Shloka 48

Devanagari script

कर्ण उवाच अपि त्वां कृष्ण पश्याम जीवन्तो5स्मान्महारणात्‌ | समुत्तीर्णा महाबाहो वीरक्षत्रविनाशनात्‌,कर्ण बोला--महाबाह श्रीकृष्ण! वीर क्षत्रियोंका विनाश करनेवाले इस महायुद्धसे पार होकर यदि हम जीवित बच गये तो पुनः: आपका दर्शन करेंगे

Transliteration

Karṇa uvāca: api tvāṃ Kṛṣṇa paśyāma jīvanto ’smān mahāraṇāt | samuttīrṇā mahābāho vīrakṣatra-vināśanāt ||

Translation

Karna said: “O Krishna, mighty-armed one, if we survive and come through this great battle—this war that brings about the destruction of heroic kshatriyas—then we shall behold you once more.”

Word by Word

कर्णःKarna

उवाचsaid

अपिeven/also/if

त्वाम्you

कृष्णO Krishna

पश्यामmay we see

जीवन्तःalive, living

अस्मान्us

महा-रणात्from the great battle

समुत्तीर्णाःhaving crossed over, having come through

महाबाहोO mighty-armed one

वीर-क्षत्र-विनाशनात्from the destruction of heroic Kshatriyas

Speaker

कर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

Karṇa

Kṛṣṇa

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the fragility of life amid dharmic warfare: even great heroes speak with uncertainty about survival. It highlights the ethical weight of war—seen as a force that annihilates the warrior class—and the humility of acknowledging that future meetings depend on fate and the outcome of righteous yet devastating conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Karna addresses Krishna directly, expressing a conditional hope: if they survive and successfully pass through the impending great battle—described as a destroyer of heroic kshatriyas—then they will meet and see Krishna again. The line conveys foreboding and the expectation of massive loss.