Shloka 11

Devanagari script

यावदावेद्यते राज्ञे हत: कर्णो3र्जुनेन वै तावद्धवद्धिय्य॑त्तैस्तु भवितव्यं नराधिपै:

Transliteration

yāvad āvedyate rājñe hataḥ karṇo 'rjunena vai tāvad dhavaddhiyyattaiḥ tu bhavitavyaṃ narādhipaiḥ

Translation

Sanjaya said: “Until the news is conveyed to the king that Karna has indeed been slain by Arjuna, the rulers—minds shaken and uncertain—must endure what is destined.”

Word by Word

• यावत्: so long as / until
• यावत्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत्
• Form: correlative adverb (till/so long as)

• आवेद्यते: is reported / is made known
• आवेद्यते: Karma
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + √विद् (वेदयति)
• Form: Present, Passive, 3rd person, Singular

• राज्ञे: to the king
• राज्ञे: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• हतः: slain
• हतः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √हन् (हत)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular (past passive participle)

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

• अर्जुनेन: by Arjuna
• अर्जुनेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• वै: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै
• Form: particle (emphasis/indeed)

• तावत्: so long / that long
• तावत्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत्
• Form: correlative adverb (so long/that long)

• धवद्धिः: with (their) running thoughts / with agitated minds
• धवद्धिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: धवत् + धी (धवद्धि-)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Plural (as read; text uncertain)

• यत्तैः: restrained / self-controlled
• यत्तैः: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यत्त (from √यम्, 'restrained/controlled')
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural (agreeing with नराधिपैः)

• तु: but / indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु
• Form: particle (but/indeed)

• भवितव्यम्: must be / is to be (done)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √भू (भवितव्य)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular (gerundive; impersonal necessity)

• नराधिपैः: by kings (lords of men)
• नराधिपैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नराधिप
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• King (Dhṛtarāṣṭra)
• Karna
• Arjuna
• narādhipa (rulers/kings)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores bhavitavya—inevitability: in war and kingship, one must face destined outcomes with steadiness, even before full confirmation arrives, recognizing the limits of control amid unfolding events.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, narrating the battle to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, indicates that the crucial news—Karna’s death at Arjuna’s hands—has not yet been formally conveyed to the king; until that disclosure, the rulers remain in anxious suspense, compelled to endure what is fated.