Shloka 85

अध्याय ९ — कर्णस्य प्रहारः, योधयुग्मनियोजनम्, शैनेय-कैकेययोर्युद्धविन्यासः

Devanagari script

दृष्टवा विनिहतं कर्ण सारथ्ये रथिनां वर: । किमभाषत वीरौ5सौ मद्राणामधिपो बली

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā vinihataṁ karṇaṁ sārathye rathināṁ varaḥ | kim abhāṣata vīro 'sau madrāṇām adhipo balī ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Seeing Karṇa slain, that mighty hero—the lord of the Madras, famed as the best of charioteers among warriors—spoke out. What did he say at that moment?

Word by Word

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Adhikarana
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• विनिहतम्: slain, killed
• विनिहतम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-नि-हन्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• कर्णम्: Karna
• कर्णम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• सारथ्ये: in (the role of) charioteering / as charioteer
• सारथ्ये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारथ्य
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• रथिनाम्: of the chariot-warriors
• रथिनाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथिन्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

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

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: किम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अभाषत: said, spoke
• अभाषत: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: भाष्
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• वीरौ: the two heroes
• वीरौ: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• असौ: that (man), he
• असौ: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: असद् (pronoun: असौ/असौ)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मद्राणाम्: of the Madras
• मद्राणाम्: Sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: मद्र
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• अधिपः: lord, ruler
• अधिपः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• बली: mighty, strong
• बली: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Karṇa
• Madrāṇām adhipaḥ (Śalya, king of Madra)
• sārathi (charioteer role)
• rathin (chariot-warriors)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the instability of worldly power in war: even a foremost warrior like Karṇa can be struck down, and the ethical weight shifts to how survivors respond—through speech that may judge, lament, justify, or reaffirm dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

After Karṇa’s death, the narrator signals a new focus: Śalya, the king of Madra serving as Karṇa’s charioteer, sees him slain and speaks. The verse functions as a lead-in to Śalya’s immediate reaction and its consequences in the battle narrative.