven by perceived strength, gratitude, or identification, not only by royal lineage.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that many deities and cosmic forces align with Arjuna, while the Ādityas (except Indra) align with Karṇa. He then notes that various communities—Vaiśya, Śūdra, Sūta, and mixed groups—gravitate toward Karṇa, indicating a surge of popular support for him at this stage of the war.